Evening star., 1920-05-27
UNFAIR,
L0PS|DED REPEAL
Of ORGANIC ACT
Nation Will Never Break
Faith, UnjustIy Burdening
Ward, to Relieve Itself.
THEODORE w. MOVES.
Editorial Correspondence Of The Stsr.l
III.

THEODORE w. MOVES.
Editorial Correspondence Of The stsr.l
III.
The important section of the Mapes
bill Oh. r. 1859 is that which repeals all
laws or parts of laws inconsistent there
with. not the directly affirming sec
tion, which provides that the District
tax money shall all be expended be-
fore government contribution begins.
The vital question is whether the
United states is to continue to prom
ise to contribute definitely and lib
orally to capital development and in
an amount related in some specific
proportion to the taxes imposed by
the United States upon the unrepre-
sented capital taxpayers.
The bills words Of affirmation set
up an unsystematic system Of indefi-
mite and fiuctuating national contri-
buttons for capital maintenance and
upbuild1ng. under which the nation
through Congress contributes for
tie or nothing. as it pleases
It's words of repeal (its sting. like
the hornets. In in its taiD destroy
the system OF definite proportionate
national contributions for capital
maintenance and upbufldinE set mp by
the organic act of 1873.
Indirect, Covert. Unfair Repeal
1. 1t repeals by indirection the ma
tion's definite pledge of capital main
tenance and development, which is
the vitality important and essential
feature Of the law of 1873. upon which
the wonderful upbuilding of the ma
tion's city in the last forty years is
based.
2. 1t repudiates covertly the nations
obligation under the act Of 1873. but
leaves unimpaired the counterbalanc-
ing obligations and sacrifices imposed
upon and exRcted from the people Of
the District in the wisely rounded
legislation Of 1878. with it's compro-
misses and its scrupulously careful
balancing Of equities.
Destroys without Rebuilding.
8. This repeal by indirection is
solely destructive legislation, and in
no respect constructive. 1t tears down
the old financial and governmental
system by destroying one of its vital
supports. but builds up no new struc-
ture In it's place. 1t fatally wounds a
law which,, If no longer absolutely
necessary. is recognized as wise and
fair. and 1t creates only chaos. 1t de-
stroys the safeguard against unfair
taxation OF the unrepresented District
oy a!ien tax imposers. which the half
no other safeguard in its place
4. It alters abruptly and recklessly a
fundamental relation of nation and
capital which has existed for forty
years and about which great body
OF laws and judicial decisions have
senator Galingerl some time ago In
debate called attention to manv OF
tnese laws, built upon and buttressinR
lne naif-and-half provision, which
should be taken into calculation when
the legislative system Of which thew
are integral parts is to be overturned.
nasty repeal by indirection ignores
these statutes and leaves the law in
TINS connection contradictory and con-
No Repeal By Indirection.
IN Vitaiiy amending what the Su-
preme Court has recognized as the
Districts fundamental law. its con.
stltutfon. its organic act. and in franz
,ns IN erect a new organic act to
take the place of that of 1873. Con-
gress will surely. in equity and wis
DOM. legislate to this end directiv
openly and without camouflage.
II congress means to repeal the
words Of the organic act Of 1878.
wnich gave the nations definite and
continuing pledge of capital mafnte-
nance and development after it's sew
enty years OF shameful neglect of its
capital obligation. 1t will in fairness
use directly and specifically repeating
words to accomplish this end. and will
not disguise this edge-withdrawinr
repeal in sweeping repeal Of ali
laws inconsistent with a provision
which. on its face, merely declares
that the Districts tax revenues shall
be exhausted before the Nations cap
ital contribution shall begin.
Congress should have before II for
consideration the direct proposition to
repeal the half-and-half provision Of
the organic act of 1873, the nations
definite pledge of continuing ca pitaI
maintenance. Its legislative task upon
this repeal proposition should be: "a
To determine whether the changes OF
forty years compel the absolute re-
pudiation and withdrawal of ali def
mite pledge by the nation of capitai
upbuilding; or. whether the new con-
ditions and equities of 1920 can he
fairly met. both for nation and capt.
tai, by a carefully devised modfnca.
tion and change Of form of the def
mite pledge OF 1873. which shall, as the
joint congressional committee of 1918
urged, keep the local taxation resson-
able, hxed and certain. and at the
same time cause the nations contri-
button to be definite. regular and ib-
ernl, and (2). If the nations explicit
recognition of its capital Obligation
and its definite pledge to meet this
obligation cannot be modified. but
must be Withdrawn. then to determine
what Of the Districts counter balanc-
ing obligations and sacrifices Of
rights. privileges and benefits under
the act of 1878 must in equity be
Cancelled.
No LOpsided. Unfair Repeal.
1t is assumed that the nation. with
an the legislative power in its hands
under the act of 1878, will not use
that power to relieve itself of the
definite obligation incurred under the
law Of 1873 without restoring to the
people of the District the rights. priv
ileges and benefits of which the 1878
law. in consideration of the national
pledge of capital maintenance. had
deprived them.
And this readjustment OF equities
and obligations should. of course. in
fairness be simultaneous.
But is not the national payment
toward capital maintenance under
the obligation and pledge Of 1873
merely q voluntary charitable dona-
tion. which may fairly huctuate or
in accordance with the whim Of re-
curing Congresses?
No. The people of Washington con.
tend and have proved conclusively
that this definite pledge Of which the
withdrawal is now proposed was not
charitable aims flung to a begEar,
but the recognition and partial meet
ing of national obligation which
had existed land had been neglected
by the nation) since the founding of
the capital, the nations city
National Pride Urges Equity.
Maintenance intact Of the organic
act is not only a point of honor with
the nation. but is strongly urged by
the dictates Of national pride. Dur
ing the period when the national OBJ
legation. tardily recognised by the
organic act in 1873. was neglected,
the capital was q national shame,
by-word and reproach, Since the na.