Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-07

naif plan" IT the organic, act Of June
-: 1878. and providing no definite con.
cc,Inution whatever from the United
states Treasury, and the substitution
l"r IT by the Senate of the amend
h"nts perfecting the half-and half
! "a d! the improvemen advocated
since 1915 by the joint citizens COM
n,..se. Intended TO prevent so-called
SURPRISES and deficits" in District
taxes in the future and TO utilize the
uhekpended District taxes now in the
United States Treasury by approprin-
tions under THE half-and- half law"
LOT District needs, which have not
Deem met for lack of adequate annro-
nrlations in the past. by which lack this
district tax money. raised under 'the
nan half law" requiring an equal
amount 10 be appropriated from the Ma
.lonai treasury. was left unexpended
In the Treasury. We trust that the
! senlerence committee of the two
houses VIII report. and that Congress
WIZ. ADOPT the Senate substitute.
stand on Surplus Fund Upheld.
-. We heartily commend the action
OF the joint citizens committee in
insisting before Congress that not
one dollar of the so-calied surplus OF
unexpended District taxes in the
United States Treasury shall be ap-
propriated without the appropriation
OF another dollar from the United
states Treasury under the half-and-
hait law. We earnestly call upon
! an our citizens to oppose insidious
attempts to break down the existing
law requiring equal contribution
from the United States Treasury. no
matter what the purpose may be for
| winch its advocates are willing to
sacrlnce the essential fundamental
basis of all appropriations. and there
Iore all progress in the District of
Columbia. While. as the joint citi-
OF n tod IN
we all desire that The necessities of
the District for which adequate APP
preparations have not been ma1le shall
De speedily met, and especially that
the requisite appropriations for
properly housing the public schools
and the appropriations for increasing
the water supply should be promptly
made. 1t would be a shortsighted and
costly blundef to accept any ap-
preparations made wholly from the
so-called surplus of unexpended Dis
trict taxes now in the United States
Treasury for any District purpose.
however impera tive or important. To
do so would, of course. cut down one
half the appropriations which should
be made.
An Example Cited.
For example. instead of getting
ten millions required for the housing
of the public schools. the District
would get only s4.6a0.000. if the whole
of the so-called surplus should be
appropriated for that purpose with
out the corresponding half from the
United States Treasury. But more
important, because fatal to the 1xed
and definite contribution principle of
the organic act of June II, 1873.
would be the precedent established to
the encouragement of those in Con-
gress who seek to put the whole en-
pense of the National Capital upon
the shoulders of the District tax
payers, which would inevitably over
not destroy, the uniform progress of
the National Capital Every intel3i-
gent citizen should oppose. by peti-
ton to Congress and otherwise. any
departure for the sake of any SEEM
ing temporary advantage from the
progress and prosperity Of the ma
tons city has rested since 1873 and
on which all the future progress and
prosperity must be built. To weaken
this foundation stone is to weaken
the whole structure.
Plea for "Half-and-Half" systen.
80. We heartily commend the Joint
citizens committee in it's appeal to
every advocate of increased appro-
priations for any purpose in the bis
stricti of Columbia to recognize the
fact that every such desire and the
whole fabric of the capitals life de-
pend upon the maintenance of the
hxed and definite proportion Of con-
tribution from the District taxpayers
and the United States Treasury
Every municipal question is at bot
tom dependent upon the appropria-
tions of Congress. Therefore, the
essential underlying and most inn
portant of all District affairs is the
continuation of the fixed and definite
fiscal relations contained in the or
ganic act OF June IL. 1875. The most
important business of every District
citizen ID to see that the principle is
not altered or impaired"