Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-06-05
OUR yIsITORs-wHAT THEY THINK


We have with now the delegates of the
Na'ional Typographical Union, an intelligent
quiCk-eyed body of men-as all printers are
and who are improving the opportunity to see
all they can OF washington during their limi-
ted stay. Not long ago the Medical Fraternity
of the country met here in Convention, and
they, toe, inspected the National Metropolis
with keen, intelligent eyes. Our visitors find
considerable to praise and much to crilcise.
Those OF them who have visited Washington
before, notice great progress in the way of street
improvements, and in the better class Of build.
lEgs erected; structures that do not look so
rneanly in contrast with our stately public
buildings. They note also more indications of
enterprise and public spirit in the class of
business establishments on our public thor.
oughfares. Our visitors sniff little at our
dust. and tread rather dainnly through our
mud. 1t involves rather a long story to ex.
PLAN to them just how much of the respons,
biity for the condition OF our streets rests upon
Congress, and how much upon our CITY,
Our Market-sheds, squatted down upon the
leading street OF the city, astound them. 1t
requires another long story to explain to them
how the city essayed, years ago, to build a
ereditable Market-house; had plans by Cluss.
and the edifice partly erected, when Congress.
In Its inscrutable wisdom, put q stop TO the
work, but has never to this day found time In
settle the question definitely whether the pres.
ent site shall or not be used for a market and il
not, where it shall be placed. In the meantime
the contractors for the erection Of the Market.
house have sued the Corporation tor DAMAGES,
and got them; the Corporation has sold the ma.
terisl for what it could get, and the Market.
sheds continue to disgrace Pennsylvania ave-
nue. The city wipes its hands Of all response.
bility for the Market-sheds.
We do not invite attention to our Canal but
inqulsitiye visitors iCiH occasionally get a peep
or smell AT IL. Here, too, we have the old
story OF divided responsibility; the city failing
to deal with the nuisance in any effectual way,
and Con gress failing to give even the REQ uisits
authority for it. Our visitors, who see i'm the
list of Compression al Committees some appoint.
ed especially to the charge OF District interests,
inquire If they do nothing for us, and are sur.
prised to learn that the District Committees are
frequently unable to report important District
measures Tor an entire session, through the pre-.
oedenoe given by the rules to national business.
Shouio me Chairman succeed in reporting a
District bill. if it happens TO involve the slight
est debate, Its '-further consideration is post
poHed,' and that is the last Of it, And if by one
Of those remarkable combinations of chances.
about equal to a thousand bullets going through
one hole, District measure gets through one
House OF Cong ress, ii stands a much better
chance Of being struck by lightning than TO
make Its way through the other House the same
Congress.
But Whatever our visitors see, or fail to see
they never miss giving surprised attention to
our hogs. They see them in droyes NJ every
turn, roofing, squec.lin z, wallowing grunting.
repulsive, filthy. loathsome, unwholesome, de.
tesaoie' aoominable; and inq uire in wonder, If
the City OF Washington one asst hog-pas-
lure Nv nere," they say, s'Is the police or is
this another case OF Congressional Corporation
divided response bIlityl" We have to tell them
thar Congress wipes its hands of the hogs.
They are the wards of the city. The Corpora
tion OF W ashington has full authority over the
hogs. 1t Is rather a wonder, to be sure, that
Congress has not been asked to yoke them, or
put silver rings in their shouts, but that
mas Eot been thought of vet. The CITY
regulates the hogs, makes laws prohib-
iurg them from running at large, makes
other laws amendatory of the laws
prohibiting them from running at large and
makes Yet other laws abolishing the laws
Of the laws prohibiting them from
running at large. The police say they can
make head or tail Of the law as it stands. II is
certainly disagrseable to execute, as it requires
the policemen TO catch the hogs; which is not a
pleasant thing for our srnartly dressed Me
uopolitans" 10 do. Superintendent Richards
asked Councils TO amend the law, or to declare
" bat they meant it to mean; but the hog-own-
els have votes, and so the Democratic Council
men and the Radical Councilmen, and the
Republican Councilmen and the Conservative
and all the other CounciImen,
thought it best not to agitate the hog question.
Now that the election is over, perhaps the City
Fathers will take courage and deal with the
hogs. II is possible they may, but very likely
they wont. Probably the Conventions meeting
here Eext year will find the hogs still roofing.