Evening star., 1919-05-11
MIR. Curtis, Republican Whip,
Declares HaIf-and-HaIf
Only Correct Way.
GOVERNMENT SHOULD
MATCH EVERY DOLLAR
Legislator Contends Surplus Now
Existing Should Be Spent to
Meet Local Needs.

Every dollar that is raised by taxa
ton IN the District of Columbia should
De expended for the improvement of the
District" said Senator Curtis of Kan.
sas. republican whip of the Senate. dis
cussng District affairs last night in a,
interview.
Every dollar that the District raised
through taxes should be matched by a
ooiiar taken from the federal Treas.
ury. In other words. the appropriations
for the District should continue to he
made under the half-and- half pIan "a.
tablished in the organic act of tie D.,-
trlct OF Columbia, the act of 1873.
IF this plan were followed there
would be no. surplus no moneys coll
lected by taxation in the District which
would remain uneXpended at the end of
the year
Unfair to District People.
With all the improvements that are
needed in the National Capital at
present it seems to me ridiculous thar
the whole amount raised in taxation
here should norbe expended for these
improvements and the maintenance of
the District government. 1t is unfair
to take money from the people of the
District through taxation and not ex-
pend 1t for the support of their city.
Il believe that these so-called sur
pluses' which haye ariksen in the Dis-
trlct In recent years have been the
cause OF good deal of the friction
IN the House over District of Column
ola affairs" continued Senator Curtis.
There should have been no surplus.
all of the money raised here by taxa
ton should have been matched by the
government and expended for school,
houses. street extensions and i'm
provements and other things so much
needed here. The fact that there was
an alleged surplus OF District funds
has led some members of Congress- to
believe that there was something
wrong, that the District of Columbia
was getting the big end Of the stick
and the federal government was get
| ting the little end.
This is mistake The District an
propriations should continue to be
made under the half-and-half plan.
The interest of the federal government
| in the District of Columbia Is equally
as great as is the interest of the peo.
pie who live here, and 1t should pay
it's full share of the expenses of the
National Capital
Demands Most Beautiful City.
THE District Commissioners should
make estimates to Congress covering
every dollar raised by taxation and an
| equal amount contributed by the gov
ernment. and Congress should carry
out these recommendations of the
Commissioners in framing the appro-
, priation laws for the District of Co.
lumbia. 1t is the duty of the Commis-
sioners and of Congress to see that
this is done, in order that the capital
of the country may be made the most
beautiful city in the world and pub
lie conveniences be accorded to resi-
dents of Washington and the millions
of visitors who come here from the
states to see their capital.
"The annual appropriation bill for
the District covering the next fiscal
year, ending June 80, 1920, failed in
the legislative jam of the last session
of Congress. This bill must be pass
ed at the coming session of Congress.
There is no reason why the plan
have outlined should not be followed
in regard to this measure.
1.-THE District is in great need now
of street improvements and extern
sions. 1t is in need of more school
houses, of more hospital facilities and
of an increase in its water supply.
The population of the city has in
creased enormously in the last two
years. 1t stands to reason that the
expenditures for the maintenance and
development Of the city must be in
creased.
Fairgrounds and Parks.
IT know that more public play
grounds and parks are needed. Many
of the public schools have no play
grounds attached to them. The
children have no place to play ex-
cept the streets. The surplus money.
plus a similar amount taken from the
federal Treasury, of which 1 have
spoken. could well be used to provide
these Fairgrounds for the children.
II understand that the aggregate
surplus of money raised by taxation
in the District and not expended
amounts now to between three and
four million dollars. If it is possi-
BILE, I would be in favor Of using this
money to pay of the obligations Of
the District. II that is not possible
under the law, I would have Congress
match 1t with similar amount OF
federal funds and use the whole to
make many improvements to which I
have already alluded.
I'm any event, Congress and the
District Commissioners should see to
it that hereafter there shall be no
more Of these surplus funds"
y a. y