Evening star., 1949-10-11
Lane Says D. {.
Never Paid 1871
Loan Of $4,000
Irritation Over Debt
Brought Up in ToIk
To Board of Trade

~ OOUTO VI TOOG
Gov. William Preston Lane, jr.
of Maryland is annoyed because
the District won't pay $72,COO il
has owed the State for the pas
158 years.
The story of the hoary debt
came up again last night wher
Gov. Lane addressed the Wash.
ington Board of Trade during the
groups first general membership
meeting of tine season in the May.
flower Hotel.
While stressing the "good-neigh.
Dor" angle between the District
and Maryland, the Governor sale
Of the city that, "since your youth
our interest has been fraught from
time to time with some anxiety
and warranted irritation" That.
when he brought up the $72 900
advanced in 1891. as the first o1
two sums loaned. The second was
repaid.
Repeated dunning during the
past century, and-a half has beer
unfruitful. he said. Bills have beer
introduced regularly in Congress
but the claim remains unsatisf1ed
Cites Use of Roads.
The Governor said the situation
is even more vexing to him now
because Maryland is being askec
constantly to provide more anc
more governmental services fol
the people of the District and its
suburbs.
You seek admission to oul
public schools and university fol
your children" he said. You look
us to construct roads and streets
and express highways to facilitate
the traffic that comes to you across
Maryland.
I'VE are required to stand the
cost OF the necessary construction
and maintenance. and yet in the
past 10 years, there have been spe.
cial grants of funds for highwa,
construction in suburban Virginia
including bridges, that have aggre
gated more than $37 100000. Dur.
ing the same period in Maryland
there was expended about $780,.
600 on the road to Suitland.
Mr.. Lane said he was told that
to qualify for the distribution o.
Federal urban road funds, "yo,
count the suburban population bu
we get no benefit of the use of any
of these funds.
There must be some reason
why the District receives abou
81 100000 while we in Maryland
receive only $1,790,000," he said.
Speaks for States Rights.
After contending he had no
come to quarrel" Gov. LANE
spoke on States rights. declarin,
their right to regulate their owl
affairs must remain inviolate.
He warned that those who believ,
IN this principle. as he does, ma,
just as well concede frankly tha
much of the alarming progress O.
Federal encroachment upon tn,
original domain of the States ha
come about because State govern
ments failed to meet the challeng,
OF the new day"
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, pas
president of the District Board o
Education. was honored for he
work. A plaque cited her spe
cial interest in the building need
Of the school system. her work il
connection with the education o
handicapped children and he
maintenance of sound instruc
ton and dignity in the teachin,
profession.
F. P. H. Siddons. president O
the trade group, was presente,
with an engraved gavel as a tokel
OF good will by the Washington
Boys Club. It was rendered b,
L. Cornelius Kelleher, selected a
the outstanding District boy las
year. He was introduced by L. w
Lawder. trade group member.
James A. Cassidy. treasurer o
the trade group. outlined plan
for the Trade Boards Goth ami
versary celebration on Novem
Der 81.
Fire Chief Joseph C. Mayhev
gave a report on fire prevention
week activities. now going on.
Several selections were given b,
the Mems Glee Club of the Uni.
versity of Maryland, introduced
by University President Harry C
Rvrd