Evening star., 1934-12-29
Obligation Based on Absolute Control

L L
holdings in the Capital.
Obligation Based on Absolute Control.
2. Obligation based upon absolute
national control Of the city. Obliga-
ton follows power. In this connection
consider obligation springing from
conditions surrounding the founding
of the city.
The true basis Of the Nations OBJ
legation of proportiona:e contributions
to the maintenance and development
of the Capital is not solely or primar-
lily untaxed ownership of District real
estate (now worth $3.50, ,000, ,00O,
though a substantial and continuous
obligation does arise in connection
with such ownership. The strongest
obligation resting upon the Nation Is
equitable In its nature and based pri-
marily on the circumstances Of the
Capitals creation and the treatment
of the Capital by the Nation ever
since the birth of the Nations city,
including the Nations absolute des-
potic control of the National Capital
The general government by the
fact Of planning a magnificent Cap
ital covering a large area and char
acterized by broad streets and avenues
and reservations unsuitable for a COM
mercial city and by founding this
Capital in a place comparatively un-
inhabited, as we'll as by the terms Of
the bargain with the owners of the
soil, by it's advertised promises to pur-
chasers from it of donated Washing
ton lots and by the declarations of
its representatives at the founding
of the city and afterward showed An
intention to build up a national city
at the Nations expense upon a grand
scale irrespective of the future pop
ulation of the District. The Capital
was to be primarily a center of Fed
eral action, and the expense of its
support and adornment was not to
be limited by the scanty resources of
whatever permanent population it
might acquire.
Obviously the primary obligation in
the arrangement between Nation and
District taxpayers should be upon that
party to it which absolutely controls
every cent of the money contributed
for Capital maintenance by both par
ties, local and national, and which
has undivided and despotic power to
fix the amount of local tax contribu-
ton, to decide by what method of tax
alton it shall be collected, to collect
it and to spend it. Clearly in equity
the primary obligation should not be
shifted to the Capital, originally the
incidental contributor, which has no
power of control even of its own tax
money at any stage and whose sole
function in respect to taxation and
its financial status is to petition, to
obey and to pay.
From the beginning the Nations
obligation in respect to Capital main
tenance and upbuilding has been in
equity and on principle primary, DOM
mating and, like its power to govern,
exclusive and supreme.
Political Power and Financial Obli-
CATION Coupled.
Primary and full responsibility both
in respect to the control and to the
maintenance and upbuilding Of the
Capital is In Congress representing the
Nation. Political power and financial
obligation are inseparabIy coupled. If
the Nation controls, 1t pays; and to
the extent that 1t controls. it pays.
Washington is the only capital in the
world In which, IL certain policies pre-
vail, the Nation will do all Of the con-
trolling and none Of the Paying.
That the Government should as
sumo the attitude of mere contrib
utor to the support of its Capital is
not only illogical and absurd in itself,
but is a violation Of the Constitution
which gives Congress exclusive juris-
diction over and thereby makes 1t
exclusively responsible for it,
(Senator Works, California, addi-
tional views in 1856, fiscal report
by Congressional Joint Committee,
Senate Document No. 247, Sixty fourth
Congress, first session.
The organic act took away terri
torial representation in Congress and
territorial self-government and self
taxation from the District, and
pledged the Nation to meet one-half
of the approved expenses of Capital
maintenance and upbuilding on
scale worthy of the Nations city.
The assumption and exercise of alb
solute and exclusive legislative power
were coupled with recognition of
and continuing financial
obligation. The Nation cannot equi-
tably repudiate wholly or in part its
financial obligation and retain or ex-
ercise its despotic and exclusive power
to tax and to govern.
The Nation should not repudiate its
obligation in respect to Capital main
tenance; for the logical sequence of
such action is surrender of all power
and exclusive Jurisdiction in respect
to the District of Columbia and the
destruction of the Nation-controlled
Capital, conceived and created by
the forefathers.
The Nation should not diminish its
contribution to Capital upbuilding; for
the logical sequence Of such action is
surrender by the Nation of control of
the Capital municipality to the local
ma jority stockholders. Power and OBJ
legation are inseparably coupled, and
if the latter is destroyed or diminished
the former is in equity destroyed or
In proportion.
The Nation, as represented by Con-
gress, retaining and exercising su-
preme and complete control Of local
including taxation, should
do full equity in meeting the obliga-
tion which this power imposes.
This Obligation Recognized.
The Nation has recognized the pc
culiar obligation, coupled with and
to supreme power and
control, imposed upon it in respect to
the Capital, even while it was woe
fully failing to meet this obligation.
For example, the executive heads Of