Evening star., 1923-02-15
WHAT GREAT NATIONS
Do FOR THEIR CAPITALS

ahead too fast for the local resources
and oppressed by heavy taxes and
complains that the nation causes IL
to bear too great share of the load
Paris, Buenos Aires and Rio are capi-
ed lavishly toward municipal ex-
penses. France contributes about two
millions annually for Paris police, and
a large fixed sum for street and side
walk making and repairing.
Police and Streets.
Almost universally the police are a
part Of the nations military estab-
or wholly by the nation. In Paris
the police force Is under a separate
prefect from the one who controls
the general municipal administration
and he Is appointed by the national
government. The record Of the rela-
to the paving and care of the Paris
streets is interesting and suggestive.
Says CASTOR Cadoux in Les Finances
de la Vile de Paris de 1898 a. 1900:
Until the revolution the paving and
care of streets in Paris was directed
and paid for by the nation. A decree
of year vi germinal continued this
arrangement on the ground that the
streets of Paris we're combinations
OF public highways. The same plan
decree was passed for the sharing Of
the expenses by the city OF Paris,
though no definite proportion seems
to have been established. By de-
cree of 1856 the expenses of streets,
avenues, quays. bridges. boulevards
and public squares were to be shared
equally by city and nation. Cleaning
was included in expenses. A decree
of 1862 continued the half-and-half
contribution of nation to the streets,
etc. but provided that the amount
paid by the nation should not exceed
100000 francs. A decree of 1862
provided that the nation should bear
the expenses for all streets, bridges.
boulevards and public places which
could be classed as combinations or
parts of imperial routes: the city Of
Paris to pay expenses for all others.
Nevertheless the city of Paris could,
with consent of municipal council, be
charged with execution of all neces-
sary care of streets in consideration
of payment by nation Of half the ex-
pense, not to exceed 100000 francs
a year during period of ten years"
The half-and-half arrangement was
continued without legislative con-
tract after the expiration of the ten
year period. In 1912 the contribu-
ton under the half-and-half arrange
in spite of the complaints of the
municipal council.
Washinkton's Royal Street Plans.
Under the royal street plan design
ed in Washington by the nation for
the nations city every avenue and
every street was an imperial high
way. made broad and magnificent by
deliberate policy and with title In
fee simple in the nation by gift OF
the original proprietors. who also
gave other lands to the nation to be
devoted In part to the Improvement
OF these national streets and avenues.
The nation shirked it's obligation
in respect to the streets and avenues
given TO 1t and endowed by the
donors. For more than thirty years,
during which period 100000 had
been realized from the sale of lots
Improvements, its expenditures upon
streets and avenues, which were its
exclusive property, were less than
$500 per year. and its annual appro-
priations since that time until 1873
had been widely varying in amount
and. at the best, inadequate. In other
words. having secured the magnif-
cent donation OF more than 20 per
cent of the soil Of Washington on
the promise that part of the proceeds
CT the sale of donated lots should
be applied to street Improvement, IL
practically abandoned the work OF
street Improvement to the scanty
resident population. Up to 1871 it
only $1,000, 900. while during the
same period the local government ex-
pended on streets more than nine
times that amount. The hagrant in
justice of the nation in this regard
was one of the. reasons for the en-
actment of the organic act Of 1915
Later the nation extended the grand
street plan of the original city, with
some notifications and reductions of
the percentage area occupied by
and the outlying District. But 1t re-
fused to extend the half-and-half
plan to these new streets, SO far as
the cost of extensions was concerned,
and now by the Borland amendment
1t is Shirking a part of its share of
the cost of paving and improving
these streets, as we'll as of the streets
still unimproved within the original
city.
Contrast this record with that Of
France. which until 1926 paved and
cared for the Paris streets entirely at
it's own expense. and until 1856
largely at it's own cost. and which
since that year has applied the half
and-half arrangement, with limita-
ton of Its maximum contribution to
four and three millions of francs.
National Representation.
The fourth question::
Are the people Of the capital repre-
scented i'm the national government
Every capital in the world except
Washington is represented on equal
terms with the other cities In the ma
tional government.
Municipal Representation.
The fifth question:
Have the people Of the capital amy
voice i'm questions of local taxatfonf
DO they control or participate in the
municipal government!
Every capital In the world except
Washington, whether in Europe. Asia,
Africa, Australia or the Americas. has
a voice in respect to questions Of
local taxation, and either controls or
participates inffuentially in it's mu-
nicipal government The London and
the Berlin municipal councils have
more power than that of Paris. The
municipal councils of Brussels. Of
Ottawa, of Copenhagen, of Toxic. of
Cape Town and Of Bern have more
power--that is, greater freedom from
supervision by national authority
than those OF London and Berlin.
But every one except Washington
has an influential voice in its local