davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1915-10-20
Difficulties Certain Indefinite Contribution by Congr

above that Il was the District. not the
city. that became the permanent abid-
ing place OF the Federal Governmeni'
The city as laid out by L'Enfant, Eili,
of President Washington. had no legal
existence as a body corporate ti,l ions
after the District had been celeu oy
Maryland and Virginia, and hau ooen
hi NAV z, 1902, that the city OF WASH
ington was incorporated q Stat, l9o,: !.
But whatever may be properly said or
the distinction In the early DAYS OF !he
republic between the District ana tne
CITY, that distinction has long since been
absolutely obliterated. both In fact and
In law. That this is true In fact Is ob-
vious to any one who goes over the
District. He will find buildings IN
every direction overrunning the original
many directions to and beyond the Dis
trict line Boundary street years ago
became Florida avenue. because the
name Boundary was misleading mis-
nomer.
And what the work of the builders
has thus brought about as matter of fact
Congress has as effectually recognized
and enforced by positive law.
The act of February q. 1871. which
created the so-called territorial form Of
government. while II continued in force
the names of Washington, Georgetown.
and the county Of Washington, prac-
tically extended the boundaries Of the
city of Washington over the entire Dis
trict. since 1t abolished all the then ex-
listing local offices Of Washington.
Georgetown. and of the county outside
of those cities and created as their
successor single municipal corpora
ton. embracing all the territory that
had been ceded to the United States by
the State of Maryland. and. transferred
to the new corporation all Tue property
OF those II abolished. But this result
was made indisputable by subsequent
legislation.
BY an act approved August 27. 1888. en-
titled IAN act to regulate the subdi-
vision of land within the District of
Columbia" COS Stats. 45D. Congress pro-
vidcd that no subdivision of land any
| where in the District OF Columbia should
be admitted to record In the office of
the surveyor Of the District without an
order to that effect indorsed thereon by
the Commissioners of the District. and
that no such future subdivision without
the limits OF the cities OF Washington
and Georgetown should be recorded in
the surveyors office OF the District 'un-
less made in conformity with the gem
eral plan of the city OF Washington"
! An act OF Congress approved March
Il. 1898 t27 Stat. 532). entitled "An act
ITO privide a permanent system Of
I highways in that part OF the District
of Columbia a lying outside Of cities"
required the Commissioners of the
| District TO prepare plan for the
extension OF permanent system of
| highways over all that portion OF
gaid District, not included within tho
limits OF the cities OF Washington
! and Georgetown"
The Washington times., 1915-10-20
Bound by Every Principle of
EQUAL Rights and Justice.

"The committee are OF opinion
that the Government was bound by
every principle of equal right and
Justice to pay proportion OF the
expense incurred upon this subject.
equal to the amount Of the property
which II held. and which was to be
increased In value and benefited by
It; and this would have been greatly
more than one-half,
"The early action OF the Govern
ment and its agents Is believed to
have been in conformity with this
principle. but the Government has
not heretofore borne anything like its
relative proportion. Its expenditures
for this object have been compare
lively small. and devoted almost on
tirely to the avenues and streets
which were indispensahly necessary
for the convenience of Congress and
the public officers
"Whilc they do not think the city
was bound to eXpcnd the money OF
the inhabitants upon the streets
which the nation claimed and regu-
lated. they believe the narrowest
measure OF justice would have re-
uuircd. and does now require. that
the Government having In its pri-
vate building lots and public reserva-
tions at least an equal interest in the
The Washington times., 1915-10-20

lutte and unlimited control, which
should be regulated and governed by
them without the Interference Of
partial interests in the States, which
should he built up and sustained by
their authority and resources. not
dependent upon the will or resources
OF any state or local interest"
The act of Congress approved Feb
ruary q, 1871 n6 Stat. 4i9), created a
body. corporate for municipal purposes
by the name OF the District OF Column
bia OF the whole OF that part OF the
territory Of the United states inciuded
within the limits OF the District at that
time. being all the land ceded to the
United States by the State Of Mary
land. That act provided for the APP
pointment by the President OF a gov,
ernor and secretary OF the District. ana
also Of Board OF Public Works, 10
consist Of the governor and four ,, Other
persons to be appointed by the Prcsi-
dent. It further provided for a legisla.
tive assembly, consisting OF a council Of
eleven members. to be appointed By inc
President. and house OF delcyntes.
consisting OF twenty-five members. to
be elected by the people Of the Dis
trIct
The Washington times., 1915-10-20
Wrongdoing Charges
We're Not Sustained

The comuittee did not sustain the
charges Of wrongdoing made by the me-
morialists. but did criticise the methods
employed by the board OF public works
which had resulted In levying enormous
sums by way of special assessments on
lands in the city OF Washington held
IN private ownership and in making the
debt OF the District, funded and un-
funded. about S2l0oo.0O0, And the COM
mittee said:
Your committee are unable to sec
but one way in which the board
could have expected to pay this
large debt; that is by receiving aid
from Congress. as 1t must have oc-
Cured to them that the resources or
the District could not be taxed sui
hciently to pay them"
1t must be borne In mind in this con-
nectlon that the board of public works
great work In improving the Capital.
which was warmly approved in many
respt cts by the committee. was the
work OF the Federal Government. In
Its creation and In the selection OF its
members the District had no part.
And whatever may be said of the
methods pursued by the board, the un-
questioned fact shown in detail in the
report of the committee Is that tre-
mendous debt had been created which
it was impossible for the people of the
District to meet.
AS already shown, when, in 1877,
thousand representative citizens OF the
District urged Congress to put an end
to the boards activities, the House In
accepting the report of tho committee,
of which Mr.. Starkweather was chair
man. and declining to interfere praCt-
cally approved what the board was
then doing and what 1t was proposing
to do In the immediate future.
SO impoverished had the District
become at this time that 1t was stated
by the joint committee In its report
that:
"A portion of the employees (of
the DlstricD have not received any
pay since June. 1878, and none OF
them have been paid since Novem-
ber !, 1873. as far as the commit
tee could ascertain. The only re-
sources of the District to meet
these liabilities are the unpaid
taxes. II Is safe to assume that
there will be deficit on the first
OF July OF at least Sl.00o,000 for
the current year. This does not In
The Washington times., 1915-10-20

the expenses' of the District Govern
ment. including the interest on the
funded debt. which should be borne by
said District and the United States re-
spcctiVeiy, together with the reasons
upon which their conclusions may be
based"
This joint select committee. of
which Senator Morrill, was chairman,
on the 1th OF December. 1874. sub
mitted to Congress its report (Senate
report 40. i3d Congress, "a session..
in which it said.
1T is believed that the purposes
for which this District was ac.
Quircd viii be best accomplished
and the interests Of all connected
destiny best subserved BY tie di.
rect exercise by Congress OF tho
authority devolred upon it, While
the primary and paramount obli-
gato0 and duty is and will be to
the national carital. 1t may not be
overlooked or forgotten that that
capital Is the residence OF many
tens OF thousands OF american.
c.liizens' to be supplemented in
me country. by other tens and
hundreds of thousands, and that.
lhd1n"hdent OF any question cf
connlctlng interests or authority.
~ Is plain that az regards cXpendi-
lures for the Improvement and
atornm"nt of the capital Of great
nation. having at the same time
prorer respect TO the con-
ven!cnce. privileges. and immuni-
ties of resident population and
OF those connected with the ad.
ministretion OF the Government a
unity OF interest must be assumed,
and: II is believed. may be ac.
credited to exist. in that the gen.
tral welfare would necessarily
seen; to be included in III" rlnper
devt tlopment Of The design OF the
cSDi.al city
The Washington times., 1915-10-20
Large Proportion of Receipts
Enjoyed by Government.

VT Ia proper also to remark that
large proportion OF the money re-
ceivcd has been enjoyed By the Gov
ernment for many years. without in
terest: much the larger portion OF
the lots were sold previous to the
year 1874: and the committee do not
believe that the use Of a part OF IL
at this time to relieve the city from
Its distressed situation would in any
degree violate the purposes or OBJ
Ject OF the grantors. derogate from
any provision or principle OF the
Constitution or be rcpugnant to the
Just and generous feelings of the
people OF the United States. who will
not desire to retain in the Treasury
gifts which they have received Tor
the convenience and accommodation
of their Government while the CITY
of Washington. whore that Govern
ment Is located. Is laboring under
accumulated misfortunes and I'm
danger danger OF beng. sold to aliens and
I'm the investigation OF the sub
3ect committed to them, and OF the
relief to be proposed. the COMMITTEES
have been unable to separate tho
interests OF the District from the
interests OF the United States. They
regard II as the child OF the Union
as the creation OF the Union for its
own purposes. The design OF the
Constitution and its founders was 10
create residence for the Govern.
ment where they should have abso-
The Washington times., 1915-10-20
Privileges of Citizenship
Denied Residents of District.

1T Is matter of history that the
legislation of Congress respecting
the Internal affairs of the District
has In various instances had direct
reference to the interests or the
people Of the States. Thus. non
resident executors and administra-
tors from the States. by act OF 1917.
were allowed to sue and recover
claims in the courts Of the District.
So. at a later date, 1t Is a matter of
private history, that the arrest for
debt here, OF n visitor from state.
was the occasion of the abolition by
Congress of imprisonment Tor dept.
Other illustrations might be given
showing that In practice. as well as
theory, the legislation OF Congress
for this District is the exercise OF
one OF the powers conferred on II as
the national legislature
The Constitution provides that this
judicial power of the United States
citizens of different States This was
thought necessary in order to provide
an impartial tribunal to determine case.
in which one of the parties only was
suit was brought-since local prejudice
would be likely to favor the resident
party.
In the case of Hepburn VS.. Ellzey, q
Cranch, 4i5 the supreme tourt nel'
that an act of Congress which gave
effect to this constitutional provision
had no application to a suit in a STATE
court where one OF the parties wa, q
citizen of that State and the other va.
a citizen OF the District of Columbia
This decision was approved and follow
ed in Barney vs.. Baltimore, 6 Wallace
2S7, and in Hooe VS.. Jameson, 1876 y. s.
sos. Hence the residents of the Distrc
are not only excHded from the halls o
Congress. but they are denied the privil
eye of appealing to the courts of tn,
United States IN all those numeror!
cases in which those courts have tIris
dction because of the diverse citizenship
of the parties.
II IL sometimes said that while ther,
may be good reasons for expecting tn,
United States to contribute literally Il
the expenses of the city Of Washington
the same may not be said of the Who'll,
District OF Columbia. We have seeI
The Washington times., 1915-10-20
All This Was Done by
Nation For Nations Glory.

The act provided for no immediate
condemnation of any of the lands the
title to which was so affected. but look
ed only to partial condemnation from
year to year in the future. And the act
further provided that when such con-
demnation should take place each pro-
prictor should recover from his neigh
bors one-half of the amount awarded
10 him for his land and that the tax
payers OF the whole District should nay
the other half-the United states con-
tributinG nothing. When the turn OF
his neighhOrs to have their land con-
dcmned would come he was required to
help contribute one-half OF their dam
ages; go that in the end he would re-
ceive only one-half his loss.
And all this was done by the nation
The Washington times., 1915-10-20

clude a debt OF 100000. and in
terest secured by pledge OF fund
lng bonds. which must be pa id un-
less the bonds can be sold"
So. Mr.. jeremiah NJ. Wilson In sub.
mittlng the same report and the ac.
companying bill to the House OF Rep.
said.
The District is in a sense utter
tly bankrupt | regret to say II,
but they have no means wherewith
to carry on the government any
longer. The treasury Is utterly
exhausted. They have no money
with which to meet current ex-
behses. much less to pay their
usep.s. tsi Il state these
showing that for the protection of
congress against improper charges
on account of this district there
Is an absolute necessity for fixing
some pro rata amount, some fxed
proportional share, which shall be
Isiu oy Congress for the support
OF the District: and hence we have
embodied that recommendation in
section OF this bill"
And Mr.. Garfield on the same noon
sion added: '~Na
''N'N 10 'ol fanny most Inner
atlVe necessity that we should
Know at an early period exactly
what part of the expenses of The
District the Government OF the
united states ought to bear"
When the hill reached the Sena,s
Mr' thurman. who was himself n
member of the joint select committee
which reported II. in urging it's pas.
sage, said: '"'
Il do not say that this bill il
perfect, nut | do say that your com
mittee' after four months OF such
toiI as perhaps was never performed
ny any committee OF Congress. have
UNANIMOUSLY recommended the pas
sage of this bin"
the paragraph of the bill to which
MI wilson referred was as follows:
That joint gclcct committee
snail be appointed, consisting oi two
senators, 70 be appointed hy the pre-
sizing officer Of the Senate, and two
members Of IT." House. to he ap-
pointed by the Speaker OF the House
OF Representatives. whose duty 1t
The Washington times., 1915-10-20
Demand For Expenditures
On Unusual Scale.

Ihe demands for expenditures
as indicated in the disposition of
Its avenues and streets and num-
hering squares, will necessarily
De upon scale beyond what =
might reasonably be imposed upon
or drawn from the resources OF n
business and resident population.
These may properly be required
to make that just contribution 70
the current annual expenses. tho
interest of the public debt and IL,
ultimate payment which people
so situated as compared with other
communities may he REQUIRED 10
pay for like protection. privileges,
and lmmunitiGs. The streets. ave-
nues. squares. and general pian OF
the capital clty bear the imnross
nf Paramount and exclusive ma
tlnraIi ", spacious aud in grand
In design. dedicated to the sacred
tHn# OF a national capital. onerous
ana "Ncn lntoi"rHblc as a charge
Hpnh rrlVat" pr pDCrty tn" pro-
vision for supervision Of all suit
able provcmcpts and decorations
ohvi iouslN, properly. and inlpera.
lively dovolr"s upOn Congress. and
it will: as il respects III" charac-
dignity OF its trust, exercise a
jealous care over 1t. The ac-
QUESTION of this District, con-
ceiVed in a supposed public neces-
cNpcrience Of The CONGRESS- OF thc
Confedcracr its wisdom affirmed
by kindred events in our rrrent
history, should, It is submitted.
be MAINTAINED intact by the body
tho exclusive power. The prcbor.
tion Of expenditures which Should
b" borne by the United States ana
thG citizens and resident property
hcemd5' G"saSr5' sisoon,, is a proposition not
termination. nor does 1t. in the
views taken by your comnittae
hec"me important"
The committee proceeded to recon-.
mend the government of the District
through department in the Govern.
men OF the United states strictly limited
TO the affairs of the District. At the
head of this department was to be a
board of general control. DESIGNATED q
board of regents OF three persons I"
be appointed by the President and con.
Armed by the Senate. wa
1he bill so reported, after some do,
bate In the Senate not relating to tbs
question OF the contribution by the the
| nitcd states to the expenses OF the
District. was laid on the table.
ON the 18th of February, 1878 Mr.
Hcndcc. from the House District Com.
n!ttcc, reported bill Oh. r. 8259 nro.
viding "a permanent form OF govern.
mont for tho District of Columbia. Ir
referring TO this measure in the House
~. Hcndce, on the 10th day Of March
iS7S, said: -
There have hecn three different
attempts, as ! undcrS-Ind, to make
permanent form OF government for
this District. and each one has fan.
The Washington times., 1915-10-20

Improvement Of the streets. should
pay at least one-half Of the expense
Of those streets. and that one-half
Of the money expended by the city
for this purpose ought now to be re-
funded to II. being s2l4.965. should
this sum be Appropriated by Con-
Eress. the city will receive only the
principal money. and unless interest
be paid upon It, II VIII lose many
.In making this appropriation II
Will not be necessary for Congress-
to take from the Treasury Of the ma
tion a single dollar which has been
derived from any one Of all the
sources OF revenue to which the peo-
pie OF the Union contribute. The
Government has already received
from the property which It acquired
by contract with owners OF the soil
a much larger amount. as will he
hereafter stated In this report.
1t has been before stated that the
avenues and streets were trans
ferred without any pecuniary COM
pensation therefore being made by
the Government. The reservations OF
ground for public use consist Of sew
enteen entire squares or large sec
lions In various parts OF the city,
ana contain 5il acres. ! rod, and 39
perches OF land. on some Of these
the capitol Presidents House. and
other public buildings have been
erected. The rest of them are either
open and unoccupied or have been
devoted to public uses. according 10
the discretion OF Congress upon the
For this large extent OF land.
equal to all It's present and prospec-
I'VE wants the Government paid,
normally lly tnominallyl the sum OF
Soes to the proprietors OF the SOL,
put IN reality nothing. This sum was
no drawn from the general treas
ury. nor one cent OF Il Contributed
by the people OF the United States
The whole OF II was taken out OF the
proceeds OF the sales OF the building
iots. which had also been secured by
!he Government In the contract with
the land owners.
Thus II appears that the Govern
ment has received from the grants
and donations made to II. Of lands
and money for the bencit OF this
mora than 70 nU m 'N'''
The Washington times., 1915-10-20
PERMANENT SETTLEMENT
OF 1878 SHOULD STAND

1t would be clear that what determined upon 1878
permanent settlement Of s queation as the result Of
investigations and recommendation by many committees
composed Of able and armnded men, should be allowed to
stand unless be shown by irresistible evidence that
such manifest change the surrounding circumstances
taken place meanwhile that would be plainly unjust The
people Of the United States that the General Government
should continue share equally with those who reside
Nations Capital the expenses Of maintaining il and making
more than ever worthy Of the name of Washington"
The Washington times., 1915-10-20

trict OF Columbia as place belonging
to all the people, Is the provision OF
law now embodied In section 329 Of the
District Code. authorizing executors and
administrators appointed by the courts
of any of the States or Territories to
prosecute and recover any claim In the
District without taking out anciliary let
ters here.
1t was in referring to this law that
Dir. Justice Cox. in delivering the opin-
Son of the Supreme Court OF the Dis
trict of Columbia In the above-mention-
ed case of Roach Vs. Van Riswick,
said:
The Washington times., 1915-10-20

gress. I'd SESSION.. Every word OF that
report Is important In this connection
In the report itself 1t is stated that
there had been several meetings OF the
committees OF the two houses to con-
suit upon the memorials and that those
committees were understood to concur
in presenting the accompanying Dill.
Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-04-07
CREW OF TWO LOST
SHIPS ARE SAVED
Small Vessels Were Victims
Of Saturdays Atlantic
Coast Storm.

NORFOLK va. April Captain
3 g. Ayser and The ~ members q
tLe crew ~ the fte-nastsd sch9onsr
80. ~ Cressey ~ Bath. Ms. were
landed here today after having been
rescued Saturday from their water
loereI rcssaI 00 the #0rth Carolina
coast The .ren VAS taken or the
schooner Dg the steamer Louis
Th.rI0w.
The Dress.y was bound from Gulf
port fOf ScH YORK with railroad ties.
NEW YORK. April 3. - The
steamer Comus from New Orleans
brought into port today five members
Of the crew Of the barge Northwest.
which broke away from the tug Well
ingt0n Friday and drifted helpless In
the storm until sighted yesterday by
the COmus or Cape Lookout, n. &.
The Wellington with tow barges
lumber laden was bound from Jack
sonville TO Philadelphia. What be-
came Of the tug and the other barge
was unknown 10 the crew Of the
Northwest.
Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-04-07
Other COrSefS Here

which was forwarded to Washington
in advance OF a committee now en-
route to confer with President VIII
son reads in part.
II the foreigners should leave
en- masse II would be to repeat the
late sad experience OF the Belgians.
With many It means TO leave behind
the savings and other interests OF a
lifetime and to arrive in the United
States or Europe virtually as charges
OF the public or friends.
"A fourth exodus OF our people is
now impossible. considering the large
number here and the demoralized con-
dltions OF public order and transporta-
tion. Financial difficulties are also
too great for the average family TO
leave again on a voyage Of thousands
Of miles. The Mexican peso also has
dropped from so cents American cur
rency TO ten cents during eight
changes OF the supreme power at the
national capital since the overthrow
Of Porfirio Diaz In 1911.
Thousands Of Americans and
other foreigners scattered throughout
the country find II impossible TO
leave their all. or to abandon posi-
tlons Of trust, the properties Of busi-
Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-04-07
WON'T SHIP COTTON
GROWN BY CONVICTS

JACKSON Miss. April 5.-Upon
the advice of Secretary OF state Bryan
the Mississippi penitentiary trustees
VIII not ship cotton grown on convict
farms TO Europe. The trustees today
stopped loading OF the Norwegian
steamship Huso at Gulfport. The yes
sci was expected to sail some time this
week for Copenhagen.
W. "A. Montgomery. a member OF the
board. today said that Insurance on
the cotton had been refused and after
being advised by Secretary Bryan OF
the danger that might be incurred the
board decided to not ship the cargo.