Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-03
HARPER STRESSES D. C. VOTE,
TAXES AND STATE BUILDINGS
Gives Messags to People ofNation, Through
Texans, Explaining Citys
Three Big Needs.

pay part of the taxes on our property.
Such, of course, is not a fact. The
total expenses to run the District of
Columbia for 1927 were approximately
$38. 100000, of which the Federal Gov.
eminent paid a fiat sum of SO ,000, 900,
private citizens paying the remainder.
The Federal Government is now TAX
ing over property assessed at $17,-
209.602. owned by private parties, and
will convert it to non-taXable prop
erty.
Many of you, probably all of you,
have at some time seen at the great
expositions States buildings, where
the State exhibits it's natural and
man-made resources. Such buildings
have been of a temporary nature,
costly and short lived, and probably
not lnfrequently money wasted.
Buildings for States.
What have in mind is a perma.
nent State building for each State. I
have given much study to this sub.
ject for nearly 20 years, and the more
attention given the more value see
In it for each State.
''The plan is for each State to erect
in this city, the Nations Capital,
permanent building, TO be erected in
Washington for the reasons already
stated. This is your city, the Nations
Capital, the only neutral ground and
place where everyone, from this
country and abroad, at some time
visits. This of itself, without any
other reasoning, should make the
proposition most attractive
LAS these bIliI6in0S hanciy,or he
natural resources, the special manu-
features, the agricultural and scien-
tific developments by men of genius,
and where the historical contributions
to the world by men of the State may
be recorded upon tablets Of bronze to
be observed for all time to come;
where the climatic advantages, rain
fall, soil productivity through cultiva-
ton may be shown in truth, where
two blades of grass are made to grow
where maybe one never sprouted
under crude methods or undeveloped
ideas - all these and many more
depicting how each State has pro-
crossed step by step from a bar
rem prairie to wealth through not
only the development of gifts of ma
ture but by progress of civilization
would be Of such everlasting and in
estmable educational, scientific and
wealth.producing value to the present
and future generations of this entire
country, 1t is provided that the Fed
eral Government should donate sufti
cient ground for the purpose, free
from taxes, and each State erect a
building at it's own expense. The
building should be Of material (stone
or marble) of which the State is
proudest, that which the State is
marketing or desires to market.
Headquarters for State.
For convenience and to increase the
popularity and efficiency of each build
ing, there should be a modest but at
tractfve assembly hall where State So
cieties and State conventions could
hold forth, in fact, the States own
headquarters. with ample accommo-
da1ions for the temporary home of the
Governor and his family while visit
ing here. ] only mention these few
things for the purpose of calling at
tention to some of the possibilities of
usefulness to which these buildings
could be put.
! NOW, you might reasonably ask me,
What is your practical plan? AS to
this 1 will reply in a brief way by sug-
costing that you make up your minds
to get your State officials sufficiently
interested to discuss - proposition,
agree to the principle at least, urge
your Governor to send a me: &c to
the Legislature TO pass a proper reso'
luton that you are ready to go
through with and will spend dur
ing the next four years the money
you think is necessary; then get your
United States Senators and Represen-
tatives to present n joint resolution
in the two Houses of Congress recon-
mending an appropriation for the nee
essary ground. When a few States
take action by making a request, then,
| in my judgment, the trouble is over
and . real procession will march on.