Evening star., 1923-02-18
WHAT GREAT NATIONS
Do FOR THEIR CAPITALS

[From argument OF Theodore W. Noyes be-
fore joint congressional fiscal committee in
1851
We have now considered the lessons
to America of the worlds capitals
under the six queries of our table.
The example of Argentina and Brazil
is Of peculiar interest to the United
States because these nations have
each a national capital in a federal
district, adopting in their constitu
tions the provision Of our own on this
subject. We may with advantage
consider very briefly, what these ma
tions specifically suggest to US in
respect to wise capital building.
If the examples Of Argentina and
Brazil were followed G) the United
States would have been, and for the
future will be, far more wisely liberal
in capital creation and upbuilding on
purely national lines. With US these
expenditures are provided In other
bills than the District bill and are
made solely from the national reve-
nues, to which Washingtonians con-
tribute on precisely the same basis
as all other Americans. The United
States Is and always has been under
obligation to make this kind of capi-
tai expenditure for purely national
purposes, irrespective Of its agree
ment as to municipal maintenance
under the half-and-half plan. The
existence of this plan affecting mu-
nicipal maintenance has had no logi-
cal or reasonable tendency to re-
strain the United States from appropri-
ate national expenditures on the capi-
tai in emulation Of the example set
by Argentina and Brazil, and has not,
| in fact, restrained it.
The nation. while it has of recent
years done much on exclusively ma
tional lines in capital building, has
not it is conceded. attained the high
standards in this respect set by Ar
gentina and Brazil; but the half-and-
| half plan OF municipal maintenance
obviously has not held it back, and
| just as obviously 1t is not necessary
to destroy the half-and-half plan in
order that in respect of purely ma
| tional outlays on the capital the Unit
ed States may compare more favor
ably with Argentina and Brazil.
Example of Argentina and Brazil.
! 2. In respect to municipal mainte-
nance of the capital the example of
Argentina and Brazil suggests (a)
that the nation, instead of crippling
the capital industrially, commercially,
and in every means of local self
support, should foster in it every
possible taxable resource. so legis-
lating for it as to make it prosper
Gus and able to meet substantial mu-
nicipal taxation: (b) and that in ad-
dition the nation should make def
mite and substantial contribution to
municipal maintenance. either through
continuation of the half-and-half
may have become necessary or equi-
table, or through the substitution of
some other plan which shall provide
for an equally definite and substan-
tial, proportionate contribution. Ar
gentina does not pay specified per-
centage of the maintenance expenses
Of Buenos Aires, but it meets from
the national treasury Gas we have
SEEM certain large items of munich
pal expense. like the police depart
ment, fire department, docks and har-
bors. water supply and sewer system.
the more important works of public
sanitation, and the greater part of the
expense Of public education. There
| is nothing whatever in the examples
Of Rio and Buenos Aires to suggest
the equity or wisdom of destroying
| the half -and-half plan. Its continu-
ance is essential in order that under
the head of municipal maintenance
alone we may compare favorably with
Arrentina and Brazil.
g.. If we follow the examples of
Argentina and Brazil we shall not
| "nationalize" all American rights and
privileges out of the capital commu-
nifty, consigning executive control of
il to a bureau of a federal depart
ment and denying 1t even distinc-
| tive District day for consideration
| of it's legislative concerns by a leg
islature in which 1t Is unrepresented.
On the contrary, IL the example OF
| these nations II followed, Washing-
tonlans will have, like other Amerf-
cans. Representa- tion in Congress and
the electoral college. and. without
disturbing national control of the
capitaI by Congress, q larger particle
patton, direct or indirect, In settle