Evening star., 1938-12-08

streets Strengthened into an avenue
100 feet wide which would extend
from Washington to New York-to
be graded, asphalted and supplied
with cutters, curbstones, sidewalks,
drains, sewers, lamp-posts and shade
trees.
"As the Senate District Committee
(Southard, chairman) said in its re-
port of 1885:
1.-THE plan Of the city was formed
by the public authorities: The di-
mensions Of the streets determined
without interference by the inhabi-
tants or regard to their particular
interest or convenience. 1t Is a plan
calculated for the magnificent Cap
ital of a great nation, but oppressive
from its very dimensions and areas
to the inhabitants If its execution
to any considerable extent is to be
thrown upon them. No people who
anticipated the execution and sub
sequent support of it out of their
own funds would ever have dreamed
Of forming such plan. At that
period neither the Government nor
the supporters contemplated that
the whole or even large proportion
of the burden should be thrown upon
the inhabitants of the city.
Widening Source of Expense.
"The streets were not only op-
preSsive from their size and extent
in their original formation, but they
will from the same cause continue
to be an unending source of ex-
pense in their repair. They must
annually cost nearly double the
amount of streets of the same length
Of moderate dimensions. The Gov
ernment which created this condi-
ton of things ought not to be very
deaf to the complaints Of those
upon whom such burden has fallen"
%. Obligation based on absolute
control of city.
THE strongest obligation resting
upon the Nation is equitable in its
nature and based primarily on the
circumstances of the Capitals crea-
ton and the treatment of the Cap
ital by the Nation ever since the
birth of the Nations city, including
the Nations absolute, despotic con-
troll of the National Capital Obli-
| cation follows power. Political pow
er and financial obligation are cou-
pied. If the Nation controls, it pays;
and to the extent that it controls,
it should pay. The Nation as rep
resented by Congress, retaining and
exercising supreme and complete
control of the local government, in
cluding taxation, should do full
equity in meeting the obligation
which this power imposes.
"3. Obligation based on national
pride in the Nations city.
THE report of the Joint Con-
gressional Committee Of 1915 says:
1.-THE national city, the Ma
tion's home, should be district
where the national authority is not
only supreme but a district where
the just pride of a great people
should insist upon its maintenance
in manner most fitting to the dig
nifty of the citizens whose manifes-
tation of central government it is.
Nothing is clearer to us than 1t
never was the intent that this dis
trict should bear ALI the extraor-
dinary burden of expansion Incl
dent to its plan and occupancy as
q national city and any such pro-
posed burden would be most inequi-
table and unjust now.
"'Our unanimous conclusion is that
the rate of taxation in the District
should be fixed and certain; that the
Congress should pursue definite
policy of regular and liberal ap-
preparation, having in view not only
the permanent moral and physical
advantages Of the city, but also its
pre-eminent beauty and grandeur