Evening star., 1932-01-05
Experiments in "Self-Government.

points frequently QlSCuSSeu III 4eldI4ON
to the sometimes kindred issues of the
Federal obligation to Washington the
Capital and the rights of Washington
isns to participate as Americans in the
government that taxes them. Both OF
these points are briefly attended to in
the Mapes report history of fiscal rela-
tions.
The Mapes Committee, by inference,
takes the view that Washington's finan-
cial difficulties of the past, not to men
tion the humiliations of the Feather
duster Legislature era, were demonstra-
tions of the inability of Washingtonians
to govern themselves.
The suggestion is not new. 1t has
been made in connection with the ef-
forts of Washingtonians, assisted by
friends and sympathizers in Congress,
in behalf of constitutional amend
ment conferring upon Congress the
right to permit representation Of the
District in the House and Senate and
the electoral college.
While the conditions described and
referred to by the Mapes report have
no relevancy or bearing upon the con-
stitutional amendment issue, and still
less upon the current fiscal relations is
sue, it is worth while to recall the les
sons that really were taught by the ter
ritorial experiment of 1871-74, and by
the several instances of threatened
bankruptcy, when the District, faced
with financial ruin, was rescued" by
Congress.
Bankruptcy has more than once faced
the District. But in each case it has
been due to an effort on the part Of
local citizens to make up for the fail
ures Of Congress to meet the Nations
own obligations in respect to the
Capital. That these efforts were taken
by citizens misled into expenditures
which properly did not belong to
them, and that the views by which
they were governed were of a lib
eral and public-spirited character, was
emphasized in the report of Senator
Southland in 1885. And the financial
rNlination threatened by the So-called
territorial government of l87I-74 was in
no wise demonstration of the inability
OF the people TO govern themselves. but
showed conclusively the incompetency
OF the particular form of government
which was set up for them
Municipal Self-government had been
replaced by the so-called territorial
government. the real power Of which
was vested in the Board of Public
Works. The Board of Public Works was
appointed by the President, as were the
Governor and the members of the upper
branch Of the territorial Legislature.
The lower house was composed of elect
ed members, whose power was slight
and practically negligible, and there
was an elected, non-yoting delegate
sent to the House. This arrange
ment was mot and never can be con-
strued as an experiment in self-govern-
ment. And though its failure has usual
ly been viewed as complete and unouali-
fed, it apparently required just such
a total failure to convince Congress of
the responsibilities equitably to be borne
toward the District, and which were
written into the organic act of 1878.
Certainly the pseudo representation
existing under the Feather-duster Legis-
lature regime is not to be confused with
the rights TO be secured, in accordance
with fundamental American principles,
through the national representation
amendment TO the Constitution.
When Congress removed the last YES
tise OF representation from the Dis
trict and instituted the present form of
commission government in 1878, it wrote
into organic law the principle of fixed
ratio as an expression OF the obligation
that naturally follows exclusive power.
The Mspes Committee and others
have attempted TO show that the amount
Of governmental financial responsibility
was alone determined by an appraisal Of
the value Of Federal property in the
District.
OF course, there is a substantial and
continuous obligation Of the Federal
Government based on the vast tax
exempt areas that it occupies in Wash
ington. But the strongest obligations
are equitable in their nature, based
upon the circumstances of the Capital
creation and the plan for its develop
ment as the seat OF Government. This
is the Nations City, exclusively con-
trolled by the Nation through its Legis-
Iature. And as financial obligation
follows political power, II the Nation
controls, 1t pays. Plans have been ad-
vanced wherein the Nation would dc
all the controlling and none Of the
paying. WaShingtons only effective
safeguard against such proposals lies in
the fixed ratio principle Of organic law
The theory OF the organic law is Il
prevent the inequitable condition that
exists under the temporary lump sum
wherein tns enay nassm1m limit o.