The Washington herald., 1914-03-12

l Elkmt uSththou 10 congress-.
asks you to do this primarily in
personal conversations with your per-
sonal friends In the Senate and
House. Secondarily, by letters to those
| that you are not acquainted with. In
each case we ask that you will simply
bring the facts cf the nations relations
with its Capital City to the personal at
tention of Senators and Representatives.
Your executive committee believes in the
wisdom and justice of Congress as a
whole. Il believes that when every Sena-
| tor and every Representative is pos
sessed of the facts that the dangerous
| legislation now pending will be defeated.
Your executive committee further asks
that each Of you will communicate with
his personal friends and will ask other
District residents to communicate with
their personal friends throughout the
country, LAYING the facts of the matter be-
fore them, and asking them to communi-
cate with their Senators and Represent
atives in behalf of their National Capital
Asks Citixens' Aid.
Your executive committee also asks
your cooperation in the efforts Il will
Immediately make to communicate with
our fellow citizens throughout the States
by means of national ORGANIZATIONS OF
high and representative character. formed
for great civic purposes, especially those
having their headquarters in the city Of
Washington. over score in number.
Already several OF these great national
organizations have volunteered to in
form their members throughout the
country OF the peril OF the National
Capital and to evoke that protest which
they know our patriotic fellow country
men will be eager to make so soon as
they are aware of the character of the
pending legislation described. They were
quick to see that II was the nations
cause We were advocating.
THE facts necessary to inform our
friends in Congress and our friends in
the country are ready to hand In Con-
e"essional reports, in national census
bureau bulletins, in publications Of the
Board OF Trade and Chamber Of Com
merce, and others. The latest and most
concise In . pamphlet published by The
Washington Herald. Col. George
Truesdell, Mr.. Theodore w. Noyes, and
Others have prepared full and accurate
documents. The executive committee
will be glad to direct any one to the
sources of the facts OF the subject.
In accordance with suggestions made
to It, the executive committee offers a
brief outline OF them as an index 60
the publications already made.
They all rest necessarily upon the
history of the founding and the de-
velopment of the National Capital to
show:
"First-Its exclusively national char
acter and the intention of the founders
that 1t should re treated as the child
of the Union created solely for the
seat OF government.
Got Land Free Of Charge.
''Second-That the national govern
ment acquired fve-sevenths of the
area of the City of Washington free of
cost from the original proprietors, and
also built its first national buildings
chiefly out Of the proceeds OF the sale
Of part Of the land given IL.
"Third-That George Washington !
aided by Thomas Jefferson and James !
Madison. planned a magnificent capi- !
tai. taking 54.oS per cent of the area !
for streets and avenues, an unparal- |
leled proportion, besides parks and !
in anticipation Of the !
great growth of the infant nation.
"Fourth-That for reasons set forth |
in the reports, the national govern !
nent practically neglected George /
plan for nearly three |
quarters OF a century, and left the bur- |
len of maintenance and development |
1n the few people resident here.
"Fifth-That the local people brave |
" attempted to carry out the plans, |
Ind, according to official reports. ex-
pended up to 1871 at least $4,000, 900 |
more than the national government.
which until that time had spent only
/ little over $1,000. 1000 on the streets
and avenues, which II absolutely
owned, under the gift of the propri-
.tors. as interpreted by the United
states Supreme Court q Peters 232).
''Sixth-That in doing so they had prac-
ically bankrupted themselves twice and
n the latest case, between "a and rs,
when Congress through its agents began
he execution of the George Washington
Dlans on a large scale but at the expense /
II the local people. had staggered until
hey fell under the intolerable burden.
"Seventh-That thereupon Congress
irst guaranteed the debt that had been
incurred for National Capital making
md promised to pay its proportionate
'hare and then spent four years in in
'estigations by five committees. includ-
ng two joint select committees, and in
with representative citizens
II the District. resulting in the compact
II 1873 embodied in the organic act of
Tune II. 1875 which the United States
supreme Court has also called the Con-
Ititution of the District and which Con-
;ress said was to provide a permanent
orm OF government
Nation Proud of Capital.
'Eighth-That under its permanent
orm Of government. and especially the
arrangement as to ex-
'ense. the Capital has made the progress
n the execution OF George washington.s
'lans, and in other ways, of which the
country is so proud.
'Ninth-That the people OF the District
ave continued. like their predecessors
rom the beginning, to do more than
heir share Of the common work of all
americans. Just as they have sent
more than their quota of troops to all
Iational wars and have paid more than
number Of States in national taxes.
Tenth-That they have consented to
axation by Congress, higher per capita
han that imposed in a majority Of the
tiles of similar population and higher
'er capita than in the great majority OF
u cities of the United States of. over
1000 population, as shown in the United
roe oeao