Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-21
Mr.. mcfarland Urges Them
to Spread Information About
the National Capital.
SAYS AMERICAN PEOPLE
WANT A CITY BEAUTIFUL
Doesn't Think They Begrudge Six
Cents Year, as Against the
$40 Residents Pay.

Henry B. F. Macfarland. former COM
missioner of the District of Columbia and
chairman of the executive committee of
the committee of one hundred,
delivered an address on District
legislation at meeting of the
Womens National Press Club at the
l.aleigh Hotel yesterday afternoon. Mr..
Macfarland discussed various phases of
the Districts affairs. declaring that in
telligent, thinking Americans. no matter
in what section of the country they may
live. are interested in the capital of the
nation and have no desire to see its de-
its evolution into the most beautiful
capital city in the world.
No topic interests intelligent Ameri-
cans everywhere more than their Ma
| tional Capital declared Mr. Macfar-
land notwithstanding the fact that
hundreds of thousands of them can never
hope to visit it's But they are all proud
of it. and desire that it should be I'M
proved. physically as well as morally. so
that it may become the greatest capital
in the world.
Six Cents Not Begrudged.
Not one of these Intelligent, think
ing Americans" Mr. Macfarland as
serted, "begrudges the six cents a. year
each which is the contribution of our
fellow-citizens to match the $50 each
| year which we pay for the mainte-
| nance and development of the city of
our common affection and pride.
Books and articles about the Ma
| n0I col rorixy
where in the country. Nothing that
you can write will be more interesting
to your readers throughout the land
than facts about the nations relation
to its city from the founding to the
present day.
With all that has been written, most
, people, even in Washington, know
very little about the facts Naturally,
those who do not know cannot un-
derstand the present financial arrange
ment under which the new Washington
has been made since 1878. Even the
men sent to Congress, who are above
the average of their constituents in in
telligence and knowledge, cannot un-
derstand without knowing the facts.
That is why we are trying to bring
the facts to the attention of every one
| of the ninety-six senators and 4So rep
resentatives, who collectively, by the
Constitution. have the absolute and
exclusive control of this city.
THE press is the great teacher of
us ALL chiefly because it brings facts
to our minds. This high Office is in
part yours and 1 ask that you will
give the facts about the capital to all
your readers so they may know. The
executive committee will be glad to
furnish any Of you with brief outlines
sources which are published by the
national government and chiefly in re-
ports of congressional committees.
Unique Among World Capitals.
These show that this is the unique
capital of the world, being purely a gov
| ernmental city without large commerce
or industries of wealth. that it was de-
liberately planned by George Washing
ton, Thomas Jefferson and James Madi-
son solely for the purpose of the national
government and free from any conflict
ing jurisdiction, taking f1ve-sevenths of
the area of the original city by free gift
from the nineteen proprietors and holding
at present real property OF at least one
half the total value of property for the
purpose of government according to the
magnificent city plan; that the compare
lively few people here have always done
more than their share in the maintenance
Of the common capital, and are now pay
ing $7,000,0OO a year under taxation OF
real and personal property. which is
higher per capita according to the census
bulletin in 149 of the 1875 cities having
over 10000 population in 1912; that sys-
tematic development of the capital ac-
cording to plans for its physical and NOR
al Improvement which have been general
ly approved is entirely dependent upon
the continuance of the present arrange
ment.
You yourselves, patriotic women.
can also personally do a great service by
laying these facts before your personal
friends in the Senate and House. 1 have
absolute confidence in the right action of
any unprecedented mind when it knows
the truth of any matter. Moreover, L
have confidence in the patriotism of Con-
gress.
Not Against Half-and-Half.
Addressing the members of the Steam
and Operating Engineers Union, No. II,
at the hall at 10th street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue last night, B. +. Lindas Of
| the Tax Reform Association of the Dis
trict of Columbia declared that the or
ganization Of which he is a member is
| not in any manner opposed to the half
and-half principle, but that it is opposed
| to the two-thirds valuation plan.
Opposition to this plan, he said, is
based on the grounds that it places the
valuation, for taxing purposes, on small
homes almost twice as high as on the
more pretentious residences of persons of
wealth. Mr.. Lindas used number of
charts, maps. etc. to illustrate his points,
property that are exempt from taxa
| ton, and said that adherence to the ha'f-
and-haf principle is necessary to insure
proper distribution of assessments in the