Evening star., 1932-01-05

ample. in 1869 the Government eX-
pended more than 100000, while the
next year the amount was only about
$4,000, and the year following that'
$4,000.
(From 1890 to 1878, according to
Treasury report, the citizens OF wash
ington expended S14,000,000 more than
the United States in Capital improve
ments-street improvements, etc.-or
what should have been national under
takings in addition to $25,000,000 spent
on local government, schools and Tor
other municipal purposes. Under this
burden they worked themselves into
virtual bankruptcy in 1885, and so In
re-creating the city after 1870 the main
expense of the achievement was repre-
sented by the grievous debt OF some
$20,000,000 Some more exact comparl-
sons between local and national expen-
ditures in Washington will be found
later in this arttcle)
The Poland Committee said it was
manifest from a moments examination
of the plan adopted for the National
Capital that a city was laid off here
for the use of the United States on
scale hitherto unknown in this or any
other country, the carrying out of
which would lead inevitably Ito an eX-
penditure entirely beyond the require
ments of a city for business purposes"
1T was a plan" the committee said,
having reference peculiarly to the
wants of the Government and not to
those of its inhabitants; its streets and
avenues. in number, length and width,
are upon scale that was appropriate
for National Capital. but was entirely
inappropriate to the demands of a
sparse population not engaged in manu-
featuring or commerce and when manu-
factures and commerce were not en-
couraged to come"
Industries Not Wanted
1t is still to be remembered in 1882,
as 1t was half century ago, that the
making of a beautiful Capital precludes
the presence of large industries. Wash
ingtonians, who take pride in helping
preserve and improve the appearance
of the Capital, recognize the necessity
for this. All they ask is that Congress-
in determining the fiscal relations prob
lem, consider the fact that the munic-
ipality cannot look to the sources of
revenue which large industries repre-
sent in other cities. They ask Congress
to remember that in Washington the
Federal Government occupies the center
of the stage and that local considera-
tions are always subordinate to national
requirements.
When the House Committee sat down
At years ago to weigh the equities of
the situation, it took cognizance of
the evident intention of the founders
that everything about the city should
conform to its national character.
Viewing the Capital City in this
national aspect" the committee re-
ported, 1--WE may well understand the
motives which governed its founders in
imposing upon all who were to come
after them such duties and responsible
ties toward it as would be peculiar to
the Capital City alone, and which would
fully justify liberal, If not munificent,
policy in expenditures.
"As to the mutual obligations of the
Federal Government and the citizens to
defray these expenses, the committee
find little difficulty. 1t is clear, if this
National Capital was founded for the
use of the United States and was placed
under its exclusive government and con-
troll and upon scale of magnificence
appropriate only for National Capt.
tal it could never have been contem-
plated that the burden Of expenditures
should fall upon those citizens of the
or permanently take up a residence at
the Capital Originally we know there
was no population here to which the
Government could look for contributions
toward these expenditures, and as the
city was not to become one of trade
and commerce and manufacture, the To-
cal population could not be looked to in
the future as being sufficient, either in
numbers or wealth, to carry out the
magnificent intentions of the founders.
Nor, indeed, would it have been just to
impose this burden upon them, for,
upon the theory upon which the Capital
was founded, all these expenditures
would ultimately be for the benefit of
the whole people, and justice would die
tate that the burden should fall upon
the whole people"
Joint Committee Reports.
That the task of building up Capital
City in accordance with the adopted
plan would be too great burden to
impose on those who happened to live
in the Federal district was recognized
by Joint Select Senate and House
Committee that same year. In pro-
Vlding for the temporary commission
form Of government in June, 1874, Con-
greSS had created this Joint Committee
to make further study Of form of
government and apportionment of eX-
penses for the District.
A report filed by this committee in
December 1874, dealt mainly with sug
gestions for the governing of the CITY,
but, in reference to the proper develop
ment Of the Capital, it contained these
observations:
THE demands for expenditures as
indicated in the disposition of its ave-
nueS and streets and numerous squares,
will necessarily be upon a scale beyond
what might reasonably be imposed upon
or drawn from the resources OF a buS1-
ness and resident population. These may
properly be required to make that just
contribution to the current annual ex-
penses, the interest of the public debt
and its ultimate payment, which a peo-
pie so situated as compared with other
communities may be required to pay
for like protection, privileges and I'M
munitieS. The streets, avenues, squares
and general plan of the Capital City
bear the impress of paramount and eX-
elusive nationality; spacious and grand
in design, dedicated to the sacred uses
of a National Capital, onerous and even
intolerable as a charge upon private
property, the provision Tor supervision
of all suitable improvements and deco
rationS obviously, properly and mpera-
lively devolveS upon Congress, ana II
will, as it respects the character of its
Jurisdiction and the dignity of its trust,
exercise a jealous care over it."
That report took the view that the
proportion of expenditures which should
be borne by the United States and the
residents of the District lis propo-
sition not deemed susceptible OF exact
determination: nor does 1t, in the views
taken by your committee, become i'm
portant."
These, not to repeat, necessarily i'm
pose on Congress the duty OF making
provision for needful expenditures, as
we'll as for their supervision, as Tor
WANTED
Complete information on property you
wish to sell, with plat.