Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-01
MAJORITY RULE
IN WASHINGTON
If Nation Becomes Minority
Contributor It Should Sur
render Control to Local
Majority.
NO REPRESENTATION
WITHOUT TAXATION
lf-and-Half Law Furnishes Only
Defense Against Just Criticism
of Local Government.
BY THEODORE w. MOVES.

building; for the logical sequence
OF such action is surrender by the
nation OF control of the capital
municipality to the local majority
stockholders. Power and obliga-
ton are inseparably coupled, and
if the latter is destroyed or dinin-
| ished. the former is in equity de-
stroyed or diminished in proper
ton.
| If the nation without repudiat-
ing entirely its capital-mainte-
nance obligation cuts it down from
one-half to one-third or one
quarter, and confines it to a close
calculation of actual benefits in
protection and development con
ferred upon the government prop
erty, then the nation should cut
down in proportion the control
which it exercises i'll taxation and
municipal government of the Dis
trict. Ceasing to be majority
or one-half stockholder in this
municipal corporation, it should,
III good faith. turn over control of
the fiscal concerns of the corpora
ton to the majority stockholders.
This surrender OF power accom-
panying a reputation OF obliga-
ton should be genuine and Ell
iective. 1t should transfer to the
majority contributors to the tax
fund absolutely the power to say
how much should be raised in
taxes. in what form they should be
raised, and by whom and for what
purposes they should be expend
ed. No power should be reserved
to the nation which is not of the
negative, limited character that is
appropriate for the protection of a
minority interest and representa-
ton.
Power and obligation are in
separably coupled. and the nation
should not bunco the capital by
merely pretending to surrender
power while genuinely repudiat-
ing a material obligation. II the
nation had in fact bought the
ashingtonians birthright for a
mess OF pottage it would be COM
PEELED in good faith to restore the
birthright ii ii withheld any OF the
stipulated pottage. With all the
power in its own hands it must
not cheat the nations ward OF
both birthright and pottage.
If the United States reduces its partiei-
nation in capital maintenance Delo" the
one half mark it must in fairness sur
render its exclusive control of the capi-
tails fiscal concerns. 1t is hard enough 10
defend on American principles tne eA-
elusive control of fund by a nan con.
tributor: il is impossible to defend
such exclusive control by a quarter
contributor A one-half taxpayer needs
/: the assent of only the smallest TAX
| payer of the other half TO become
(, majority and on the principle of ma
/ iority rule be entitled to act as If he
were the whole: but a third or quar-
ter taxpayer is distinctly and nope
| lessly a minority, and II he assumes 10
| act for the whole it is not even ap-
proximate representative government
| Thus if the nation does not Withdraw
| entirely from participation in capital
making and capital maintenance ana
| repudiates only in part its capital OBJ
! legation, it should surrender only in
1 corresponding part its exclusive taxing
! and governing power in respect 10 the
| capital Its powers should contract i'll
approximate conformity win reduc-
| tjons in obligation and responsibility
| When the nation was theoretically
meeting all the expenses or capital
| making an obligation which II as
/ sumed at the founding of the city IL
was theoretically entitled to absolute
! control of the capitals fiscal concerns.
| Even under the half contribution to-
| ward capital making since 1878.
/ nlausible defence on the American
| characterization can be made of the eA-
ercise of full power over the municipal
! fund by its half-contributor. But as
| soon as the nation becomes a minority
| contributor to this capital-maintenance
| fund at that moment it loses any
equitable right exclusively to control it.
1t must devise some way IN which the
| will of the majority contributors to the
/ ca apital-mainten enance fund shall prevail
as TO the amount of taxes to be raised
/ the forms of taxation To be employed
in IL.
for which the capital-ma ntenance fund
| shall be expended.
! The turning over of the local taxing
mower 10 the ma joriry taxpayers should
| he genuine and not bogus and deceptive
| If Congress retains exclusive power of
| legislation under the Constitution over
! District of Columbia affairs. including
| taxation, and merely enlarges the city's
/ opportunities to be heard in petition. or
| merely increases the number of official
| petitioners, or merely gives the District
/ the right to name it's official petitioners to
1 Congress as Commissioners and a vote
, less delegate, the municipal taxing power
| will not be transferred, and Washington
| will be buicoed and gold-bricked.
| If II sold its birthrght for a mess of
| pnttage at the founding of the city it
| will have been deprived of the pottage
| without restoration of its birthright, and
will have been swindled of both birthright
and pottage
| Not an American Birthright
| The theory that the nations half con-