The Washington times., 1915-10-20
Streets First Cause of
City's Embarrassment.

'eport:
"The well-known pecuniary en-
barrassments of the city. and the
repeated appeals which have been
heretofore made to the justice ana
the liberality of Congress. have
induced a diligent and careful ex-
animation into the facts and prin-
ciples which are applicable to tho
case.
Those embarra ssments are Of
the most painful description. The
city Is involved In pecuniary obli-
cations. from which II Is utterly
impossible that It can be relieved
by any means within Its own con-
troll, or by any exertions which 1t
may make. unaided by Congress
sional legislation. Its actual debts
now amount to the enormous sum
OF sl,S06. .i+2.69: and II has not
means from which 1t can apply at
this time single dollar for Its
discharge. SO perfectly exhausted
have its resources become that II
be driven to the surrender Of Its
charter by neglecting to elect Its
corporate officers. and thus be left
upon the hands OF Congress to dis
pose Of. govern, and sustain as
may best suit their own views OF
what is proper for the capital OF
the Union. A state OF
nation and so abhorrent to the feel
ings of the committee. that they
will not hesitate to recommend
such measures. with the constitu-
tional authority of Congress. as. In
their judgment. are called for by
the occasion.
THE first cause OF embarrass-
ment to which the attention of the
committee was directed was the eX-
pcnse incurred in the opening and
repair Of the streets. The plan of
the city Is one of unusual magni-
tude and extent. The avenues and
streets are very wide. and for the
number OF Inhabitants much great
er in distance than those OF any
other city on this continent. and
necessarily require a proportionate
expenditure to make and keep
them in repair.
THE expenditure upon the streets
under these circumstances has un-
question ably been one OF the
principal causes OF the embarrass-
ment OF the city. and the commit.
orpht not to have been thrown on
the Inhabitants to the extent which
1t has been. They found this
opinion upon tho early history OF
the city. the object OF the nation
In its cstablishrr" and tho CON
for. the land which II possesses
within its limits.
THE plan OF the city was formed by
the public authorities; the dimen-
sions OF the streets determined
by them without Interference by
their particular interest or con-
yenience. 1t is n plan calcu-
lated for the magnificent capital
of a great nation. but oppressive.
from its very dimensions and ar
ranEements. to the Inhabitants. II
extent IL to be thrown upon them.
No people who anticipated the exc
cution and subsequent support of
1t out of their own funds would
ever have dreamed of forming
such plan. 1t would have been
the most consummate folly. At
that period neither the Govern
mcnt nor the proprietors Contem-
plated that the whole or even
large proportion of the burden
should be thrown upon the in
habitants Of the city. This as
considerations. In the frst place.
the contract between the Govern
ment and the owners OF the land
gave to the former a large extent
Of public lots, sufficient FOR oil the
edifices and improvements which
its convenience could require
and. In addition thereto. one half
OF all the building lots within
the limits OF the city. thus mak-
ing the nation itself an equal
owner Of all the private property,
and equally interested for tho
beneft OF this private property In
all the improvements which
might be made. In tho next place,
the Government assumed. and from
that day to the present has
claimed and exercised. entire and
absolute control over all tho
streets OF the city. so that the in
habitants or the corporate authort-
ties have no power either to en-
large or to diminish them nor to
opcn or close them: but the
authority in these respects. has
been exercised at all times by
Congress. II has even closed one
OF the streets and sold the ground
which formed part Of 1t.