Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-11
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

On the eve of the assembling of Con
gress in 1877 expectation was felt in
IT,. n;.4:,. Washington h a t
Inc UlStrlcts definite actor
Urgent Need. would s be be taken sI,t to-
ment Of permanent form of govern
ment for the District based upon equi-
table financial principles. This was
expressed in the following editorial
printed in The Star of September Z,
1877:
Congress meets shortly and as
prompt effort early in the session is
necessary in order to get any meas
ure before that body in season to give
1t any chance for consideration. it is
important that our citizens should
take immediate steps to secure certain
legislation imperatively needed for
this District. Foremost In this legis.
latfon should be a measure by which
Congress will fix definitely the propor.
ton to be paid by Government toward
the expenses of the National CAPITAL.
Congress at different times, through
special committees embracing some of
the best lawyers in that body, has
fully recognized the obligations of the
general Government to sustain a pro-
portionate share OF the expenses of
the District. The proportion to he
paid by Government has been esti-
mated by different congressional re-
ports at various amounts, all, how
ever, in the neighborhood OF so per
cent. One report recommends that
the general Government shall assume
the whole expense of the District gov
eminent and assess a moderate tax
upon the people of the District proper
tomato to their property interests.
There is but one opinion among
Congressman who have given any
thought to the relations of Congress
to the District of Columbia, over which
it has exclusive Jurisdiction. as to the
duty devolving upon the general Gov
eminent to assume a definite. share of
the expenses of the Capital City, and
nothing is, needed but a strong, united
effort upon the part of our citizens to
procure the passage of a measure es-
tablishing permanently the proportion
to be paid by the Government. This
done. the estimates for taxation in
this District could be based each year
upon some positive data. and would
not need to be calculated on the con-
tingency of chance congressional APP
preparations for this and that item of
District expenditure.
1.-THE relief to the taxpayers and the
crippled business interests of Wash
ington in such measure would be in.
Simultaneous. While it is admittedly
out of the question that the people of
the District should, either as a matter
Of law or right, pay the enormous
debtor even the interest--Of $25. OO0,-
600 incurred by the agents of Con-
gress In ~-ifroving the National Capt.
tai. the fact that such a debt noni.
nally handled by the District and that
the interest must be provided for by
our District government has the effect
of wet blanket upon the growth and
prosperity of the city.
Members of Congress sometimes
say that they would gladly legislate in
behalf of the District IL our people
would, only agree upon what they
want, but that we have so much wran-
Cling and dissension, and so many OPP.
posing representations go up TO them
in regard to any District measure pro-
posed, that they never are certain
what In the real wish OF the people.
and. therefore, they do nothing. Let
us show a front so united upon this
matter of fixing the apportionment |
that they shall have no reason to
doubt as to what the people want in |
the premises"