The Washington times., 1914-04-09

the householder or the business mar
more than it would cost if Washing.
tor had power to look after its OWL
interests in such a matter, the Gov,
ernment is responsible. The Govern
ment's ineffective method of admin
! istering the town makes these costs
excessive.
If Washington were a self-govern-
ing town, again, gas would not have
cost, for many years past, to exceed
IS cents per thousand feet. Il would
not cost, today, to exceed SO cents.
But it does cost Sc cents to the most
favored, and 81 to many citizens.
Who is to blame for that? The
cost of living, for the people of
Washington, is increased by every
such dereliction on the part of the
Government: and the people cannot
help themselves. The rates thai must
be paid for gas and electricity con-
tribute just as directly TO make the
cost Of living, as does the tax rate.
Once more, look TO the street rail-
ways. Washington is full of ad-
vanced, intelligent, understanding
sentiment on the subject of public
utilities. 1t is unthinkablc that, if
the community had been self-govern-
ing, it would have permitted its
street railways to be capitalized so
high rs they are. That capitaliza-
tion represents a burden to be borne
by the people Of the city. 1t is a
burden imposed upon them by the act
of the Federal Government, in per-
mitting these eycesses of capitaliza-
ton and of rates, quite as truly as
if it We're written down on the tax
bill ard settled in the annual tax
payment. Washington would have
had municipal ownership of its street
cars, or substantial concessions in
the rates of their fares, before this
time, if it had had the privilege of
running its own business. But it has
not had that privilege. The laxity
of the Federal Government has per-
mitted these things to go on and on,
piling up burdens for the people of
Washington to pay; burdens that all
contribute to make this an expensive
CITY in which to live
Take another illustration. The
Federal Government decided that it
wanted a large section of improved
property to add to the Union Sta
ton Plaza. 1t directed the appraisal
end condemnation of the property.
The owners were found to be entitled
to something over three millions of
dollars. For long time now, the
property has been withdrawn from
the possibility Of production. I'M
provements have been dismantled or
rendered useless for any earning
purpose. Yet the people who own it,
who need either the use, or the rent
ais, or the purchase money which the
Government is obligated to pay
them, are getting neither. That is an
other of the impositions that loosely
government of the town by
Congress intiicts on the people OF
Washington. 1t is a very real and
grievous imposition, too.
We have lately been through an
which has commanded at
tention 70 the railroad rates which
must pay That expert
ence has shown that Washington,
though a large city, with com
location at the real gate
way between North ard South, at
tractive to visitors and buyers, has
small chance to develop a wide
reaching business Importance be-
cause rates both into and out of the
town are so adjusted as to place the
city at vast disadvantage in eff
Iorts to do business.
Look in another direction. Wash
ngton must needs De a city beauti-
ful, that it may appropriately con-
air the beautiful structures which
are reared of finest marble to house
The Governments workers. 1t is a
fine thing to have a beautiful city; !
out the smoke laws which restrict /
while insuIing a clear sky
and good air. also constitute pro-
libition Of industrial development. |
That means that Washington must /
1e a town Of one-s;ded economic de- !
1t must be consuming
own and only in very small measure /
! producing towr. Its people are i.
peculiarly dependent or the Govern /
nent for employment and the means
If living.
These are merely suggestions of a
ew Gf the many directions in which !
Nashlngtonians are restricted, in !
heir activities and opportunities,
md in which their expenses of living
are increased, by reason of the city's ;
relations TO Congress. The
ruth is that the relative contribu-
ions to the tax budget represent but
; small item in The big equation.