Evening star., 1920-05-29
FAIR PLAY FOR D. c.
IN NCHANG|NGF0RM
OF ORGANIC ACT
Nation Will Not Hold Capital
to Its 1873 Obligation
and Repudiate Its Own.
THEODORE w. MOVES.
Editorial Correspondence of The Star.l
Editorial Correspondence of The star.l


THEODORE w. MOVES.
Editorial Correspondence of The Star.l
V.
What Dist rict equities are involved
in the nations pledge of definite pro-
portionate contribution. which will be
violated by its withdrawal? What
sacrifices were exacted from the Dis
trict in 1878 in connection with the
nations definite pledge of proper
tionate contribution which must
cease to be demanded the instant
this definite pied ge is withdrawn?
The organic act readjusted both the
financial and the political relations
of nation and capital. 1t fixed the
equities both as to money contri-
! buttons toward capital upbuilding
through local taxation and congress
division OF the power of government
In the District between the nation
and the local community. These two
functions of the organic act are bal
anced. intertwined and inseparable.
From 1900. for about three-quarters
joyed the privilege of municipal self
government and self-taxation. In the
exercise of this privilege and in the
effort to bear alone the whole burden
of capital maintenance it twice taxed
Itself into bankruptcy. The nation
had also in this period the same priv
ilege of taxing itself what it pleased
for capital upbuilding-the privilege
which some now seek to restore to 1t.
1t taxed itself for the purpose very
little, far too little.
Balanced Equities Of Organic Act.
BY the organic act the nation Cd
promised to pay definitely and regu-
larly toward capital development un-
der a system which (2) fixed q def
mite relation between national and
local contributions for capital up
building, and thus guaranteed the un-
represented District against excessive
taxation; and CD the nation took to
itself from the local community all
power of self-taxation and municipal
self-government, and also destroyed
the Districts territorial representa-
ton in it's national government
through a voteless delegate in the
House.
Guaranty Against Overtaxation.
Thus through the organic act the
nation proclaimed it's intent to ex-
ercise supreme control of it's capital
and recognized its corresponding su-
preme obligation.
That it might exercise this supreme
control it took from the local COM
That its own taxation of the District
might not be unjust or excessive. but,
as far as practicable approximating
self-taxation, the nation imposed
upon itself, asarepresented by Con
gress, the half-and-half~ safeguard Of
the organic act, under which In tax.
ing tha unrepresented District the Ha-
tion.s proportionately. taxed also IT.
self. ss,s - -,rS..s'ss, -,
The. half-and- half provision was
thus not only the definite expression
of Affirmative behefcence by the tia-
ton in meeting its supreme financial
obligation in respect to the capital,
but was also it's self-impOsed guaranty
In protection OF a community from
which 1t had just taken self-taxation
against excessive and unjust taxation
BY q body I'm which 1t was not rep
resented.
No Repeal without . Substitute.
If the half-and-half provision ID to
be repealed or radically changed. a
definite and carefully considered sub
stitute should be provided. not only
by enactments concerning the contri-
buttons Of nation and capital, respec-
lively. but by the substitution of other
equally effective safeguards for that
which the haIf-and-half provision
taxation of the unrepresented.
If the new law merely repeals the
half and half provision, either direct
ly or covertly. as proposed by the
pending bill. the amendment Of the
organic act is clearly lopsided and in
equitable.
and-hnIf section of the organic act
should In fairness lD substitute some
other equally definite guarantee Of
the unrcpresented District against ex-
eessive and unjust TAXATION, or CD
should restore the celebration and
self-government to the community Of
which the legislation Of 1s74-7S de-
prived IT; and (3) should I'm either al
tentative by constitutional amend-
ment empower Congress to give to
WashinRtonians the status Of citizens
Of 4 state for the purpose of repre-
septation I'm Congress and the elec-
toral college.
District National Representation.
National representation should in
equity be granted whether the half
District should be represented in
Congress whether Congress retains or
surrenders sole legislative power in
respect to the District. National
representation and the half-and-half
law are not alternatives. contradic-
tory, hostile. repellant. On the con-
trary they co-exist and cooperate
tremendously and beneficially. Politi-
cal equity and financial equity go
naturally hand in hand.
Taxpayers should Control Taxes.
But the half-and-half law and the
right of municipal self-taxation are
| logical alternatives. and one may be
the substitute for the other. Under
| the law as 1t stands the nation is in
effect a half-taxpayer of the District,
and as such it can make some defense
| on American principles of its exercise
of the power of disbursing through
| Congress all District taxes But IL
the half-and half law is repealed. and
the nation ceases to be a halifax
payer in the District, it's exercise of
the municipal taxing power becomes
alien, un American, fndefensible and
abhorrent, and the taxing power must
| be yielded to the actual District tax
payers.
Tax-paying obligation and tax
amending power 60 together. II the
nation repudiafes its local tax.payinE
obligation IT must in equity and on
American principles Mt once surrender
| its local tax-imp0sing and tax.spend-
| II the tax imposer and tax spender
| is also a half tax contributor the
principle which couples representa-
1 tion with taxation is half met. and in
addition a practical, effective and
equitable safeguard against excessive
and unjust taxation is created. Even
an alien, non-representative tax
gatherer will naturally tax fairly ii
| in taxing others he automatically
taxes himself.