Evening star., 1922-12-08
Important Event. Recalled.

Important Events Recalled.
Mr.. Noyes spoke. in part. as follows:
For fifty-seven years-covering the
worlds history-our organization of
Washington patriarchs has on Decem-
Der I of every year retrospected and
celebrated it's birthday anniversary.
fln tonight's retrospect of the year
that is dying few events of special
concern to us as WashingtonianS
stand out conspicuously
Our association. in spite of the tot
tering limbs and the venerable white
or gray hair. or absence of hair. of it's
members. has been an enthusiastic
fighting unit in the campaign for
financial and political equity for
Washington.
"In the last year Congress has given
to Washington a new fiscal organic
act. retaining the vital principle of
definite proportionate contribution by
nation and local community toward
capital maintenance and development.
but substituting for the fifty-ifty
ratio. established by the organic act
of 1875. a new sixty-forty ratio.
'On practically all the Incidental
financial issues Washington has lost
respect to the issue of definite pro-
portionate contribution. menaced with
destruction for many years. outweighs
in Importance all the others combined.
This vital principle has been pre-
served as an integral part of the Dis
trict's fiscal system under conditions
and with safeguards which promise
as long a life. perhaps to the new or
ganic act as that of the old. whose
span of years was forty-four.
Especially will the. District be
nd
will be enjoyed when the special joint
committee to Investigate the Districts
accumulated tax surplus has perform
ed it's task and reported the amount
of this surplus as increased or de-
creased by additions or offsets since
problem will. if the EQUITIES prevail.
make available millions of dollars for
use in capital development. and will
thus furnish the means of speedy
after-the-war satisfaction of urgent
municipal needs neglected in the war
time.
Need Of school BuiIdings.
are:
II. That of an adequate supply of
sanitary. fully equipped school build
ings. and of development of the public
educational system of the District. in
cluding the Public Library. on broad.
intelligent and sympathetic lines. The
capital community is to be spared the
irony of drastic legislation to compel
attendance of children in the public
schools while the school buildings of
the present are utterly inadequate to
house properly, even the increasing
multitude which already crowds for
admission without the pressure of
compulsfon. Washington has high
hopes of speedy, substantial relief
from the evils of these .discreditable
conditions in our public schools
bors. with all Washington co-operat-
ing. of the joint select congressional
committee. created for this very pur-
pose.
"2. Next is the need of increasing
the District water supply. by the con-
the end that the menace of water
famine may be removed and that the
capital may be protected from the
threatened disaster of cutting off
entirely of its water supply through
accident to or collapse of the single
of the capitals water supply must
pass. This project is now under way.
through appropriations by Congress,
and with everybody combining to ad-
vocate 1t we OF Washington are rea-
sonably confident that this great per-
manent Improvement will be pushed
to speedy completion.
'.3. Next comes the urgent need of
street repairs on large scale and
new street construction, a need dis
gracefully neglected in the war time.
I'm the battle for political equity
a notable victory has been won. For
the first time in the Districts annals
the favorable report of a committee
of Congress has been secured for our
amendment empower
ing Congress to grant representation
to the District in House, Senate and
electoral college. This report, made
by the strong and influential Senate
on the District of Column
bia, inspires all of US to redoubled
labory in the cause befeYe the House