Evening star., 1915-03-29
'AL|NE Of DEFENSE
OF ORGANIC ACT
True Basis of Nations ObIiga-
tion Is National Honor
and National Pride.
PRIMARY OBLIGATION
is ON NATION, NOT CITY
Contribution Exacted From City for
Capital -Upbuilding Should Be
Reasonable. Equitable
and Definite.

| STA. March 10, 1915.
The only question to be deter
mined under the law creating the
Joint congressional committee is
| the proper proportion of the ex-
penses OF the government OF the
District Of Columbia or any
branch thereof, including interest
ON the funded debt, which shall
be borne by the said District and
the United States respectively"
These expenses are now borne
so per cent by each OF the parties
under the hali-and-f1ali arrange
nent OF the organic" act OF 1873.
| " asilington' conviction is that
this proportion is Just and fair to-
day as in 1873. and that it should
not be modified except on con-
/ vincing evidence OF the necessity
in equity OF 4 change and after
the thorough and careful consid-
Grafton which should characterize
! the alteration OF fundamental law.
The organic act. with its COM
promises. its balances, Its off
/ settin. of equities. is an integral
whole: and any substitute for it
! should also be complete. rounded
and balanced in all its parts; and
its trainers in molding it should
give to all the equities OF all the
parties concerned the same wise
and fair consideration that was
i given by the statesmen OF the last
century in their iour years labor
/ OF framing the organic act and es-
tablishing the half-andhalf prin-
ciplc.
lsee ~. -oss>'ds d.. Al-e Star Feb $;
! Municipal Finance. Jan. 10. 1872.
We are certain OF such consid-
Grafton by the Joint congressional
committee OF this issue so vital to
the capitals wefare.
l. True Basis of Nations Obligation.
1 The true basis OF the nations obH-
! gatfon Of proportionate contribution
toward the maintenance and develop
/ ,,,eut NJ hr Sus,ft tal is mot anlely or nPf.
! mariIy untaxed ownership Of District
real estate. This obligation IL equitable
! In it's nature. ~ based primarily ON
i the circumstances of the capitals ere
: ation which impoxed upon the nation
! not only the necessity of fulfilling an
! implied pledge but the obligation and
responsibility which without words are
coupled inseparnbly with excluxive
/ and unlimited power and control, and
] 80 II Is based secOHdnrtly ON present
! and continuous conditions enforcing
| both the original and renewed obiS-
xatiOn upon the nation as the untaxed
/ owner Of large fraction Of Washing
toms real estate snd of over three
Thousand acres OF the unpl2tted pOr-
tions Of the Federal District. This oh
I legation Is aS just and az binding today
as It was mt the beginning of the CEN
/ fury. National recognition Of this OBJ
| legation is crystalized in the organic
net Of 1873.
/ Maintenance intact of the organic act
. is not only thus point Of honor with
: the nation, hut ~ strongly urged by
| the dictates Of national pride. During
the period when the national ObliEa-
/ ton, tardiIy recognized In 1873. was
| neglected. the capital was q national
! shame, a by-wOrd aud reproach. Since
! the nation has returned even half way
| to il. original obligation the capital
| ha. become object of national af-
fection. in whose attractiveness and In
! hose welfare the whole American
/, people take pride.
| Of planning q magnificent capital. COW
| ering a large area and characterized by
broad streets. avenues and reserva-
tions to an extent unsuitable for a
self-supporting commercial city, and
by founding this capital in place
comparatively uninhabited. as well as
| by the terms Of the bargain with the
owners of the soil. and by the declara-
| t,ons OF it's representatives at the
founding of the city and afterwaro.
/ showed an intention to build UP u ma
a grand scale, irrespective of the flu
ture population of the District. The
capital was to be primarily center Of
federal action. and the occupation of
the ground by settlers was merely Incl
dental to this great purpose.
(, 1t was to be meeting place for the
! use, convenience and entertainment of
the people of the entire Union: and the
was not to be limited by the scanty
resources of what permanent popula-
tion it might acquire.
| duplication entitled "Observations
on the River Potomack. the Country
Adjacent and the City OF Washington
printed in New York by Samuel Louden
& Son in 1898. says of the federal city
then developing:
| "The original proprietors of the land
on which the city is laid out, in con-
sideration Of the great benefits which
H. Il rIaN Niy frns H.
ton Of the city. conveyed in trust to
the commissioners for the use Of the
ipublic and for the purpose of estab-
fishing the city the whole of their re-
spective lands which are included
within the lines Of the city upon con-
dition that after retaining for the pub
lie the ground Of the streets and any
number Of squares that the President
may think proper for public improve
ments or other public uses. the lots
shall be fairly and equally divided be-
tween the public and the reepective
proprietors. BY this means the public
had possession Of more than 10000 lots