Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-10
FISCAL BASIS
FAVORED BY COYLE
Pennsylvania Says Con-
gress Should Concede Dis.
trict Control of Own Affairs.

Congress should either 60 back to the
60-40 basis of appropriating for ex-
penses of the District of Columbia OF
it should "concede to the people of the
District real control over their own in
come and expenditures for local gov
ernmental purposes" Representative
William r. Coyle of Pennsylvania de-
clared in q speech in the House this
afternoon.
The change that has come about in
the fiscal relationship between Congress
and the people Of the District makes
advisable a change in the Legislative
relationship between the two, and it
should be effected as soon as it can be
carefully considered" he said.
Mr.. Coyle, q native of Washington
who lived here until he was about 81,
has always taken q keen interest IN
local affairs.
AS suggestion to bring about fairer
relationship between residents of WASH
ington and Congress, he proposed in his
speech today that Congress create a
Joint committee Of the House and Sen
ate to consider "the rights Of the people
of the District and the best interests OF
the District In relation to further legis-
lation."
Should Place Responsibility.
After reviewing the fiscal relations Of
in the past, Mr.. Coyle added:
I'm these later years, when Congress
has again taken the early position
where it makes q nat contribution IN
lieu Of q tax levy, amounting to $1,000.
900 annually, it would seem perhaps
only fair for the Congress to consider
diveSting itself of part of its respon-
sibility regarding tax levies and appro-
priations"
Congress today, in the opinion of Mr.,
Coyle, "can have no financial interest
in the decrease or increase" in expendi-
lures by the District.
"If the pay Of the dremen or police
men Is to be raised under the present
existing plan," he continued "the people
Of the District will pay the entire cost Of
the raise, or save the entire reduction.
1t seems, as consequence, rather q far
cry for the Congress TO pass on each de-
latory."
one way that Congress might solve
the present problem with relation to the
District, according to Mr.. Coyle, would
be to increase the members Of the board
Of District Commissioners to I'VE and
give two Of them seats in the House.
Proposes Plan for Study.
II Congress should name q Joint COM
mittee TO consider a reorganization of
the District government and its rela-
tons with the Federal Government, Mr..
Coyle said he would propose plan for
its consideration.
IT would like to suggest to this COM
said Mr.. Coyle, that the Board
Of Commissioners of the District be in
creased to five: that two be appointed
by the President and one designated
from among the Army Engineer ofIicers
by the President, as at present, and that
the two additional members be nomi-
mated from list of not more than five to
be supplied to the President by the peo-
pie Of the District of Columbia, and that
these two, when so nominated and con-
drmed, might perhaps sit in this branch
Of Congress with an appointment SINH
lar to a resident Commissioners, to be
the voice Of the people of the District on
the floor Of Congress. Perhaps they
should also sit as members Of the Board
Of District Commissioners.
Perhaps to this board should be
delegated, subject always to congression-
al approval, many Of the powers to
legiSlate which are now vested in Con-
gresS. Perhaps the annual budget and
tax levy Of the District Of Columbia
should be drawn up by this board of
hve commissioners and submitted by
them to the Congress, to lie on the
Speakers table for so days after the
converting of the Congress, and II not
amended or disapproved by direct ac-
ton, then TO be transmitted to the
Senate as having been passed by the
House.
Convinced Of Good Will.
II am more and more convinced, rs
time goes on" he said, "of the good will
OF the people of the country toward the
District Of Columbia and It's people. I
am more and more convinced Of the ex-
iStence Of q very good will on the part
Of the members of Congress toward
the people Of the District, but one fact
comes home to me in addition to these
two, that is insistent and which will be
recognized by every other member, and
that Is that very large part Of the
cumStanceS, today given to more or less
routine matters. For the Congress. in
addition to its other duties, to continue
to act on the routine matters that would
fall under the head of town council
for the District Of Columbia seems TO
me to be relic OF the dark ages. The
very history Of the relationship between
the Congress and the District gives EVIL
dence Of the fact that legislation has
often been passed, and almost as often
without IL being possible to
take into consideration the rights Of the
District, or indeed the economic sound
ness Of the legislation.
"I am firmly convinced that a COM
mittee designated in the manner have
suggested, for the purpose I have sug-
geSted, should carefully pass on the
necessities of legislation and on the
kind of legislation which should be
enacted, in order to avoid in the future
the dangers and difficulties which have
encountered the road In the years gone
BY"
In conclusion, he held chat fair
justice TO these people Of the District
would require that tl-ose 'inalienable'
rights, now long since alienated, should
be returned into the custody Of the peo-
pie themselves, and the Congress re-
store to them o real measure Of local
autonomy and cease, once and for all,
to countenance and perpetuate a Sys.
TEN that often verges on that tyranny,
said Of old by the fathers TO be the re-.