The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-10-25
People and Press Of Country
Must F rotect u. S. Capital
Correspondent of New York Evening Post Writes of Unjust
Attacks On and Present Investigation of ~
HaEand-half Plan. .--- ~

The New York Evening Post publishes
the following from its Washington cor
respondent:
DO the people of the United States de-
sire to maintain the National Capital as
their own-as the peoples city? VIII they
consent to a dissolution OF relations, ex-
listing since 1873, which have made WASH
ingtoh in truth one of the most oeautlIui
capitals of the world?
Are the people of the United states
complaining because the United states
government pays its fair share OIL the
expense of maintaining the National Cap
ital2
Do they desire to compel the taxpayers
OF Washington to bear all the burdens
of maintaining a National Capital. or 90
they believe that the country should con-
tribute a proper share towards the run
ming expenses of the government worh-
shop?
viii the people permit their capital to
revert again to municipal conditions
which three times have brought about
bankruptcy. because the task was 100
great for the taxpayers of Washington
to carry through? go
II the taxpayers of Washington Will
pay half should not the Federal treasury
contribute the other half toward sup
porting a capital, commensurate with the
These in essence. are the questions
upon which n joint committee OF Con-
gress has begun TO hear testimony. rms
committee consists OF Senators Chiffon
Of West Virginia: Works, Of California
and Salisbury, of Delaware, and Repre-.
sentatives Rainey, of Illinois; Gard OF
Ohio, and Cooper. of Wisconsin.
Since 1873 the United States govern
uent has contributed half to the current
expenses of maintaining the Nadonal
Capital, and the taxpayers OF Washing
ton have provided the other half. This
Investigation has been made necessary py
persistent attacks upon the half-and-hah
principle begun when the Democrats Sc
cured control OF the House. and continued
along the narrowest lines of unreason
and prejudice ever since AS the result
of an agitation whose chief effect mas
been so to demoralize affairs In the Dis-
trict of Columbia that all values are I'M
stable the last District Appropriation act
contained a provision for the appoint
ment Of the Joint select committee. no"
in the act of investigation preparatory
70 admitting to Congress "A statement OF
The proper proportions of the expenses OF
the government of the District OF Column
bia. or any branch thereof. including IN
terest on funded debt. which snail De
borne by said District and the Unlted
States, respectively. together with the
may be based"
Washington People Aroused.
The beopIe of Washington have or
ganized to lay before Congress and the
countrywide really are ignorant OF the
merits Of this important questioning
reasons WHY the present system should |
r.. continued. The executive committee,
whose summary of fact and argument |
will constitute the chief document TO be !
considered by the joint select committee
consists Of former District Commissioner |
Henry Is. +. mcfarland, A. ). worm
ington. Corcoran Thorn, Theodore w.
Moves. =. ]. Callahan and Edward +.
Colladay. These all well-known and m |
fluentiaI residents OF the city OF wash
incton have prepared brief which traces
the history of the fiscal relations De-
tween the United states and the District
Of Columbia from the PROCEEDINGS OF me
constitutional convention OF lsS until 'he
present day. .I
the United States should contribute large
lv to the expenses of the District OF Co
lumbia. in 4 fixed and definite proper
ton not less than one-half.
When the District of Columbia was
set off from the States of Maryland ana
Virginia, all the documents accompany
ing the transaction and subsequent rec
]
granted for the exclusive uses OF ma
tional capital which should be under the
exclusive jurisdiction of Congress. Inc
streets and public squares were conveyed
for the use Of the United States Tor
ever" nor did the other lands. taken for
governmental purposes. cost the govern
ment ANYTHING. because they were bought
with the proceeds from the sale of lots.
TIE people of the District surrendered
their right to govern themselves in con-
sideration of the superior claims of the
Federal government, and to this day .
they are even denied the privilege OF ap-
pealing to the courts OF the United States
in those numerous cases in which those
courts have Jurisdiction because of the
diverse citizenship of the parties. Thus S
they have even less rights than the resi- Z
dents OF States or Territories. liz
Government Property Tax Free.
Millions of dollars worth OF taxable
property have been taken for govern
ment purposes. and the manufacturing
upon which other capital
cities depend. have bees excluded from
Washington because of its unique use as
the seat OF the national government
Nevertheless, until 1873 the people of the ,
District, notwithstanding that the city
was laid out upon a scale wholly un- {
necessary TO the natural purposes of a !
community of its size, incurred most of {
the obligations of building a national {
capital. According to a report TO the
House in 1875 the entire expenditures of {
the United States for improvements in {
the District up to that time had been {
about s9.0O0 600. while the amount paid J
by the citizens of the District for the {
same purpose exceeded S34.O0O0oO.
The District then was 81, 900 in
j. bt and property was almost worthless =
While the bill which is now the or s
ganic law orsconstitution of the District q
nl Columbia was under discussion in !
1873. the Senators and Representatives a