Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-29
Argentina and Brazil Inspire
Wise National Liberality in
Capital Upbui|ding.
DO NOT TEACH REPEAL OF
HALF-AND-HALF PLAN
The Definite Sharing of Municipal
Maintenance Should Not Prevent
Liberal Solely National
Outlays on Capital.
Editorial Correspondence Of The Star
BY THEODORE w. MOVES.

Editorial Correspondence Of The Star.
BY THEODORE w. MOVES.
The example of Argentina and Brazil
in respect to the treatment of their
capitals Is cited In support of the con-
tentiOn that the United states should
now repeal it's self-imposed obligation
to make definite prOportiOnate pro-
vision for the municipal maintenance
of the capital. The example of the
same nations is also cited in support
of the connected proposition thnt the
nation should at the same time de-
stroy the separate entity of the Dis
trict of Columbia and deny definitely
and forever to the 100000 Americans
of the capital community of today and
to the million WashinKtOnians of the
future every particle of the American
privilege of self-taxatiOn and the last
vestige of the American right of repre-
sentative self-gOvernment.
Washington has urged the national
izing or AmericanizinE of the capital
community. meaning thereby the ex-
tension to "nshinEtonfans as Ameri-
cans of every national and American
right aud privilege, which is consist ent
with the control of the nations city
by Congress. The new method of ma
tionalizinE the capital, over which we
are now invited to grow enthusiastic,
IL to deny national rights and priv
basing them forever into the class OF
defective and delinquent Americans,
aliens so far as representation in the
executive and Legislative branches OF
government In concerned and less than
aliens Gthe Supreme Court has said
in their relation to the federal courts.
They are to be taxed without repre-
sentatiOD both for national and local
purposes. They are to have the same
rights and privileges, no more and no
less, than tenants by Sufferance on
reservations to which the title Is in the
United States. Their municipal affairs
are to he handled without appeal by a
new bureau of one of the federal de-
partments, most appropriately the War
Department.
Close analysis of what Brazil and Ar
Rentina have done for their capitals
furnishes some very pointed and useful
hints to the United States, but they
are contradictory of the eontentions
for which they are now cited.
South American Teachings.
On page Of The Star supplement of
March 20. 1915. is reprinted Star edi-
torial correspondence of 1911-12, dis
cussing in considerable detail the ma
tional treatment of the capitals of Ar
gentina and Brazil compared with that
of Washington. Credit for the figures
used In this correspondence Is given
in large part to the bulletins and trans
lations of official documents by the
this correspondence follow, establish
ing the following facts: I) Argentina
and Brazil have done more notab
work OF vigorous and rapid capital
creation and permanent development
exclusively at the national expense
than the United States. (2) Arsen-
tina and Brasil, in cooperation with
the people Of the federal districts, have
made more effective provision for the
adequate municipal maintenance of
their capitals than the United States:
(a) BY fostering their capitals indus
trially. commercially and in every
other business way: by making them
rich in taxable resources and able to
pay heavy taxes for municipal main
tenance. and tb) by direct and large
n!cipal maintenance. 60 Argentina
and Brazil. while making large ma
tional expenditures ungrudgingly in
creating and developing their capitals
and while fostering local taxable re-
sources, and, in addition, definitely and
maintenance, have not "nationalized''
their capitals in the sense of depriving
their people Of all power to tax them
selves or of their representation In
ment.
Purely National Expenditures.
Under the first head namely, that of
comparative liberality in capital crea-
ton and development on purely nA-
tional lines, It was said in this South
American editorial correspondence:
THE hints given by Buenos Aires and
Rio de Janeiro to American municipalities
in general have q special applicati ton to
Washington. for both Buenos Aires and
Rio are, like Washington, national capt.
tails in federal districts.
THE southern republics adopted this
feature Of our Constitution; but have
improved upon their model. showing in
their treatment of the capital. from its
birth, greater wisdom greater fairness
and greater national pride
"Of recent years America. in sharp
contrast with its neglect Of the infant
capital, has developed Washington into
the most attractive of American cities.
Argentina and Brazil have never Ill
treated or starved their capitals, but
have consistently treated them with
proud and affectionate consideration.
Buenos Aires and Avenida de Mayo.
The greatest works of capital build
ing In Buenos Aires have been done
since 1889, with wonderful results that
speak for themselves to every OBJ
server Very lately an expensive i'm
provement. which will appeal espe-
cially to Washingtonians, has been
perfected. 1t consists in the destruc-
tion of whole rows of buildings to
reconstruct and broaden one end of
tho Avenida de Mayo the Pennsylva mia
avenue of Buenos Aires, and to make
an environment worthy Of the impos-
ing new capitol building with Its lofty
marble dome. The Avenida de Mayo,
like Pennsylvania avenue, connects the
buildings Of the executive and legisla-
tive branches Of the national govern
ment. The new capitol stands out in
the vista at one end Of It, the Casa
Rosada. corresponding to our White
House. dominates the other end The
avenida, unlike Pennsylvanta avenue,
Is lined consistently and harmoniously
with a fine type of buildings, and as a
result is one of the most impre ssive
thoroughfares in the world
Transformation Of Rio.