Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-12-22

Whatever else Washington NAV lack she has
some a. competent croakers as any community
need. electromagnetic croakers able-bodied
tuggers at the coat-tais Of those who are striving
70 put the city on the path OF progress 1t is an
unfortunate result Of our assumed-to-be depen-
dent position upon Cover nment that We have
measurably lost the robustness, the feeling of
self-reliance and energy that characterize COM
munties that have hal to ;ay the foundations Of
their own fortunes. We do not remember q
single enterprise starsel here for the public
benefit that has not brought out the croakers
and eoat-tail-tuggers In force; and whenever IL
Is measure calling for q temporary tar upon
tne citizens Tor great permanent benefits the
Whoie puddle Is In commotion-big croakers and
little" Can't be dome! Can't be d-o-n-e,D
"Tax-a-tioni 10 " Ru-In-a-tion q, ssTax-a-tion :,
ku-in-a-tion!" " Mustn't be done .D " Cant
be d-o-n-e!" and so on in the familiar strain.
What n chorus Of croaks saluted the project
for citizens line of steamships between Wash
ington and New York! The committee of busi-
ness men who canvassed for subscriptions to
that enterprise reported, we remember, that
they were 'fOot-sore and heart-sickv with their
uphill work, but by pluck and perseverance
that undertaking was carried though success
fully, and served to show that where there Is q
viii there Is q way, even in the Nazareth of the
District Of Columbia. The croakers also had IL
all their own way also for q time with the Me-
troPolitan street railway project, but that also
has been made q success by hard work. and
affords another encouraging evidence of the
ability Of Washingtonians to do something On
their own account. The effect of these. And
other successes by our citizens, has been to
make the croakers sing a tone lower and the
Exposition project has made such he adway that
1t was hoped that they had gone into winter
m brrf xu4f q L.
bered "peep" indicates that they are thavino
out, and doubtless the pend win soon be vocal
with their music.
They object to this, and they object to that,
AID especially they object to the proposed tax
in aid Of the Exposition, because, possibly eyery
taxpayer may not receive an exact money
equivalent, with compound interest, for his
contribution. Ii is quite useless to attempt to
make the croaker comprehend the childishness
of his complaint, and how impossible it would
be for any great enterprise for the benefit of a
community to be carried through on such con-
tracted ideas. But il is difficult to corner the
veteran eroaker. He objects to the Exposition
that IT is better to build railroads, and when IL
Is proposed to build railroads he switches of In
favor OF manufactures, and when you under
take to pin him on manufactures he isn't there.
he says what is the use of irving to build mn
manufactures unless you have railroads: and.
again, what is the use of building more railroads
when the present railroad is not used to its ca
paelty; and then again, how are you to have an
International Exposition with only a single
railroad for transportation purposes and 90 the
croaker and little joker lodges back and forth
from one thimble to another.
But it is pleasant to believe that the croakers
are largely In the minority-that they are more
noisy than numerous. The mass of the people
welcome the Exposition project just as they
favor manufacturing enterprises and more rail-
roads And no one of these projects need stand
in the way of the others. We must have them |
all, and the confidence in our powers-the habit |
OF acting energetically-the belief that we can |
10 thing, established by the successful accom- |
rlishment Of one public-spirited work, will en- |
sure the ability to do many more.
From present appearances business will be
very dull in Washington during the coming two
years, unless some enterprise can be started 20 |
supply employment and bring people and |
money here. There is no mistaking the signs of |
the times. We are to have q stagnancy in bust |
hess that will try us to the utmost, and which |
can only be averted by setting in motion some |
enterprise that shall furnish employment in |
place Of the reduced Government work here.
and that shall bring money here to take the |
place OF the reduced Government expenditures