Evening star., 1921-10-13
NO PODSNAPPERY
FOR UNCLE SAM
District Tax Surplus Not a
Myth, But a Concrete Fact,
Raising a Distinct
Obligation.
NOT TO BE WAVED ASIDE
THEODORE w. MOVES.
Editorial Correspondence Of The Star]
NOT TO BE WAVED ASIDE
THEODORE w. MOVES.
Editorial Correspondence Of The star.1

me StatlStlCal table herewith, pre-
pared In the District auditors office,
shows the Districts tax revenue def
c1ts and surpluses since 1900, 1t
shows how the deficits between 1900
and 1910 were created and were met
by advances that were afterward re-
paid. 1t shows how the surpluses
since the end of 1915 were created.
gives the exact amount Of the aggre-
gated surpluses, and shows that this
| amount is in Uncle Sans hands.
In 1908 Congress recognized that
| there could be and would be such things
as surplus revenues of the District. 1t
directed that the advances whic ,it
was then making to meet District tax
deficits should be reimbursed to sud
Treasury from time to time out Of the
surplus revenues of the District of
Columbia
COngrcsa Recognizes Surplus.
After District deficits had been con-
Verted into surpluses Congress recog-
nized the existence of such surpluseS
in the Treasury by applying portions
of these surpluses to the payment of
alleged Indebtedness of the District to
the United States. Most of these al
legged debts We're over forty years old.
believed to have been offset by ancient
District credits. or to have been cam
dying. to have been buried long ago In
the grave of the statute Of limita-
tions: but after the lapse OF over
forty years they were miraculously
resurrected in full vitality. The fig
ures in our table noted as direct
charges represent such distractions
by Uncle Sam from the Treasury sur
plus of the District.
For example. in 1918 there was sur
plus money in the Treasury Of the
United States to the credit of the Dis
trict of Columbia, for Congress in
that year transferred two amounts.
s24.2o0.76 and s211.450.12. respectively.
of such money deposited in the
Treasury of the United States to the
credit of the District of Columbia"
from the credit of the District of
Columbia to the United States.
In 1919 there was a District surplus
in the Treasury, for Congress in that
year enacted that the sum Of $3.50
and the sum of $97,74o.50 shall be
transferred to the credit Of the United
States from the amount In the Trens-
ury OF the United states to the credit
of the District Of Columbin;'
In 1920 there was surplus money
in the Treasury to the credit of
the District, for Congress transferred
thEee sums. $4,000. sSo.SS and
SIS, ,000, from "the famouHtS~in the
Treasury OF the United States to the
circuit OI tHt 1OluN1Dlds 10
| the credit Of the United States.
Uncle Sam, Guardian and Trustee.
Tax-mOney was collected from local
taxpayers solely for expenditure for
local purposes, and to be applied ON the
Districts prOpOrtiOnate contribution
only, and 1t has not all been thus ex-
pended. Over four million dollars Of
local taxpayers' money are in Uncle
Sans hands to be expended at some
N nm NvupNN vnt nH - q SOf ~
share Of capital appropriations and
for no other purpose.
Thus Uncle Sam. trustee. having
collected money from his ward for
ly, to pay his wards share of GER
tain expenditures which under the
law were to be paid jointly by trus-
tee and ward. failed for several years
to spend part Of his wards money
in the manner prescribed by law.
the habit of keeping his wards
money in his left-hand trousers pock-
ct. where he deposits his trust funds
and his own in his right hand trou-
sers pocket. where he puts his miscel-
laneous receipts.
Temptation Of Uncle Sam.
1t Is suggested that Uncle Sam. per-
tax-surplus money in the wrong
pocket. namely. in the miscellaneous
receipts" pocket, where it does not
belong; and on this assumption Uncle
asked to pay out this accumulated
fund of his wards money for his
wards benefit: "If l had any Of my
wards money it would be in my left
hand pocket, and that pocket Is
empty. 1 recollect collecting the
wards share of National Capital ,ex-
pense, and 1 recollect that 1 did not
expend all of it for that purpose. 1t
is unfortunate for my ward. but 1
my right-hand pocket. where it min
gled inextricably with my own mis-
cellaneouS receipts money. and by vir-
tue of that blunder. title to the money
perhaps passed from my ward to me.
l am sorry. but what can do?"
Others conceive Uncle Sam. trustee.
as saying to his ward: Il was careful
to do all the necessary bookkeeping
to hold you to strict account in the
matter of your tax deficits and to
compel repayment of my loans
when the tide of District balances
|, turned and your money came to me
as surpluses instead of mine going to
you as loans to meet deficits. l have
done no bookkeeping whatever; /
your surplus credits in my hands. 1
do not know what these credits
should aggregate. and 1 am not con-
cerned to find out. Perhaps through
my fault your assets in my hands
tional Treasury resources. But I rec
ognize no responsibility for them
whatsoever"
Those who would repudiate alto
gether Uncle Sans obligation as trus-
tee in respect to his wards money are
not ashamed to picture him as guilty
of Podsnappery and as saying brazen-
ly when questioned concerning his
wards surplus: Your alleged sur
plus is non-existent: 1t is a myth:
pocket. You have lost it If 1 have
put it in any other pocket, for it has
disappeared among my great belong
ings. I have probably spent IT as my
own. Don't bother me any more about
init that 1t exists. Mention of it is
odfous to me-" And with Mr.. Pod
snaps arm flourish with which he
disposed Of disagreeables. Uncle Sam
is represented as saying of the myth
the face of the earth"
But why should we be concerned where
Uncle Sam keeps or has deposited our
money, or what he has done or omit
Ssepng ssa ito Go With 10 ts %Rst
difference should 1t make to US If
some agent of Uncle Sam has blum
dered in respect to the particular
Mace in the Treasury where he has
nut our money and has labeled and
deposited 1t miscellaneous receipts"
instead of District trust fund?
No, Advantage to he Taken Of Ones
Own Wrong.
What have we to do with our trus-
tees blunders, neglects or omissions?
How can they weaken our claim to