Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-13
Let Well Enough Alone.

II doubling of the revenue from
reasonable local taxation in the District
produced more money than could be
wisely. economically and appropriately
spent In maintenance and development of
the capital then some readjustment of
the present financial arrangement would
naturally suggest itself; not the drastic
and destructive mutilations Of the law
that have been advocated, but some
amendment that would work out as near
ly as possible precisely the degree of re-
adjustment needed
But this doubling does not as yet pro-
duce too much for suitable maintenance
and development of the capital For
years it has not produced enough to pro-
vide for needed permanent Improvements
as well as current maintenance We
have not yet paid off the floating debt
incurred to complete some of these great
permanent improvements Much remains
to be done in the line of these projects
and in the strengthening of comparatively
neglected branches of municipal admins
tration Our money in the past has been,
IN the present Is and in the future will
De wisely and helpfully spent under the
direction of Congress. with all the sal
guards against graft thrown by the
treasury Department around funds han
died through its agency and under its
that will be available for capital Develop
ment from a doubling of local tax money
Will be needed. Congress will be embar-
raised by the confusing variety of wise
ana nelpful projects of capital-upbuilding.
and not by any lack of them One has
only to examine the neglected suggestions
OF capital betterment made by District
commissioners past and present to learn
~l.at SOUND projects of municipal devel-
opment have been ignored in order to
make showing of greater revenue
under the haf-and-half law than III.
capital needs or can economically expend
since the Washingtonian's tax-burden Is
reasonable, certainly not too light and
|yet not grossly excessive; and since the
capital needs even more for its judicious
uphuilding and maintenance than the
half half law produces, why NOT leave
we'll enough alone?
There are good friends of Washington
who seek legislation emphasizing the ma
t1onal character of taxes collected in the
District. They would no longer have the
taxes raised in Washington even called
District taxes. but designated and treated
as national taxes. national revenues, to
be covered like revenues from the tariff
into the national treasury.
RMS proposition cannot today be dis
cussed on its merits But whether meri-
tortous or not, it ought not to be pushed
at this time. to the undermining and
overthrow of the half -and-haH provision
The District taxes do not. national
| ments of uniformity throughout the
United States, or of being laid in proper
| ton to the census. They are not direct
| and general national taxes; but are spe-
| cial and extraordinary taxes coupled as
| to expenditure with trust
NO words can be used that will give the
nation more complete control of this trust
fund. The words District taxes District
revenues. partnership arrangement half
and half agreement and organic act only
suggest and in part define the trust obi
cation toward the capital as beneficiary
which Is lawfully and equitably coupled
with the collection by the nation of spe-
cial and extraordinary taxes from the
| community. not uniform throughout the
United States and not laid in proportion
| to the census.
| Since the trust obligation exists why
not define it in terms of proportionate
participation in responsibility. as pro-
vided in the, half and-half agreement of
| 1878?
| Since full power and an equitable obli-
cation co-eXist why object to any mere
verbiage which does not reduce the power
and which only defines more clearly the
| self-imposed obligation?
Since the obligation is conceded why
destroy its definite statement under the
act of 1878 and leave its definition so
vague and uncertain that the obligation
| itself may be viewed by unfriends of the
capital as repudiated and destroyed?
| Since advocates of the Morrill, plan and
zealots in upholding the national suprem-
acy in the nations city are in intent
friends of the capital why join with the
enemies of Washington to destroy Some
thing Good and Beneficial. merely in the
| hope of substituting Something Better,
and with almost certainty of substitute
! ing Something Worse?