Evening star., 1915-02-11
What the City Has Accomplished.

OF the United States as the ndtloi!
capitalize nations home.
What the City Has Accomplished.
Describing the bankrupt condition OF
Washington. resulting from its en-
deavor, unaided, to maintain itself on
q proper scale the nations city, Col
Parker said:
Finding this to he the unhappy con-
dition let me occupy u moment OF Your
time with brief statement ot what
our city has done for itself aud the
general government. First. it must lie
remembered that the United states
owns about oue-haIf OF all the property
In the District, on which ~ pays no
taxes. and that prior to 1873 it never
contributed anything for the support
of our local government
When the capital was located in
Washington our citizens donated hve-
sevenths of all the land in the city
for streets and avenues; "a per cent OF
the entire area for parks and reserVa-
tious. or J41 acres. One-half of all the
city lots We're given to help erect pun
lie buildings and improve streets Up
to 49,, the citizens tthe populati at
that time had reached only 13,o00p had
expended for street improvements.
mostly around public buildings. Si$".-
ODu the United States Soug 600. From
J13U to 1878. almost = century, the gov
ernmeut expended taside from public
buildingsp less than S6,oou,ouo, the citi-
zens Si5,o0p.00c. From 1879 TO 1887 our
people invested in new buildings SS2,-
100000. They paid . direct tax of $50
900 for the war of 1872, fitted up 4
building for Congress when the Capt.
tol was burned and rendered a loan OF
$4,000 to build public buildings.
which Congress accepted. During the
last war We paid a direct tax of $4,000.
We have paid an internal revenue tax
of over s6,000.000, and in one year
twice as much as any of the territories.
Ila aEOfa and than either of
the states of Alabama, Arkansas,
Maine. Mississippi, Nevada, South Caro-
lima or Vermont.
we supplied our share of the volun-
teers for the war of 1912 and the MeXi-
can war. In the late war we furnished
our full quota and 1s12 per cent over,
while but seven states filled their
quota and only one equaled the Dis
trict-
Donations to the States.
THE government has given to the
states s2s,000,o00 in money, 90.000.000
acres of land for schools and 155.000.-
900 acres for railroads. The District
of Columbia has never been given a
dollar or an acre of ground.
1T must not be thought that we do
not appreciate the benefits that have
resulted from the large sums of money
that have been expended by the gov
ernment in the erection of public
buildings, nor are we unmindful of the
fact that, since 1878, the government
has borne its share OF expense: but we
do claim that Washington has done far
more for itself and the general gov
ernment than should have been ex-
pected by Congress"
Outlining the various forms of Dis
trict government. Col Parker praised
the present system as the best and
continued:
Il should look with disfavor upon our
vi Or to r<-fe
who lived in Washington when that
right was exercised recall the disgrace
ful scenes that were enacted. / would
favor delegate in Congress. We need
some one TO represent us who has
knowledge of local conditions; some
one competent to give correct iufor-
nation on all matters affecting our in
terests. | would have that delegate
appointed by the President and con-
frmed by the Senate
Those of our Commissioners who
have been selected for their high and
responsible positions have been men OF
high character. Every dollar contrib
uted by the taxpayers and the general
government has been religiously ac-
counted for. The government of the
District of Columbia is Sree from even
the suspicion of jobbery. Being govern
ed by Commissioners, IL is essential
that they be men of strong character;
men who would not be over-infiuenced
by radicals in or out of Congress; rad
icals who. among other things advo-
cate repeal of the half-and- half plan
and an increase in our taxation. Tn
fortunately for us, both now and here
after, this senSeless cry seems to fIav.
resulted in largely increased taxation,
AN increase that VIII give US for the
present fiscal year d surplus of $3.50
ngU.
There are those who have charged
that the rfch people IN Washington
were lot Of .taX-dodgers': that
wealthy people throughout the country
established homes In our city for the
purpose of evaoing taxes
Denies Charge of "Tax-Dodging.'
"All this talk about the favored un-
der-tsxed rich is Jommy-rot' It is
not TO escape taxation that INDUCES