Evening star., 1915-03-29

exclusive legislation in all cases what
soever over this national territory. The
legislature of the Union has an AUTHORITY
| over the District incompatible with the
| exercise Of the full elective franchise pS
its citizens. Without an amendment te
the Constitution Washington. 1t has beer
generally assumed and conceded. car
never vote for President or senator oil
representative. II there Is a political
grievance. the Constitution is responsible
The city's complaint against Congress Is
| not that II has deprived residents OF the
right to vote. but that II has failed to
take this disability sufficiently Into con-
sideration in its treatment Of the city
II the United States had attempted to as
sumo no particular control over the capi-
| tai. and the seat of government as a
| city Of Maryland had legislated for Itself.
| and had improved and developed itself
| only In proportion to the means OF its
citizens. then the Indifference of Congress.
the contemptuous hostility of some con-
gressmep and the frantic efforts OF leg
islators to avoid few hours considera-
tion Of its affairs might have some
ground Of Justification. But Washington
protests against the application OF q the
ory and practice which. In combination.
have denied It the privileges while bur-
dening It largely with the responsibilities
Of Independence.
Power and Obligation Coupled.
II Congress for the nation by passing
some such legislation As the Crisp bill, or
the Johnson-Prouty bill now under discus
sion. repudiates all National Capital part
nership obligations except such as pertain
to the care and protection Of the public
buildings and grounds and their immedi-
ate environment. then II must also sur
Az NJ h. lk. Ay&k r-~
ital partnership powers. 1t cannot equi-
tably on American principles continue to
exercise exclusive power of legislation as
the Districts sole municipal legislature.
determining what taxes the community
shall raise and how they shall be spent,
II II ceases to be identified In obligation
with the capital community. 1t must in
equity couple with any such measure as
the Crisp bill a repeal of the ten-miles-
square provision Of the Constitution and
the admission Of the District as a state
Of the Union. Or since amendment Of
the Constitution Is not within Its exclu-
sive power II must in equity couple with
adoption OF any approximate Of the Crisp
proposition las an alternative of admis-
sion as a state) the retrocession to Mary
land Of all of the District originally ceded
by that state except the public buildings
and grounds. II Congress could consti-
tutionally retrocede to Virginia the por-
ton Of the ten miles square originally
ceded by that state. II can. Of course.
constitutionally retrocede to Maryland
any portion less than the whole Of that
fraction OF the ten miles square which
was originally ceded to the nation by
Maryland. Congress must thus destroy
the nations city Of the forefathers. and
admit to the Union new state Of Colum-
bia: or. reserving only the areas needed
for national purposes. 1t must restore to
Maryland and make again an integral
,art Of that state the sixty-nine
square miles ceded by Maryland for the
national seat Of government moro than
Power and obligation 30 hand In hand.
II the latter Is repudiated the former
must be surrendered. But the nation
should neither repudiate Its obligation nor
surrender its power.
u) The environment Of the seat Of gov
ernment when that consists only Of the
public buildings and grounds would not be
municipality developed and maintained on
a scale commensurate with the magnificent
plan imposed upon II BY the nation The
and the national pride would be humih-
ated.
what was said In 1873 when the aues-
eion was whether the government should
penses. might be repeated II under any
circumstances the attempt was mace 70
withdraw the support then provided: As
In the beginning the federal caty was
without population or resources 70 which
It's founders could look for its develop
ment and Improvement. SO also at the
present time II is wholly without the
means. either In property. commerce or
manufactures, to meet the enormous Out.
lays which the magni6cence OF the plan
requires"
Forbidden In Honor.
O. By making this the permanent capital
and by selling half Of the city lots to
individual purchasers with the implied
pledge entering as a consideration IN
the sale that It should remain such
and created vested interests which
forbid 1t without dishonor to destroy
Washington as the seat Of government.
the nations city. the permanent National
Capital
as Instead Of cutting down the scat
Of government in tie Ten Miles Square to
a minimum of the absolutely necessary
spaces required for nationa! purposes. the
Ten Miles Square should be restored to
It's original proportions Instead Of q new
cession to Virginia should be undone. as
recommended by President Lincoln. The
National Capital Is the symbol OF ma
tionality. the nation In miniature. ex-
tractins and suffering with It The ma
tional spirit Of today calls for greater
washington. and finds repulsive the pro-
posals Of contraction and degradation In
respect to the nations city.
The iconoclasts and materfalists who
would destroy the nation city sneer at
the sentiment which pictures the capital
as q token of national sentiment. At once
the symbol and bond OF American ma
tdonaiity. But Americans In their national
relations and In national affection and
pride have always been imaginative.
ldeaiistic, sentimental
The decision whether the National Cap
itaI partnership shall be dissolved.
whether q divorce severing the bond which
connects nation and capital shall Nbe de-
creed rests wholly with Congress. repre-
senting the nation. And among the few
men who assume and to a large extent
have been Permitted to speak and act for
the House Of Representatives in this mat
ter are those who slur every Washing
tenance Of the National Capital partner
ship as mercenary. selfish. sordid and
. base; and who sneertngly stigmatize as
insincere entimentality the suggestion OF
any abstract and intangible benefit to the
nation from the existence OF the nations d
city,
The fact remains that the capital is not
only the symbol Of American nationality.
but is an inspiration to patriotism and a
strong Matchmaking force. binding the
people of the sections together in national
Americanism.
I was horn In Washington. I am proud
of my birthplace. proud Of my home city
! and of It's people; Ny profoundest pride
| however, Is in Washington as the Ma
| tional Capital and as national Amert-
can would be shocked as by some over
whelming personal disaster II the Dis
| trict were destroyed as capital and re-
solved into Its original elements as a