Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-23
KILLING 1878 ACT
TO BENEFIT CITY
Continued from First Page,

wisdom OF national legislators IN SENATE
and House these attacks were ultimate.
ly baffied. But the last attack. that
made by an amendment or rider on the
District appropriation bill. approved by
the House and condemned by the Sen
ate. was finally voted down by the
House only through the substitution
for 1t of a provision creating Join,
committee to examine thoroughly into
the whole subject and to report
tSe proper proportionate contribution
ward capital upbuilding OF nation and
District. respectively.
Washington welcomed this tribunal
1t felt that the facts concerning the
true relation of nation and capital
were not sufficiently known or con-
sidered by its legislators. The creation
of this joint committee gave the people
Of the capital the desired opportunity
to bring the truth in respect to these
relations and concerning the respective
capital obligations of nation and Dis
tention of their legislature, and thus to
correct the erroneous beliefs and I'M
reasonable prejudices which have
worked such injury to them.
At this juncture appeared other
friends of Washington. who Joined
ital in the House to repeal the half
and-half law and to substitute for
definite proportionate contribution one
that is indefinite, fluctuating and ca
some friends of the capital agreed upon
the same policy with diverse and con-
Trajectory motives. and with the ex-
pectation of securing directly opposite
results.
Unfriends would unsettle the exist
ing financial relations of nation and
capital in order to minimize the ma
tfonal obligation toward the nations
city and to reduce to infinitesimal pro-
portions national financial partfcipa-
tim in Inhlli1dinU
Friends would unsettle these rela-
tions in order to magnify and idealfze
the national obligation and to increase
national financial participation in cap
ital upbuilding. One would unsettle eX
listing conditions to the injury of the
District: the other would unsettle these
conditions in order to benefit the cap
ital. And the same enactment is thus
at the same time both to decrease and
to enlarge the national obligation to-
ward the capital. to make less and to
make more the national maintenance.
and to be at once a curse and bless
ing to the people of the nations city,
of course. two sets of diametrically
opposite results cannot both follow the
same enactment 1t cannot exalt and
enlarge the sense of national obligation
toward the capital and at the same
tire reduce 1t to zero. 1t cannot both
increase and decrease the nations con-
I ibuti,'n toward the capital 1t cannot
blow both hot and cold. 1t cannot both
bless and curse the capital.
One set of these advocates of repeal
of the half-and-half law is deceived
and will be disappointed. Which is it?
One prophet predicts that if the self
imposed compulsion of the act of 1878
is withdrawn the nation will measure
ttal In smaller and smaller terms, until,
90 far municipal affairs are con-
cerned, it will become infinitesimal.
The other prophet predicts that If the
half limitation upon municipal capital
expenditures by the nation is removed,
the nation, inf1amed by patriotic pride
and inspired by the example of other
nations, will spend far more than one
half the cost of adequate capital up
building. Which is the false prophet?
Which is the victim of a psychological
delusion?
Does not every surrounding fact. con-
Ntion and tendency proclaim that the
repeal now proposed In along lines
which do not promise benefit. but
threaten disaster to Washingtonf II
there IL the slightest doubt Of the con-
sequences Of u change, II 1t not wise
70 keep things n they ares why
should the capital, reasonably pros
perous under q wise and beneficial
Law, be forced to experiment with q
legislative potion, which may be the
elixir Of life or may be n deadly poi
soaf
Danger in Change.
What does it matter that the primary
obligation of capital maintenance is
verbally declared to be upon the ma
ton. with the capital community as
merely the incidental contributor of
reasonable" or equitable" taxation. If
determination of what is reasonable
local.taxation is left to a body in which
the local community is not represented.
swayed in part by error and prejudice,
al under conditions which cause every
added to local taxation to de-
correspondingly the capital ap-
ion from national revenues?
natives insisted last year that
able" and equitable" taxation in
iStrict would raise between four
nd fifteen million dollars. and
Jniy between twelve and thirteen
ms need to be appropriated an
: for District maintenance.
arrangement of indefinite contrf-
-ons proposed a substitute for
halt -and-half plan gives to the
cnfriends of Washington every sub
s.antial power to injure which they
have demanded. They have been fight
ing to secure the power to tax the Dis
trict at their pleasure in the amount
which they. or any of them. consider
Just" and equitable" including those
ceeded in getting the District taxes
doubled on the score of alleged equity
knd justice The proposed plan gives
fhem precisely this power. without the
self-tmposed limitation of the half-and-
half arrangement. and without any
check of any other kind.
For years. men in Congress have
sought this unrestricted power of taxa
tton in the District, In order to increase
excessively the local tax burden. The
new policy of non-resistance invites us