Evening star., 1926-03-28
State Benefits Denied the District.

state Dement'S Uen1eo the UlStTIct.
The main consideration for the pay
nent of State taxes is the enjoyment
Of the political power and prestige in
volved in participation In the National
Government on equal terms with other
Americans. To be transformed through
statehood from the status of political
aliens 10 that OF full-hedged Ameri-
cans, with all the powers, rights and
privileges appertaining TO that status,
ronfers a benefit upon the individual
OF a value not to be calculated in dol
lars and cents; and deprivation of this
benefit involves u loss which is also
Jncalculable.
Every one, therefore, will recognize
the justice of Washington's protest
against being taxed TO correspond to
what other cities pay to maintain a
State government, since the District,
under the Constitution and the laws
enacted by Congress, is not permitted
the right, privilege and benefit of en-
Joying and maintaining State gov
ernment. But very few persons in the
whole United States appreciate the
scope of the material benefits I'm bOun.
lies and subsidies which attack to
statehood. Of which Washingtonians
are wholly deprived.
Subventions or subsidies paid by the
Nation to the States are analyzed and
discussed In Editorial Research Re
ports. December IS, 1924. and the
mounts thus paid by the Nation TO
tho States in 1924 are compared with
he amounts paid by the States 10 the
Nation in Federal taxes in the same
wear. 81
II appears that the Nation paid TO
the States in subsidies In 1924 nearly
y145 100000; mono Of which was paid
10 the District.
The official figures show that the
District contributed in internal reve-
nue. taxes in 1924 over $27 .0OO, 900, but
$4,000, 900 of this amount were back
taxes on alien property, and as an ex
,raordinary revenue may be deducted
10 approximate the Districts normal,
current payment Of s1S,000,oOo plus.
In paying $4,000, 900 plus of ma
'ional taxes in 1924 the District ex
ceeded the national tax payments of
23 States and Territories-i.e.. Ala
hama. Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado.
Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Maine,
Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska. Ne
vada, New Hampshire, New Mexico,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon.
south Carolina, South Dakota, Utah,
Vermont and Wyoming. % States. and
i Alaska and Hawaii, Territories. The
District contributed in national taxes
more than 9 States combined whose
E contributions aggregated $17.SS1, ,49s.
These States are Arizona, Idaho, Mon.
tana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Da-
kota, South Dakota, Vermont and
Wyoming.
The District received from the Ma
tion in appropriations for the mainte-
rs4nce and development of the Ma
tional Capital SO .000,o 900 plus, or about
one.third of what the District paid in
national taxes, according to the official
ilgnres, and about one-half of what it
had paid in normal, current taxation.
Comparing what the District cur
rently paid into and took out of the
National Treasury with eight States
lpproximating 1t in siZe-i.e.. Arizona,
Idaho. Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,
North Dakota, South Dakota and Wy
oming-we ind that the District paid
nto the Treasury more than the eight
states combined, and that the percen-
tage of return of nearly so per cent Of
its contribution is exceeded by the per
centage of return to Nevada, 1851
per cent; New Mexico, 1891 per cent;
North Dakota, S9.05 per cent. and
south Dakota, e0.24 per cent; ap-
proximately equals Montana, 4S.S per
cent, and slightly exceeds Idaho, 45.0S
per celt; Wyoming, AHA per cent,
and Arizona, 10 per cent. The average
percentage Of return of Federal taxes
to these G1BUI SLdtSo 40 V''c7' eAD
AGAINST trifle less than so to the Dis
trict.
In considering the character and
amount of the Nations expenditure OF
nine millions annually for Capital
maintenance and development, it ap-
pears that the Nation pays in sub
sides to some of the small States
more in proportion to their contribu'
ton to national taxes than to the Dis
trict of Columbia; and that Washi 49,
ton contributes TO the fund of National
taxes, from which State subsidies and
the National Capital maintenance
money are derived. more i'm 1924 teven
after the subtraction of an abnormal
payment of S9,OOO.OOO of back taxes)
than 90 Of the States and more than
9 States combined.
This tho :ght is developed in edi.
torial corr .apondence printed else.
where in todays Star.