Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-21
A District Government Commission.


before the House District committee
for the appointment Of joint commits
sion to inquire into the subject OF the
relationship between the District and
the federal government, with view
to determining the proper manner OF
maintaining the National Capital
municipality These vary only in de-
tail. embodying the principle OF an
inquiry by members of the House ana
senate and citizens of the District
chosen by the President
The District has no objection TO a
submission of its case to q fair. I'M
prejudiced commission which will in
vestiSate past conditions and seek the
most equitable mode Of capital MAIN
tenance 1t demurs. however. to any
suggestion that the present arrange
ment. so far as it is conscfentlousiy
carried out by Congress, is unfair or
unwise. pointing to the fact that un-
der it the capital has developed as II
failed to develop in the years OF con-
Rressional neglect and also to the fact
that the District people are now bear
ing a tax burden comparable win
those borne by the people of other
cities and as great as can be borne by
the local taxpayers without destroying
their prosperity.
, In view of the continued agitation In
Congress against the present form OF
government and method OF financing
the federal city. however. some survey
Of the situation is doubtless desirable
The District is confident that 1t can
establish before a properly organized
commission the full equity OF the or
.kanic act and the half-and-half con-
tribution by the United States toward
its upkeep. .-........-..-.-..
In view of the formal proposal OF a
commission of inquiry and recommen-
dation all attempts to invalidate the
organic act through the writing OF
provisions in the appropriation act tnat
run counter to the half-and-half pr1n-
eiple Of 1.-The Districts constitution.
~ the act of 1878 has been declared
by the Supreme Court Of the United
States. should be abandoned It IS
obviously Negotiable to prejudice the
case in advance OF such supposedly
thorough. dednitive investigation by
continuing to mulct the District in
plain violation of the spirit and even
the letter of the organic act
Section of the District appropria-
ton bill. as passed by the House. and
abandoned by the House il there is
serious intention of pressing the com
mission proposal to an issue at this
session. That they will be defeated
through a fair agreement in confer
ence on the terms Of the appropriation
bill is the hope Of the District today.
One of them is a direct and even an
avowed attempt to modify materially
the half-and-half principle of the act
of 1873. by turning into the Treasury
all surplus" District tax revenues. to
be held as miscellaneous federal re-
ceipts. The other puts upon the adj
jacent property owners the full cost
of certain street improvements and re-
duces the federal share of the cost in
other cases. For this there is no war
rant whatsoever in the law and no
Justification in the equities. With the
Senate firmly opposed to both Of these
propositions, SO hostile to the prin-
ciples upon which the District has
been maintained for thirty-six years,
the conference should result in their
cancellation in the final adjustment of
the bill.
The District prays for rest from the
harassing attempts to upset the ar
rangement that has brought the Ma
tional Capital to so high a degree Of de-
velopment and has made it an object Of
pride to the American people. 1t
hopes for some measure of justice at
the hands of Congress that will bring
relief to it from the persistent as
saults that have for several years
tended to destroy confidence in the
good faith of the government toward
its constitutionally adopted ward.