Evening star., 1915-03-29

IHE EV ENlNU - - All
smallest degree represented in the ma
tional government. Here the munici-
pality does not even tax itself in forms
Disa.e 1aa money IT, fHe s nation s sesides hoW
much money shall be exacted in taxes.
and in what manner it shall be raised
"(3) Under these conditions the ma
tional appropriations for capital main
tenance in Argentina and Brazil are
public-spirited and patriotic donations
which may reasonably vary in amount
at the pleasure of the donor. In their
financial relations with the nation the
South American capitals are the prin--
cipals. anu the nations are liberal and
voluntary contributors. In the north
mary responsibility are with Congress
representing the nation, which Is un-
mistakably the principal, and Washing
ton is. the incidental contributor-the
nxed not by it, but by Congress.
Thus the South American nations
have made their capitals rich and able
to pay heavy taxes; have permitted
own taxation, and then have, in addi-
tion. contributed handsomely to their
maintenance. With us the capital has
for many years been denied any control
pecunious and with minimum of abil-
ity to pay taxes by the consistent pol
Icy of the nation. which for the flrst
seventy-fve years of the city's life
openly shirked its own equitable finan-
cial obligations to Washington.
Little in capital maintenance has
been equitably expected from the South
American governments; they have CIV
en- much. Much has been equitably ex-
pected from the United States: it has
given nothing, since what 1t has paid
has been. under the conditions of capi-
tai creation and development, not do
nation, but the honest meeting of q
Just obligation.
Argentina and Its Capital.
Let US examine what Argentina has.
under these conditions. done for Buenos
contribution to its capital with the
duty payments Of the United States on
the National Capital account. The
South American facts and figures are
taken almost entirely from the bull
letins and other publications Of the
Pan-American Union (until recently
the Bureau of American Republics),
which. under the capable management
of Director John Barrett and Chief
Clerk Franklin Adams. is performing
an international function of the high
est usefulness.
in 1907 the expenditure of the mu-
ntcipality in Buenos Aires amounted to
$9.338,0S5, as compared with an ex-
penditure in Washington for the same
year. from local taxation, of about five
and three-fourths millions. In this nine
millions expenditure of Buenos Aires
the largest items were the pay roll Of
7,140 employees and an interest and
sinking fund expenditure of over
of Washington, which was just under
the million mark.
"Argentina, in the same year. met
Buenos Aires expenses I'm the items OF
docks and harbors, wnter supply and
sewer system. the more important
works Of public sanitation. and the
greater part of the expenses of Lblic
department alone Argentina expended
$2.7O0,O0O. The items of mu icipal ex-
penditure which are thus met by the
nation In the case o. Duenos Aires
harbors, which finds NO counterpart in
Washington. and rs an Offset crediting
the nation with all the cost Of SANTA
tion and public education). aggregated
the natfon's total payment I'm that year
(about nve and one-quarter miIliOnsp
toward the maintenance Of the District
of Columbia.
TN 1897 the population of Buenos Aires
was 1.146,S65; ; that OF Washington. by the
census Of 1900, was 278,71S. The esti-
mated population OF Buenos Aires today
is 1.35O.000: that Of Washington. by the
census Of 1910, is 331 .0S9. Buenos Aires
is wealthy. busy. prosperous commercial
city. fostered industrially by the nation.
Washington is poverty-stricken. cramped
In every way in commercial. industrial
and tax revenue producing development.
"Thus impecunious Warrington has
about one-fourth Of the population of
wealthy Buenos Aires. and raises I'm
local municipal taxation more than
one-half ms great a tax revenue.
What Brazil Does for Rio,
What has Brazil done voluntarily and
cheerfully for national capital upbuild-
ing and maintenance In 1906 Rios
total revenue was s16.075,575. of which
$1.6S1.175 was derived from "extraor-
dinary loans The sum of $s.445.s50 came
from ordinary taxation. 8 against about
flve and one-half millions Of local taxa
tion In Washington IN the same year OF
this eight millions of Rios ordinary tax
alton. S3.742.915 came from real estate.
house tax Gas against realty tax of $3.-
54S.235.63 in same year in Washington.
s1,s91.150 from trades. professions and
companies s1.523.020 from public
services The main items of this six
teen millions expenditure in Rio We're
s6.41S.440 on public works. S4.219.60O
interest and sinking fund. $2.329,1SO
oesiCi puoAi1 SSi
ices s1.444,45o education. s62e.ss5 col
lection and distribution of revenue.
s26S.975 pensions. s3o9.545 hygiene and
public assistance s143.9s5 1egisla-
ture, deputies" (There are 3,0SO mu-
nicipal employees, with salaries aggre-
eating s3.203.200.) Corresponding items
of expenditure in Washington for the
same year were in a few items as fol-
lows: Highways, s2.250.736; interest
and sinking fund. s975.40s; general gov
ernment, s134,434: educa ton. S1.T4. .246;
charities and corrections. s1.019.514.
"The national expenditures on Rio
are notable. In rebuilding the city. he
ginning in 1903, the nation made for
this purpose n foreign loan of a40.OO0,-
OOO, the city a domestic loan of x2O.-
900 900. The national department of
public works carries on the public inn
provements of city and harbOr. be-
tween. xl5O.OOO,OOO and $3.50 OO0OOO, ac-
cordinR to varying estimates, has a.
ready been expended on Rio. The pO-
lice force In on the national military
hasia. The botanical garden In support
ed by the national government. Brazil
joins with Rio in the work of public
education.
Rio is the industrial heart of Brazil
Most of the great national resources
center In it. and in some way pay
tribute to it, 1t is made by the nation
commercially prosperous. rich. strong
in taxable resources Washington has
seen the original commerce of it's site
reduced almost TO nothingness. 1t has
been crippled and retarded in industrial
growth, and it's taxable resources have