Evening star., 1915-04-29

| lice 1OfcC IL on the nQt1Onal
basis. The botanical garden is SUPPORT.
ed by the national government. Brazil
joins With Rio in the work Of public
education.
Rio is the Industrial heart of Brazil
Most of tho great national resources
center in it, and in some way pa,
tribute to 1t. It is made by the natioI
commercially prosperous. rich. strong
in taxable resources. Washington ha.
seen the original commerce of Its site
| reduced almost to nothingness. 1t has
been crippled and retarded In industria
growth, and it's taxable resources have
| been reduced to a minimum.
TN 1906 Rio 8 population was sll,44o 80,
that Of Washington by census OF l9o'
was 27s,71s. Today the estimated pop,
ulation of Rio is nearly million; tina,
| of Washington by census OF 1917 Il
3s1. .ose.
Self-Taxation and Self-Government.
| Comparing the three nations in re-
speot to what they have granted tne'f
| capitals in self-taxation, self-goVern-
ment and national representation tne
| editorial correspondence said:
"What have Argentina and bfah''
granted to Buenos Aires and MO 1"
self-government and national repre-
sentations ...,,+,,
and the capital of the Argentine Re-
public and as such has an orSahlIa-
ton as q city as we'll as an intimate
connection dixie that OF Wasninst Ton ,1,,
with the federal government Inc
latter association is maintained by
! means of an official called the lnten-
dent (municipaD. who is appointed py
the president Of the repueic. suoJecl
to the approval of the national senate
for a term of four years, and VINO fo-
ceives a salary. He performs TO
great degree the function OF mayor IN
an American city. and is to large e1-
tent amenable to the rules OF the ce-
liberate council, body electea oS os !.
lot of citizens on the population OASIS
from twenty parishes, into which the
city is divided. 1t corresponds In most
details to an American common couh-
Gil These officials serve without pay
for term of four years, cne-halr OF
their number being elected every two
wears however. BuenoS Aires is 1ully
represented in proportion to its popula-
tion in the national legislature and the
national government IN general.
"Buenos Aires thus divides capital ex-
penses and control of municipality with
the nation. and has full representation
in the national government IN accord
ance with it's population. washington
divides capital building expenses WIN WIN
the nation, but has, no share in control
of its municipal affairs and no repre-
sentation whatever in the national gov
ernment, which absolutely controls ~.
What has Brazil done for Rio poftl-
cally? Rio and suburbs constitute tne
federal district of the United States or
Brazil. The municipal organization OF
the district Is controlled by the ma
tional government, but the risnt Oh .he
100000 inha bitants to voice IN tne
management of. local affairs IS sale
guarded in two ways: % The district
is represented in the congress @ OF
Brazil by three senators. elected for
nine years. and by ten deputies, elected
for three years. ca A city council CT
fraEe for term of two years. The
council meets in ordinary session twice
year The chief executive of Rio
is the prefect, who holds office for four
years. and is appointed by the presi-
the senate.
Brazil and Argentina have followed
the example of the United States In
esta blishing, federal districts and na-
tional capitals distinct from the states
and controlled in the last analysis by
the nation. But Brazil and Argentina
have improved upon our example by
developing the relations OF nation and
representative principles and in ac-
cordance with the dictates of fairness
and patriotic pride. In both Buenos
Aires and Rio the people of the ma
other citizens in proportion to their
numbers in the national government.
In both nations they participate
through a council in the disposition of
their municipal concerns. In both
capitals the nation controls the munich
pality and through the national presi-
dent appoints the chief executive off,
cial. mayor with large powers.
"Shall not Washington be as attrac-
tive and creditable a capital as Buenos
Aires or Rio? These cities are far
more consistently beautiful today. By
comparatively inexpensive improve
ments. which readily suggest them
selves. Washington can be made to
rival or excel them both. For instance.
Rock creek through the Zoo and
Rock Creek Park, across Soldiers
Home to Anacostia Park that IS to be.
and with a park driveway crossing a
Lincoln Memorial bridge to Arlington
and traversing the heights overlook
ing river and city as far as Mount
Vernon, Washington, in the Item of
park environment. can be made to sur
pass Buenos Aires or Rio or any Eu-
ropean city.
IF the republics Of Argentina and
Brazil can spend millions on their
capitals and retain ample national con-
troll of these cities of the nation with
out either depressing the local COM
munities with excessive taxation or
humiliating them by denunciation as
mendicants or robbing them of their
right Of representation in the national
government, may We not expect that
republic of the United States Of
America will in the end be equitably
considerate both Of Washington the
capital. and OF the 100000 defective and