Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-13
Fine Architecture and Tax Re-
mission.

agement of architecture In the city and
prize, gold medal together with a
diploma, is offered yearly for the most
attractively designed structure erected
In addition to this reward for the archi-
tect the owner Of the building is excused
from payment - the taxes that would le-
saisy be imposed upon the premises. Here
in Washington the attractively designed
structure. instead of being rewarded as
demonstration of public spirit by re-
mission of taxes, is the special object OF
the attentions of the tax assessor. prod
ded into excessive activity by the agita-
ton of few members of Congress, who
treat a new and beautiful building in
Washington as the ostentatious display
or criminal confession Of predatory
wealth, to be punished by taxation to the
limit
This treatment of the wealthy Ameri-
cans who have been lured into adjoining
the city with attractive buildings is in
line with the unfair policy pursued by
the nation from the beginning to 1878, and
not in line with the wise policy OF the
organic act and the publcspirited states
men who are building up the capital or
broad lines today. The nation secured
dona tons of four-tifths of the site of
Washington to build up here permanent
capital, to be created and maintained by
the nation from the proceeds of sales of
the donated lots. The nation lured to
WASHINGTON from Europe as we'll as this
continent purchasers from it of the do
mated lots on the same express and I'M
piled consideration The nation accepted
the lots and pocketed the money for
which they We're sold and then through
Congress Il raised year after year the
question Of the permanency of this capita !.
which il had. in effect. contracted should
be permanent At one time the House, in
committee of the whole actually voted
to remove the capital thus repudiatins its
obligation and threa tenng to destroy
Washington. Its undertaking to part CT
pate in maintenance of the city. using
part of the proceeds of sales of donated
lots for this purpose. was practically
ignored
The same unfairness which was shown
to original owners of the soil. to purciaS-
ers of government lots and to all resi-
dents and taxpayers of the nations city
up to 1873 has been in evidence in the
treatment of every class Of Washington
mans The nation could hardly nave pro-
ceeded differently if it had determined to
make the National Capital uninhabita Bile
and to depopulate it, On the preteNt of
making 1t an ideal residential city the
commerce and manufactures of the pros
porous. self-sustaininS. industrial city
have been denied it. The nation has. i'll
effect. and as far as it was able. dis
couraged all local industries except its
own. Then. having approximately barred
all means of local self-support except
those furnished by the government de-
nartments or workshops, II shut out the
Washngtonian from many OF the only
local industries which il permitted to
exist by the apportionment of offices law.
which distributes the positions in the
classified service. like pirates plumber.
among the states according to their
strength as shown by the census This
Gripping Of Washington as field Of
labor was for the alleged purpose of pro-
tecting it as an attractive residence city
from smoke and din and tumult Of an
industrial center. Now, having lured men
of wealth here to build houses. to adorn
our ideal residence city, We arc about TO
chase them out again by devising for
them new special taxes. by berating them
as opponents OF vulgar. oStentatous
wealth and as taXdodgers. Washington Is
to retain as taxpayers neither rich nor
poor. neither capital nor labor.
From the beginning the advantages or
Washington as an educational center
have been proclaimed. and its develop
ment along this line predicted and eN-
pected George Washington pointed out
its wonderful suitability to become the
site of the national university and by
his will endowed this prospective uni
versity. President Grant followed WASH
in:storl's lead in approving the project or
a national university in the nations city:
But in actual practice and in practicai
results the hatloh mas wi'ni'eu ~ ". ~
District me EXTENSIVE iaiiu 3 60 80 a.
bestowed upon the states and territories
and dependencies beyond the seas Tor the
encouragement ot puplie eou'a.iot. -
eress hesitates even TO-DAY 70 eS'e,la ~
the District the dement's OF the MOTIF
act. and representatives, OF lhe sliesie
and Rockefeller educatioii y usts ue.
that there is no need OF ths,ila'.uii9 "
higher education IN the capital VI .he a Ia
non, ana ttat johns i.ophins III 80
I University OF Virginia Siiail ,iicet a. w
capital REQUIREMENTS III LIZ r,.a,'aI
Thus Washington ana Gran, arr ai a ~, ta
asathst -. ia b.ya nou.r
latter however; are AIN anu ia
10 cripple ana aestIos. nt .h No
In hoth knenos Alrts AZ NJ ;na,,s-
ton mas - tl,ais ni, ~ .ba
trial and commercial prospeih4 .n'
capital increasing rs "eatn anu t"Aa
BILE resources l'ochs " ut,eiop -. -
commercially nave oeeh buli' az iii,,tiei l...
cost, iar"'iH On hrazl' or Mhpl's w
Argentine AZ natiohdl eNpenSa ~ 80,
cities the 'nl mas SHOWN Patli"iN Hit'i
est aud u d" IN capital hpbulidlhS, hiu
has sp"it ia&lShN, 'l"ush Mlse'H' i'o.'
national fundS 10 develop .he,i ~
trartiNcn"SS Of appearance III i'hi'h' ~
wealth and in business Piosptrl'S III
this policy there has been no sFlnSiness'
no s,rimpins
In Rio the nation controlling rs ma
fional capital much as Washington !
controlled. deliberately under,ooh !.
make il not merely beautiful npt
great and prosperous city WORTHY 10 pe
the capital of III" vast braziliah reP'ln
lie. The building OF dockaec system;
the construction OF the Avenlda eiiti d
from sea to sea and the Improvement ~
the city in general is SAD 70 pc uirer. y
and consciously part OF dellnera1e