Evening star., 1926-04-03

Contributions by United 5 ates for
Capital maintenance correspond to
suhventiOUs by States % cities and by
United States To States combined Dia-
trict Of Columbia paid into National
Treasury as Federal taxes more than
II took out Of Treasury as Federal
lUmp-sum contribution. This con1rihu-
ton is from national taxes, to which
the District Of Columbia is itself a
large contributor1
In considering the character and
amount of the Nations expenditure
of nine or ten millions annually for
Capital maintenance and development
II appears that the Nation paws in
subsidies to some of the small States
more in proportion to their contrihu-
tiOns to national faxes than to the
District of Columbia; that ether cities
receive substantial subyentionS from
the State corresponding to that which
Washington receives from the Ma
tional Government i'm the relation TO il
of State, and that Washington con-
tributed to the fund Of national taxes,
from which the Capital maintenance
money is derived, more i'm 1924 feVen
after the subtraction Of an abnormal
payment of nine millions OF back
taxes than % Of the States and more
than nine States combined.
An Nations Foster Capitals
Not only does the Nation contrib
ute to q number of the States a great
er percentage Of the money paid by
these States in Federal taxes than it
pays from the District s Federal taxes
in upbuildinG the National Capital,
but these expenditures upon the Ma
tiOn'S City are more unmistakably
constitutional. more distinctly appr0.
nriufn YnafiOna1 nd
I'm accordance with the precedents set
by other nations than most Of the
subsidies paid to the amount of hun
dredS of millions To the States. Most
OF these subsidies have been vigorous
~ opposed rs national outlaws not
contemplated by the Constitution and
not justifiable on their merits as ap-
prOpriate national expenditures and
not in accordance with the precedents
set by any other of the highly civil.
lied nations.
The United States however, is not
peculiar among nations in providing
literally as a proper national eXpendi-
'ure for the maintenance and upbuild-
ing of the National Capital. All the
great nations of the world appropriate
largely for their capitals without de-
nying the residents Of the capitals any
rights or privileges. political or iu-
dcial which are enjoyed by other ma
tionalS. lSee table and comment il
argument before joint fiscal commit
tee in 1915. Hearings, Vol !, pages 299
to 3l3.
Nations Peculiar Obligation
There is a special equitable obliga-
ton upon the Nation to maintain and
develop the Capital. This peculiar ma
tional obligation is a double obligation,
nrHiy N rilyr hplNrX t,,i
Washington under each head, % That
arising from the circumstance of the
creation of the Capital. and (2l that
which is coupled with aud measured
by the Nations absolute control of
the Nations city. The Nations OBJ
legation to Washington under the first
head is not duplicated III the case of
any other Of the worlds capitals, eN
cept Canberra, the capital-that-is-to-b be
of Australia, which does not yet exist.
In respect to a few other capitals
tMeXiCo, Paris, Rio, BuenOS Aires
Athens, Romel a national obligation
If the second kind is recognized. meas
ured by the degree of peculiar control
exercised over them in each case by
the nation. This equitable obligation
Is substantial in the case Of Mexico
and of Paris and much slighter in the
case of Rio, Buenos Aires. Athens and
Rome. But even Mexico and Paris
fall far behind Washington in the
height and breadth of this obligation.
The true basis of this Nations OBJ.
legation of prOportiOnate contribution
toward the maintenance and develop
ment of the Capital is not solely or
primarily untaXed ownership of Dis
triCt real estate, though substantial
and continuous obligation does arise
in connection with such ownership
The strongest obligations resting upon
the Nation are equitable i'm their ma
ture and based primarily on the cir
rumStances OF the Capitals creation
and the treatment of the Capital by
the Nation ever since the birth of the
Nations city.
BY this special obligation | mean an
obligation over and above that which
Ia imposed solely by the fact that a
city is capital.
The Nations Intention.
The general Government, by the fact
Of planning n magnificent Capital,
covering a large area and character
ICED by broad streets, avenues and
reservations to an extent unsuitable
for self supporting commercial city,
and by founding the Capital in a
place comparatively uninhabited, as
we'll as by the terms. of the bargain
with the owners of the soil, and by
the declarations of it's representatives
at the founding of the city and after
ward. showed an Intention to build up
a national city. at the Nations ex-
pense, on 8gand scale, irrespective