Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-19

House and Senate, which annually en-
dangered the District appropriations
and undesefFedly prejudiced House
sentiment against the Capital COM
munity.
Unjust and HurtfuI Discrimination.
The District has been compelled to
carry out faithfully all the provisions
of the five-year program that mean
loss and injury to it.; but in appropriate
| ing for the fiscal year 1925 Congress
nullified for that year the 60-40 pro-
vision of the law of 1922 (the only
pledge in the compromise distinctly
! beneficial to the District) by attaching
| to that bill the vicious and demoraliz-
ing lump-sum payment rider.
The all-powerful National partner
has In each of the fiscal years since
that of 1925 repeated this unjustly and
diScreditably discriminating exaction
! from the impotent local partner.
When Congress ceases to enact this
annual exception to the law of 1922,
the 60-40 rates directed by that law
will automatically operate and the
promised era of peace, good will and
good faith will be enjoyed.
% The vicious influence In the di-
rection of reputation and bad faith of
the lnmp-sum payment practice is fur
ther suggested In the eXaction in full
from the local partner, the District tax
payer. Of the final payment on the park
way connection between Potomac and
Rock Creek Parks. At first the Nation
paid in full for the National parks to
which it secured title. Then for parks
at the Capital it exacted from the Dis
tr1ct taxpayers so per cent of the cost
and later 60 per cent. But in this park
way case the final payment was made
solely from District tax money.
No Offsetting Benefits for Injuries.
4. There are no Offsetting benefits to
the injuries inflicted by the lump sum
payment practice. All the predictions
OF evil concerning ii have been 100 per
cent fulfilled. Not one of the benefits
promised for 1t has been enjoyed.
washington was tempted to assent to
surrender It's safeguard of national pro-
portlonate contribution by the assllr-
ance that If fixed lunp-sum payment
were made by the Nation, the taxpay-
erS would have practical control of the
question of the amount of tax money to
be raised by themselves, of the forms of
taxation to be adopted and of the OBJ
JectS for which their tax money should
be spent; that since none Of their tax
money came from the Nation or Ma
tional Treasury they could, with few
LuLnCdCIonS, raise ana SpenQ their own
money to suit themselves, dominated
by neither Budget Bureau nor Congress.
Our experience has demonstrated that
the lump-sum payment practice has
given no greater freedom in any re-
spect whatever from the rigid super
vision and arbitrary control of Budget
Bureau and Congress; that 1t has not
increased a particle the Districts
power to participate in its fiscal tax
ing and appropriating legislation
Congress still has and jealousy exer-
cises exclusive power to determine
how much it shall be taxed, in what
forms it shall be taxed and for what
purposes its tax money shall be ex-
pended.
with gross unfairness 1t gives back
to the Nation its pledge of proper
tionate contribution which accom-
panied National seizure of the Capt.
tails power Of self-taxation without