Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-20
Tax Burdens Already Are Heavier Than in Most Ar

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unless interest be paid upon 1t. 1t will
lose many thousand dollars.
In making this appropriation 1t vii
not be necessary for Congress to take
single dollar which has been derived
from any one Of all the sources OF
revenue to which the people OF the
Union contribute. The government.
which it acquired by contract with
owners of the soil a much larger
amount, as will be hereafter stated In
this report.
Public Reservations Cited.
TT base been before stated that the
avenues and streets were transferred
without any pecuniary compensation
therefor being made by the govern
ment. The reservations of ground Tor
public use consist of seventeen entire
squares or large sections in various
parts of the city, and contain SAL acres.
rood and SO perches of land. ON
some of these the Capitol, President
house and other public buildings have
been erected. The rest OF them are
either open and unoccupied or nave
to the discretion of Congress upon the
subject.
For this large extent of land. equal
to all it's present and prospective
wants, the government paid. normally
(nominally1, the sum of s36.O99 to the
proprietors of the soil; but in reality
nothing. This sum was not drawn
from the general treasury, nor one cent
of 1t contributed by the people of the
United States. The whole of 1t was
taken out of the proceeds of the sales
of the building lots. which had also
been secured by the government in the
contract with the land owners.
Thus it appears that the government
has received from the grants and dona-
tions made to it, of lands and money
for the benefit of this city and Its
accommodations therein, more than
100000.
Enjoyed Without Interest.
'It Is proper also to remark that a
large proportion of the money received
has been enjoyed by the government
for many years, without interest; much
the larger portion of the lots were sold
previous to the year 1894; and the
committee do not believe that the use
of a part of it at this time to relieve
the city from it's distressed situation
purposes or object of the grantors.
derogate from any provision or prin-
ciple of the Constitution or be repug-
nant to the just and generous feelings
of the people of the United States, who
will not desire to retain in the Treas
ury gifts which they have received Tor
the convenience and accommodation OF
their government while the city OF
Washington where that government is
located. is lakoring under accumulated
misfortunes and in danger OF being
sold to aliens and foreigners.
I'm the investigation of the subject
to be proposed. the committee have
been unable to separate the interests
of the District from the interests OF
the United States They regard 1t as
the child Of the Cnion-as the creation
of the Union for its own purposes. The
design of the Constitution and its
founders was to create a residence for
the government where they should
have absolute and unlimited control.
which should be regulated and gov
erned by them without the interference
of partial interests in the states, which
should be built up and sustained by
their authority snd resources not de-
pendent upon the will or resources OF
any state or local Interest,"
The act of Congress approved Febru-
airy 81. 1871 [I6 Stat, 419]. created
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 included
within the limits of the District at that
time, being all the land coded to the
United States by the state of Maryland.
That act provided for the appointment
by the President Of a governor and
secretary of the District. and also of a
board of public works. to consist OF the
governor and four other persons to be
appointed by the President 1t further
provided for legislative assembly.
consisting of a council Of eleven MEM
bers. to be appointed by the President:
and a house OF delegates, consisting OF
twenty-five members. to be elected by
the people of the District.
Provision in Act.
The act contained the following i'm
portant provision:
The board of public works shall have
entire control of and make all regula-
lions which they shall deem necessary
for keeping in repair the streets, ave-
nues, alleys and sewers of the city and
all other works which may be intrust-
ed to their charge by the legislative as
sembly or Congress. They shall dis
burse. upon their warrant. all moneys
appropriated by the United States for
the District of Columbia, or collected
from p-opertyholders in pursuance of
law. for the improvement of streets,
avenues. alleys ard sewers. and roads
and bridges, and shall assess in such
manner as shall be prescribed by law,
upon the property adjoining and to
be specially benefited by the improve
ments authorized by law and made by
them, a reasonable proportion OF the
cost of the Improvement. not exceedin e
one-thi-d of such cost. which sum shall
be collected as all other taxes are COL
lected"
On January %. 1872. less than one
year after the passage of this act, n
memorial. signed b. ono thousand tax
payers OF the District, was presented to
the House of Representatives.. charg-
ing the board of public works and other
management. This memorial was re-
ferred to the committee on the District
o. Columbia The committee made an
investigation. which resulted In a ma
Jority and minority report Oh. r. Re-
port, No. -. Forty-second Congress,
second session. The majority report
was signed by Fl H. Starkweather,
chairman. and six other members OF the
committee. 1t held. in substance. that
while mistakes might have been made
by the board of public works. the
charges of corruption. misconduct and
serious mismanaeement had not been
proved And the committee said:
Entitled to Assistance.
The governor and members of the
board are. on the whole, entitled to the
favorable judgment of Congress. and
are TO be CONNIE nded for the zeal, en-
ergy and wisdom with which they have
started the District upon new career
OF Improvement and prosperity, and the
District Itself Is entitled to fair and
generous appropriations from Congress
in some manner corresponding to the
valuation OF the property owned by the