Evening star., 1923-01-20


counting by direction of the law
itself the taxpayers of today should
be relieved entirely of any accounta-
bility for ancient resurrected alleged
debts.
Such of these debts as have been
separated from the general account,
years later from rom DistrSct taxpayers, ak % s.
should In equity be repaid in full.
Our figures call for a. eimburse-
nent of several million dollars to the
District under this head.
EaUITIEs SURVIVING FROM
PERIOD BEFORE 1874.
II the act of 1873 is not to be treated
as settlement, and equities of the
United states prior TO 1873 are to be
segregated and satisfied then the
equities OF the District in this period
must also be revived and enforced,
including such equities as that recog-
nized by the District Commissioners
as existing in 1873 which called for
the payment of $4,000. 900 by the
ance an equitable accounting between
the U. S. and the D.. c. from 1871 to
date. Com. Report 1873 page 4.
PART III.
INTEREST EQUITIES.
The provisions concerning interest
In the act OF June 20, 1922, u applied
In spirit OF equity and In accordance
with the terms of the law to InOrnl
az well as legal inde ebtedness will not
reduce the Districts net surplus.
This conclusion follows whether the
decisions of Congress upon the re-
ports OF Accountants Mayes and
Spaldipg are or are not viewed as
final. conclusive, not to be reopened.
IT they are final and conclusive Con-
gress in legislation upon these re-
ports of past indebtedness of the Dis
trict fixed semi -judicially and with
out appeal the amount of reimburse
ment to be justly made, and deter.
mined finally whether all or half or
none of the alleged indebtedness
should be equitably paid, and whether
or not interest should be charged and
paid. The interest provision OF the
to these relmbursements in respect to
which Congress in final semi judicial
settlement has determined specifically
or impliedly that no interest charge
should be justly made.
If these decisions are reopened, and
disregarding the accountings OF Ac-
countants Mayes and Spalding except
as one-sided statements of United
States credits, the equities are to be
reStated from 1874 to the present
charges by the United States will be
the same.
Interest cannot equitably be col
lected upon any alleged indebtedness
OF which the principal itself cannot
equitably be collected as moral in
demonstrate that the alleged in
debtedness OF the District to the
United States upon which interest
claims might plausibly be attached
, Resses of the District. but that the
United States is on the whole morally
indebted to the District instead of
the District being indebted 10 the
United States. Interest follows prin-
cipai: 1t results that the interest
equitabiy applied and enforced, will
increase the Districts accumulated
surplus and not reduce II.
The conclusion under either altern-
ative Is that the United States holds
to the credit of the District several
million dollars of accumulated un-
appropriated tax surpluses. II Con-
gresS found it equitable to allow the
District interest on its surplus of un-
expended taxes corresponding TO the
interest which the nation exacted
from the District on advances to meet
District deficits in seven years be-
tween 1900 and 1910 the Districts
Treasury surplus, the existence of
which has been demonstrated. as
everyone now apparently comedies.
NSulo W
Speedy Action Urged.
The Citizens Committee earnestly
urges the Joint Congressional Conn
mittee to recommend quickly and this
Congress TO enact promptly formal
recognition of the existence as n
Treasury credit available for appro-
priatiOn of the Districts accumulated
surplus of revenue, stated by the
Treasury Department, as reported by
AA "a
grcssiOnal Joint Committee, as
amounting to $4.876.4J5.65. We urge
that action by ConErcss approving
this specific finding of the Official nc
countants he taken, whether or not
Congress accepts rs final for the
period 1874 TO 1911 At least as Tar as the
United States Is concerned, the ac-
countings Of Mayes and SpaldinE, as
approved or rejected by past Con-
crosses. Though final closing of the
accounts stating the past fiscal re-
lntions of the United States and the
District OF Columbia, and the vvipIng z
out on both sides of claims to equIf =
able credits would. we have COM
tended. mean n loss to the Dis
trict. ii may be that this sacrifice
would wisely be made to secure a
settlement OF peace as to fiscal reIa-
tIons OF the past which In conjunc-
tion with the fixing for the future of
the definite permanent ratio of capital
contribution of 1910 Will go far
toward removing a hurtful, Irritating
ton of nation and capital. This re-
suit was. 1t IL believed, the wise in-
tent OF our new Ascai organic act of
1922.
But IL Congress fs disposed to keep
alive these issues and to postpone to
another Congress final balancing OF
these alleged equitable credits, action
un0n the specidc finding of an exist