Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-03
Washington's Appeal.


ness men Of Washington in greeting
Gov. Dan Moody and his goodwill
delegation of 125 leading business men
from Texas, Robert n. Harper, long
q civic worker here. took occasion to
tell the world some of the things that
the rest of the country should do for
the Capital City.
In a felicitous address to the visi-
tors. who are on tour to SELL Texas
to the North and East, Mr.. Harper
undertook to sell them a larger inter.
est In their Capital City.
He urged particularly three out.
standing propositions: First. that resi-.
dents Of the District Of Columbia, who
have proved their citizenship by tax
bearing and transferring and by gen.
erous response to any appeal Of the
+. Nation, should be allowed a voting
representation, the same as the
: States, in the making Of the laws
under which they are governed. He
emphasized that there is no desire to
. change the existing relations under
a which Congress has exclusive control
over the seat Of Government.
Second, Mr.. Harper argued that the
people of the States should help the
q people Of the District Of Columbia in
persuading Congress that the Federal
Government must bear fair share
of the costs Of maintaining and de.
velopIng the Capital City. expressing
4. ut the same time their feelings that
nothing IL too good for Washington.
In support Of this argument Mr..
Harper presented figures showing how
the costs Of the Capital are constantly
increasing, how valuable property is
steadily being removed from taxation
{. by the Federal Government, and how
Congress has abrogated the perma.
nent substantive law in practice by
substituting for the definite proportion
: system Of contribution q fixed lump
sum which Is now only about one.
Afth Of the total District budget.
Third, he made a strong plea to
che States to erect here buildings in
! which would be exhibited in a perma.
,nent national exposition the resources
and products Of each State, arguing
that this should prove good business
Tor each State. Mr.. Harper a. a lead.
A.. Ing business man and banker has been
fathering the States exposition idea
for more than twenty years.
II is by clearing away misconcep.
tons and misunderstanding and by
making a straightforward man.to-
man appeal for justice and fair play
and by presenting definite business
propositions to business leaders that
those who are planning the future Of
the Capital City hope eventually to
accomplish the major propositions for
; Washington on which they have been
:, 90 long insisting.
Such meetings Of Washington lead.
srs with the leading men Of the States.
In which they exchange ideas Of what
should be done and get each others
viewpoint. cannot but be largely help
ful for the future Of the Capital City.
The better all Of the people Of the
country know Washington the better
viii legislation for the Capital be. and
1t IL the business and civic leaders
from the several States who must
help US to educate the people Of those
States regarding their Capital City.
Mr.. Harper is to be congratulated
on his presentation Of Washington
appeal, and the people Of Washington
are to be congratulated on having
such an able spokesman.