Evening star., 1932-01-03
History of Fiscal Relations.

Elsewhere in today's Star appears the
the history Of the fiscal relationship be-
tween the Federal Government and the
Washington community since the found
ing Of the Capital. A proper under
standing of this background is essential
to an intelligent conception of the real
nature Of the unique partnership be-
tween the local community and the eX-
clusively controlling National Govern
ment in the joint undertaking Of main
tanning and developing the American.
Capital.
Brief references occur in today's
article, and in those that are to follow,
to the presentation Of the history of
fiscal relations in the Mapes Committee
report In several instances the Mapes
Committees brief outline Of preceding
events chooses to ignore facts Of much
greater significance than those selected
for emphasis. This is particularly true
with reference to the Mapes reports
illusions to the report of Senator
Southard, as chairman of the Commit
tee on the District of Columbia, made
in 1885. Attention of readers Of today's
article is invited to the comparison be-
tween the brief excerpts from the
Southland report as they appear in the
Mapes report and the meaning of those
excerpts when read in connection with
the context.
It is a fact, supported by plenty Of
evidence, that much of the endless and
tiresome dispute over the obligation of
the Nation to Capital development
arises from a misconception of the plan
of the founders when they set about
establishing and building Capital in
the heart of the wilderness. The pres
ent controversy is merely one OF long
line of disagreements that have COM
mon source in such misconceptions. And
it is peculiarly unfortunate that mis-
conception of the fiscal relations issue
can result as much from prejudice as
from a lack of knowledge OF the facts
In the investigation of the subject
committed to them, and Of the relief
proposed, the committee has been un-
able to separats the interests OF the
District from the interests OF the
United States They regard it as the
child of the Union-as the creation OF
the Union for its own purposes" the
Southland report declared.
No better basis for approaching the
problem Of fiscal relations with view
to equitable adjustment has ever been,
or can ever be- laid down than that.
If such basis can be agreed upon, and
protagonists should always be able to
regard it as common ground, good deal
of futile conjecture over why the United
States should do this or that in regard
to Washington could be eliminated at
the outset.
If the Federal Government were not
here, there would be no Washington.
It is the one city in America whose
only reason for being is the Federal
Government. 1t is the only city that
was carved from virgin territory bg
the Federal Government, which took
it for its exclusive use. 1t is the one
city over which the Federal Govern
ment exercises exclusive jurisdiction,
whose residents are denied the power
and privilege to govern and to tax
themselves.
And a study of the points developed
in todays article, and those to follow,
will show that it has been the failure
to recognize these facts, or, recognizing
them, failure willingly to assume the
great responsibility thereby imposed
upon the Federal Government, that lies
behind past as well as present con-
troversies over support of the Capital.
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