Evening star., 1920-05-26
HURTFU[ SHIFT Of
MAIN OBLIGATION
TOD. c. TAXPAYERS
People of City Should Be In
cidentaI, Not Primary Con-
tributors to Capital
UpbuiIding.
THEODORE w. MOVES.
Editorial Correspondence Of The Star.l

II.
The Mnpcs bill tH, II. 715s, shifts
the primary responsibility and obliga-
tion OF capital maintenance and de-
Ne!Opment from the nation to the local
taxpayers. making the former inst en- d
OF the latter the incidental contribu-
tor. This shifting is obviously In
equitable.
The nation now practically ad-
vances money for District of Colum-
bla appropriations, the amount of
which it also fixes, and reimburses
itself from District taxes. which it
imposes and collects. Under the or
Sanic act and thA present practice
the nation bears the primary obliga-
ton of capital maintenance and the
people of the capital are the Incl
dental contributors. Under this bill
the primary obligation is shifted to
the local taxpayers. and the nation
Incomes the incidental contributor,
escaping. if it pleases, any contribu-
tion at all
Obviously the primary obligation
In the arrangement between nation
ana District taxpayers should be upon
that party to 1t which il protected
from loss or risk by possession of all
the assets and securities OF the com
binatiOn. which controls absolutely
every cent of the money contributed
for capital maintenance by both par
ties. local and national. and W hich has
undivided and despotfc power to fx
the amount of local tax contribution,
II shall be collected. to collect 1t and
to spend 1t. Clearly in equity the
primary obligation should not be
ahffted to the capital, now the incl
dental contributor, which has no
power. or control. even of its own
tnx money mt any stage. and whose
sole function In respect to taxation
and Its financial status il to petition
and to pay.
From the beginning the nations OBJ
legation in respect to capital mainten-
nance and upbuilding has been in
equity and on principle primary.
dominating and Qike it's power to
Primary and full responsibility
both in respect to the control and to
the maintenance and upbuilding of
the capital is In Congress, represent
Ing the nation. Political power and
financial obligation are inseparably
pays. and to the extent that it con-
trolls it pays.
Washington is the only capital in
the world in which. IL certain policies
prevail. the nation would do all of the
and none of the paying.
The vital fact to be remembered is
that the primary fiscal responsibility
In respect to the nations city is upon
the nation, which absolutely controls
1t in every respect. The nation is
not fixing the amount which it will
donate to a self-governing American
which it happens to be
using for its capital. 1t is fixing ar
bitrarily as a benevolent despot the
amount which it will exact for the
of the nations city from
the Americans whom it permits to
dwell within the capitals borders and
70 "nom It allows no representative
American rights except that of pay
ing this exaction.
Under these conditions the nation,
as benevolent despot, should be Just,
conslderate and sympathetic to the
last degree. Scrupulous fairness
should be observed in exactions from
the !mpotent local taxpayers. and as
Americans they should be given eyery
American right and privilege. which
IS consistent with absolute control by
the nation of the nations city.
Absolute power and control mean
primary and full responsibility and
obligation, The nation cannot in honor
repudiate or weaken its national
capital obligation while it retains its
constitutional control Of the nations
city.
The national obligation crystallized
In the half-and-half provision of the
law Of 1873 is not oppressiyely cramp-
ing and irritating, to be impatientiv
resented by Congress. 1t is self-im-
posed. self-construed and self-en-
forced. Every particle of legislative
power and of actual money control
IS in Congress; nothing whatsoever in
the District. whose sole function in
ic 10
these conditions the obligation is an
equitable obligation. debt of honor.
The obligation TO pay deb. Of honor
is recognized, however. as even more
binding than one arising :nder the
law. The obligation Of nation to cap-
the impotent District cannot enforce
it.
For many reasons. therefore, the
primary financial responsibility is on
the United States and not on the
District. and 1t should remain where
the Jones amendment should prevail
and not that of H. r. 1853
Retroactive nnd Indefensible.
90 The Affirmative provisions OF
this bill would have a retroactive ap-
tons obligation to appropriate the
so called tax surplus of the District
with an equal amount from the treas
ury for the Districts benefit in ac-
cordance with the half-and-half law,
which prevailed while this tax money
was collected and permitted by Con-
gresS to accumulate, and which still
prevails.
1t confiscates retroactively this So
called surplus Of unexpended District
tax money. Either 1t ignores this sur
plus as non existent or 1t treats the
let ri
vides, in effect. that without doubling
under the half-and-half law 1t shall
be expended on District appropria-
tions before any more money is paid
for this purpose from the Treasury.
This retroactive application of the
pending bill involves breach Of
trust and is morally indefensible.
The wise. fair and honorable dispo-
sition of this surplus is to treat 1t as
an accumulation by the capitals leg
islature Of fund to meet some per-
manent improvement need Of the Dis
trict, which calls for large imme-
date expenditure beyond the amount
which can be spared from current
funds for current maintenance; and
which without such accumulation
would in the ordinary municipality be
met by borrowing money through a
bond issue. Such need Is obvious
and urgent to increase the capitals
water supply. and perhaps to develop
the Potomac's water power. This sur
plus of four millions of local tax
money. with an equal amount from
the Treasury under honest application
of the half -andhalf law. should be
applied at once to whatever project
of water supply increase Congress ap-
proves.
But the surplus has a broader use
fulness. The application Of accumu-
lated unexpended taxes to satisfy any
accumulated unmct needs Is obviously
equitable. Note the last report of the
Commissioners in which they show
the extent to which current needs.
both OF maintepance and permanent