Evening star., 1937-01-08
Fiscal Responsibility and Suffrage
section of the Jacobs re-
port on fiscal relations be-
tween the United States

pOrt on IlSCdl Ie.dtlOLS pce
tween the United States
a and the District relating to
fiscal responsibility and representa-
ton in District affairs follows:
interviewer with the problem OF
fiscal relationships is that Of local
control of purely local affairs and
the suffrage of District residents.
In public hearings, in conferences.
and In written briefs and state
ments presented by local public
officials. individuals and represen-
tatives of civic agencies, emphasis
has been placed on the important
bearing that the granting Of suf-
frage would have on District resi-
dents both In matters of equitable
fiscal arrangement and in local ad-
ministrative and fiscal planning
and controls.
In any other American city which
Is subject to ordinary State con-
troll and supervision. the duly
elected city council has the duty
and responsibility of dealing with
PioUiCiiAS dLu POuSlCs VA ouIHllhs-
trative organization and methods
OF operation and fscal planning.
of providing for the necessary gov
ernmental services, and Of deter.
mining the level of expenditures
and the means of distributing and
collecting the necessary taxes.
When expenditures for ordinary
services or capital outlays necessi-
tate higher rates of taxation than
are acceptable to the people, the
least urgent requirements must be
reduced or postponed for future
consideration. The determination
of local governmental policies.
actions and results are definite
duties of the locally elected repre-
sentatives, who are responsible to
the electorate.
Self Government Would Not
Bar Federal Financial Aid.
Were the District of Columbia to
manage its own affairs like any
other American city, with the Fed
eral Government reserving to itself
only the power of vetoing municipal
acts and decisions in order to
safeguard national interests in the
Capital City. the people in the Dis
trict would be free to legislate for
themselves in purely municipal af-
fairs, to determine the kinds and
extent of taxes, and to use local
funds for such purposes as they
might decide upon. Such an ar
rangement would not prevent the
Federal Government from ap-
propriating whatever amounts it
deemed advisable for Improvements
and capital outlays in the Capital
City that. from the national point
OF view, it might wish to see made.
These ideas have been repeated
ly expressed by residents Of the
District as we'll as by representa-
tives of District and Federal Gov
ernments. The following state
ment presents them in an able and
clear-cut way:
Congress should cease making
children of U.S. Congress should
assume we are full-grown men and
women. with just AS much pride In
our home city and the Capital as
the National Congress or the people
at large have We are Americans
and want to be allowed to act like
Americans.
Congress should be glad to get
local advice. not from a few self
appointed citizens. but from all in
habitants, by ballot. in regular
official form, upon all questions Of
local interest. We do not ask to be
independent OF Congress. We pre-
fer to feel that Congress is finally
responsible. And we prefer not
to get what we think we want or
would like to have when Congress
may think otherwise and deny us.
But when large majorities call for
anything it is most sure to be the
best thing Congress is supreme
and must be the final Judge. But
Congress can spare itself and let us
worry with details Of purely local
matters
when, therefore. Congress
comes to deal with this community
as other American communities are
dealt with. we do not promise to do
as Senator Root said in a speech
last Winter we would be willing
to do, namely, pay four times as
much tax but we would smilingly
pay our full share of tax, or neces-
sary share. to maintain our part in
or;to1 1rnkoon -
Congress Has Power
To Confer Local Suffrage.
AS far as local suffrage is con-
cerned, there is apparently no
question that the Constitution gives
Congress broad powers to legislate
for the District and to set up any
form of elected local government
1t sees fit. Clause II of section 8,
article I. of the Constitution ex-
tends to Congress the power
ITO exercise exclusive legislation
in all cases whatsoever over such
District mot exceeding 10 miles
square, as may, by cession of par
ticular States and the acceptance
of Congress become the seat of the
Government of the United States"
Section of article Nv gives Con-
gress the power
ITO dispose Of and make all
needful rules and regulations re-
specting the territory and other
property belonging to the United
States"
The United States Supreme
Court has, In . number Of in
stances, recognized that Congress
has plenary and exclusive power to
legislate for the District of Colum-
bia. In . decision involving .
y local assessment, the Supreme
Court said:
THE legislation in question in
the present case is that Of the Con-
gress of the United States, and
must be considered in the light of
the conclusion, so often announced
by this court, that the United States
possess complete jurisdiction. both
of political and municipal nature.
over the District Of Columbia"