Evening star., 1934-11-04
Loyalty to People Is Held
Vital to District Officials
Change in Basic Plans
of Management Hit
by CHligan.
Congress Urged to Act
in accordance With
City's Needs.
BY HENRY GnLIGAN,

Member Of Board Of Education and former;
y president OF North Capitol Citizens
Association.
In approaching this brief discussion
Of the government Of the District OF
Columbia, the writer Is always con-
fronted with the thought that this is
a Federal district, the seat of the
National Government, and necessarily
not In the position Of the ordinary
State or municipality. ! can see no
valid, outstanding reason for a change
of government from the commission
to the gubernatorial, mayoral or city
manager form; as matter OF fact,
I am not believer In making changes
merely to accomplish improvements
that can and should be accomplished
from within.
While not "wild-eyed" because I
have been deprived of my suffrage as
an American citizen, am not averse
to an elected representation in Con-
gress from the District, nor would I
object to the privilege of casting my
vote once in four years for the highest
Office In our land. However, I was
fully aware that I was moving into
ILLS cOCE al lCt--LklC IldtlOlldl oCdL
of Government-back in 1916, and I
have been most pleasantly surprised,
speaking generally, with the efficient
and smoothly-running management of
our form of government.
Loyalty In Vital.
What is needed here, in my judg-
ment, is not change, but a single
minded loyalty, without fear or favor
itism, on the part of our Commission
ers and various department heads,
bureaus, boards, etc, to the best in
terests of this Federal district and its
residents.
While it would be most desirable to
have men Of the finest caliber and
long residence as civilian Commis-
sioners. 1t is too much to expect Of
partisan politics that the best fitted
men, regardless of party afhliation,
should always be chosen to govern us.
I think we have been most fortunate
in securing good men to head our
government, but I say without fear
of contradiction that frequently they
have assumed office without adequate
knowledge of the District, or Of its
governmental functions.
The proposal to change our basis
of real estate assessment from actual
sale value to a fictitious and ridicu-
lousy low valuation, such as main
tains generally in the various con-
gresSional districts, thus raising the
rate Of taxation, in order to quell or
minimize the frequent attacks by
Congressman upon our present rate,
does not appeal to reason-not at least
to my reason. The fact stands that
we pay fair-perhaps too much-tax
on our real estate, but the lowering
of assessed values and the raising of
tax rates will not alter the tax itself,
and any member Of Congress who
wants to be convinced of the fairness
Of our taxation can be.
Want Beautiful City.
The United States Government
should not be niggardly in its appro-
priations for the upkeep of its seat of
government. The people Of our coun-
try want their National Capital to
be-and in many respects it is-the
most beautiful city in the world; it is
surely not the duty of resident tax
payers to make or keep it so.
Instead of decreasing its appropria-
tions towards the District budget, in
an era when the assessable basis for
ordinary District needs is constantly
being decreased by new Government
construction, Congress should increase
its share of the appropriations. Our
Board of Trade and Federation of
Citizens Associations with its indi-
vidual community members) are
great organizations today because
they are needed, and personally 7