Evening star., 1932-03-22

and the proposals to increase it,
TINE last Congress appropriated
SIZE, 900 900 to be spent in the
States in continuing the develop
Il ment of the Federal highway
system throughout the country
and an additional S12,500, 900 for forest
roads and trails. This network Of high
ways from coast to coast brings the
people closer together and promotes the
growth and welfare of the whole coun-
try. The people Of the States match
the Federal dollars for highway develop
ment with dollars of their own, and one
Of the outstanding sources OF these
The gasoline tax is extensively used in
Federal dollars appropriated for Fed
eral bodybuilding aid
One of the ironies involved in the
pending proposal to double the gasoline
tax in Washington is that the resulting
increase from this form Of revenue
would relieve the Feedral Government
of all financial responsibility in the de-
velopment and upkeep of the streets in
the National Capital-streets that 1t
originally laid out on a scale far ex-
ceeding the dreams of any municipality
that would have to build them; streets
that it owns in fee simple; streets that
it uses not only in the transaction of
the business Of the Federal Government
and for the convenience of its Federal
employees. but for the establishment Of
a Federal City. built and developed as
the great Capital of a great Nation.
Would Withdraw Local Support.
The Federal Government, in other
words. that contributes vast amounts
annually for Federal road building in
the States, and thus stimulates the
raising Of revenue in the States to
match the funds available, would, If
pending proposals were enacted into
law, withdraw entirely from the support
Of the street system that 1t has designed
for its own purposes here in the Federal
Capital.
The burden for the support of these
streets would be thrown upon automo-
bile owners and abutting property own
ers, and these taxpayers who are resi-
dents of the District, at the same time,
would be contributing through their
local general property taxes to other
phases of Capital City development and,
through their Federal taxes (greater in
amount than the national taxes of 27
States), to the funds for road building
that are allocated among the States.
The gasoline tax in Washington can
not be considered on its merits alone as
a revenue-raising measure, but 1t must
be considered in its relation to the in
volved question Of what constitutes
equity in the division of costs for the
Federal City between the local COM
munity and between the exclusively
controlling Federal Government.
Background of Street Building.
To obtain a picture in proper per-
spective of what Federal obligations are
concerned in development of the Cap
itals street system, 1t Is necessary to
consider in some detail the history Of
support Of the street system from the
time of the founding of the Capital.
In reviewing the equities between
Uncle Sam and District taxpayers, the
first fact which stands out Is the action
Of the original proprietors in deciding
to the United States without compen-
sation the street spaces in the original
city The Government laid of In streets
the original city-3,606 acres out Of a
total of Gill acres. There was also set
aside at the outset certain number Of
squares for the buildings and other
public uses of the United States. The
lots that then remained were divided
half being returned to the original own
ers and half being left to be sold by the
Government. Under this latter division
the Government obtained 1916 build
ing lots.
It was the understanding that the
streets and avenues that had been given
to the Nation would be opened and i'm
proved by the Nation through part Of
the proceeds Of the sale of the 1876
lots, which also had been donated by
the original proprietors. The under
standing was that the proceeds from
the sale Of the lots would be applied,
ings, and then to improvement of the
streets, water supply. ETC., thus saving
expense to buyers of lots. The writings
Of Washington and Jefferson contain
references to the use Of these proceeds
Jefferson especially in q message to
Congress in 1902 urged against hasty
sale Of the lots beyond the demand of
the market, and recognized "a residuary
interest of the city" In the lots. The
Government advertised its lots abroad,
and in this connection the same belief
prevailed.
Despite these expectations, however,
the burden of inaugurating the street
system in those early days fell with
oppressive weight upon the local COM
munity. The 1885 report Of the Senate
District Committee, filed by Senator
Southard, discussing the financial diff
culties which then confronted the city,
shows to what extent the street burden
rested upon the city up to that time.
That committee described the expen-
diture on the streets as one of the
principal causes of the embarrassment
Of the city. "and the committee believe
that it is one which ought not to have
been thrown on the inhabitants to the
extent which it has been"
The City's Grand Street Plan.
In calling attention to the unusual
character of the street plan, which had
been laid out to conform to the re-
quirements Of a Nations Capital, the
Southard report also said:
THE plan Of the city was formed by
the public authorities; the dimensions
Of the streets determined by them with
out interference by the inhabitants or re-