Evening star., 1915-11-15
should be expended. Is there not
better possible system?
Suggests Ideal Solution.

should be expended. Is there not
better possible system?
Suggests Ideal Solution.
What 1 have in mind as the ideal
solution of the entire District problem
seems absurd to many, because they
hold on to certain beliefs which may
be called historical prejudices. In
general way, the solution OF the Dis
trict problem Is simply to turn the city
OF Washington over to the people OF
Washington and let them run it to suit
themselves, to let them tax themselves
and to let them pay their own bills as
other cities do, without bothering Con-
gress about it, provided that the mu-
n1cipal government of washington snail
be SO conducted as not to interfere with
the functions and the paramount rights
of the national government in the DIS
trict of Columbia, and in every practl-
cable way to cooperate with the ma
tional government in making Washing
ton great and glorious National Capt.
tai.
But you say that municipal plan
was tried before 1871. and proved to
be failure. You say the District is
vows unless its affairs. to the very
smallest detail, are conducted by the
national government. To which re.
ply, first, that municipal government
in Washington prior to 1871 was not
failure, and, second. that conditions
are so changed since 1871 that we may
reasonably anticipate that munlclpai
government here would be a mucn
greater success in the future than IN
the past.
Conditions Prior to 1871.
Prior to 1871 Washington had
small population and small taxable
that liberal federal support was nee
essary to develop the city which had
been laid out on such magnificent
scale by Maj. L'Enfant: but. in point
of fact. as was pointed out in the orie1
of the citizens committee. the federal
government did very little toward the
development of the capital, and the
little city of Washington came near
bankrupting itself twice In it's efforts
to take care of the situation. What
ever failure there was prior to 1871
the nation rather than the city.
The cardinal mistake made In the
period of upheaval between 1871 and
1878 was in taking all power out OF
the hands of the city and flying to the
other extreme of absolute federal con-
troll. 1t was discovered that large ex-
penditures of money by the federal
government could do much for the
physical development of the National
Capital, and the idea of local self-goy-
ernment and suffrage was allowed to
lapse. But out of it all there grew up
the myth that while home rule and
popular government are all right IN
other cities, they are out OF place In
Washington, because this is the Ma
tional Capital.
Abolition Not Advocated.
THE Tax Reform Association has
not advocated the abolition of the half
and-half system. In our brief we said
that the District of Columbia is oc-
cupied and maintained, first, as the ma
tion's capital, and, second, as the ma
nicipality or community of local resi-
dents who are employed in the public
service or are engaged in private pur-
suits. The city of Washington has
been planned on a national scale, ana
if this is to be maintained 1t is mani
festly unfair that the entire burden
shall fall on the local residents l can
not figure out how we could get along
without a liberal contribution from the
national Treasury for many years u
come.
Here is one practicable plan. Let
the United States contribute annually
whatever amount is believed necessary
by Congress-say three or four MIL
lions a year, or perhaps ten dollars per
capita. Let Congress grant charter
to the city OF Washington under wnicn
there would be a governor appointed
by the President and five commission
ers. one from each of the four sections
of the city and one elected by the en-
tire CITY, the governor to have veto
power. so that if in any way the city
government failed to look after the
national interests in the way Of streets,
lighting, police and fire protection, etc,
the governor would have sufficient
power to require the necessary acton
to be taken Then let the city manage its
own affairs like any other city
such a system would have many ad.
vantages 1t would relieve Congress OF
the necessity of looking after the
the national interests would be safe in
the hands Of the federal governor. On
the other hand, the people of the city
would be free to tax themselves as heavily
as they please, and to use their local
funds for such purposes as they might
decide This would put an end to all
friction with Congress as to what ap-
should be made.
1.-The people Of the District have right
not only to an independent municipal gov
ernment but to representation in Con-
gress and a vote for the President OF the
United States. In other words. they have
a right not only to a city government but
to participate in national affairs.
Alleged Plea Of the Wealthy.
within the past few days this COM
mittee has listened to the most touch
ing and heartrending appeals from
various wealthy citizens of Washing
tend to raise taxes in the District. This
10 all natural. hnt II is a LITTLE