Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25
Federal Aid and the District.


tional policy involves many controver-
sizes over the function of Government
that are as old as the Nation itself
The policy is now receiving the in
creased attention of students of gov
eminent not only because of the ire
mendous amount of money involved
but because of the tendency to apply
1t in new and hitherto untrodden fields
An enlightening discussion of the broad
problem is presented in this section OF
today'S Star and is commended as an
admirable presentation of some of its
important issues. Not the least of these
Is the comparison between total Fed
eral-aid appropriations in 1912 of ap-
proximately $12, 100000 and the appro-
priations under the same heading OF
$3.50, 697, 848 for 1881.
This commumity's interest in the
question is twofold: First, from the
point Of view Of its citizens, who con-
tribute q relatively large amount in
Federal taxes toward this Federal aid,
in which they do not share as bene-
ficiaries and in the dispensation of
which they have no voice or control;
second, because of the light that study
of the policy sheds upon the inconsist-
ent attitude of those who are opposed
to increasing the inadequate support
Of the American Capital by the Fed
eral Government.
The District of Columbia's Federal
tax payments exceed those Of any one
of twenty-five (more than half of the
States. It's total payment of $l5,724,67
is nearly equal to the combined pay
ments of the States of Arizona, Idaho,
Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New
Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Vermont and wyoming, which total
$15,774,342. Its per capita Federal tax
payment exceeds that of Alabama, Ar
kansas, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi,
Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North
Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota
and wyoming combined. And these
States are represented in Congress by
"a Senators and 81 Representatives,
WIlllC tI1C 04oJAACb AuS AAOhSs
The District pays in Federal taxes
enough to furnish every cent Of the
$e,50o,0O0 lump sum appropriated for
the Federal Capital out Of Federal rev.
enue and still pay into the Federal
Treasury more toward the support of
the Federal Government than any one
of the States of Arizona, Arkansas,
Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska,
Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico,
North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina,
South Dakota, Utah, Vermont or Wyo-
ming. Yet the magic" lump sum rep
resents less than IS per cent Of the cost
of maintaining the Capital City, the
balance Of which is paid In District
taxes and other revenue contributions
by citizens of the District. Yet pro-
posals to increase the inadequate lump
sum contribution of the Federal Gov
eminent toward its own Capital City
are resisted on the grounds such in
creases are raids" on the Federal
Treasury and must be fought to pro-
tect the taxpayers of the Nation at
large, taxpayers who received in direct
Federal subsidies $l34, 406,435 in the
fiscal year 1880.
In its investigation of comparative tax
burdens the Bureau Of Efficiency sought
to make some tangible estimate of the
Federal Governments responsibilities
toward support Of its Capital on the
basis of loss Of revenue to the COM
munity resulting from large tax-exempt
Government holdings. The theory was
ridieuled and condemned in the House
as an unheafd-of proposition-and in
terpreted as a scheme to tax the Fed
eral Government.
Yet the article in today's Star points
out that beginning in 1900 the Congress
has compensated the public domain
States of the West for "the curtailment
in their sources of revenue caused by
the large areas Of untaxed Federal lands
within their borders by giving them a
portion Of the receipts from such areas
Is per cent of the national forest reve-
nue., so per cent of the royalties from
potassium deposits and 3712 per cent
Of the receipts from leases to oil lands
and water power sites"
The charge is frequently heard that
Washingtonians are beggars and mendi-
cants because they seek increased Fed
eral appropriations toward the increas-
ing expenses of the Federal City. They
are condemned because they ask any
aid. Yet the table in The Star today
shows that six of the States drew from
the Federal Treasury more than they
contributed, and two of them more than
three times as much as they put in
The ten States whose total contribu-
tons approximately equal those OF the
District Of Columbia, received in Fed
eral subsidies $17,284, 5OO.44. or one anc
a half millions more than they con-
tributed in Federal taxes, while the
District contributes in Federal taxes
$6,224,675.72 more than it receive:
through the lump sum.
Marching on Washington.