Evening star., 1939-06-26

Editorial From the
Adrian (Mich.) Daily Telegram.
The District Of Columbia
In yesterdays issue David Law
renee made plea for giving the
District of Columbia-that is, the
city of Washington-a Representa-
tive and Senator in Congress as a
means of insuring fairer treatment
of Washingtonians in matters of
taxation. Their service on COM
mittees, he pointed out, would give
them much influence over legisla-
ton affecting the District-even a
veto power-on occasions when some
proposal in either House required
unanimous consent.
Cd Through the old argument as
to taxation without representation"
is ably made by Mr.. Lawrence, we
cannot agree with his conclusion;
for his plan would definitely put the
District into politics, and that is
exactly what the trainers of the
Constitution wanted to avoid when
they gave Congress exclusive power
to govern it.
(2) Such a plan would practically
make the District Territory, and
that plan has been tried once with
lamentable results. In 1871, in re-
sponse to the pressure of local busi-
nessmen, Congress actually made the
District a Territory, with a Gov
ernor, a Legislature, and Delegates
in Congress. But the District, in
the words of the American Encyclo-
pedia, was at once seized upon by
ring of spectators, who obtained
control of its government and
plundered it into bankruptcy" In
1874 that plan was abolished and
the government of the District by
Congress was restored through three
Commissioners.
90 The complaint of taxation
without representation" has less
weight in Washington than in any
other spot in the Nation, because the
city is absolutely unique in character.
1t does not really belong to its in
habitants. They did not found it or
plan it. They did not build it up with
their labor, money, and thought, as
is the case with every other city.
Its prosperity is not due to their
efforts, but is handed to them on
Uncle Sans golden platter. The
Nation as a whole created it out of
nothing, and the Nation as whole
has made it what it is. Its pros
perity, its every existence, depends
on Government business and the
vast sums disbursed in Government
pay rolls-aIl of which is paid for
by the whole Nation.
AZ Its population consists chiefly
of an army of more than 10000
well-paid Federal officials and en-
ployes. These people come from
everywhere. They do not live in
Washington because they have to,
but because they are very glad to.
Did any person ever refuse a Gov.
ernment job at Washington because
he would be unable to vote or be-
cause he would have no voice in
taxation? We doubt it. They accept
their jobs eagerly, quite content to
let themselves be governed by
Congress through the District Com
mission.
60 And their confidence is well
founded. The Commissioners are
appointed by the President for g.
year terms and confirmed by the
Senate. One is chosen from each
major party and the third is an Army
engineer. Such a commission ought
to command confidence and give the
city a good government, and, in
fact, it had. (6) Congress furnishes
half the Districts expenses, the other
half being raised by local taxes.
That seems quite fair to the resi-
dents. 1t is a bit hard for an out
slider to see where they have any
serious grievances.
(7) About all they lack is chance
to participate in politics, and it is
very much better that they should
not have that chance. We saw what
it produced in the seventies. Votes
for the District and two Members
in Congress would mean politics,
wirepulling, logrolling and all sorts
of inside phenagling for political,
personal, or money interests. 1t was
to avoid such things that the Con-
stitution provided for taking the
District out of politics by letting it
be governed by the Nation itself.
That system has worked well. 1t
better be left unchanged.