Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-03-07
TIE nIsrRICr OF COLUMBIA.
views Of Hon. Burton q. Cook.
Chairman of the Commit
tee on the DIstrIt Of
Columbia.

reporter OF that paper and Hon. Burton Q.
Cook, chairman Of the Committee on the
District Of Columbia
ct appears to me-" said the Herald rep
"that the slKty or seventy years
special charge aud legislation by Congress
over the District Of Columbia IL very little
more than a grand failure, Mr.. Cook"
Eyes," replied he, "that Is to q certain
extent true, so far, at least, as the absence
Of legislation Is concerned, but that Is not,
perhaps, after all an unmlxed evil"
"The world IL governed too much"
al know" replied Mr.. Cook, "you find
1t very diGlult to get an audience In Congress,
aud think you have suffered not a little In |
that respect. But suppose, on the other |
hand, that you obtained everything you |
have asked for during the last dozen years, |
you would, | am Inclined TO think, be great |
deal worse OF than you are now. However, |
one Of the prime difficulties you have to en-.
counter here Is, that Congress has to leglslate |
for the whole country, aud cannot necessarily |
pay to the District Of Columbia all the close
and minute attention that II requires. The |
wants and requirements Of a territory 60 |
large as ours are so vast, the interests are so |
conflicting, that many things which appear |
trivial and unlmportant, when compared
with other projects and measures, are Of
sheer necessity slighled and Ignored. Mem
bers Of Congress come here, the representa-
tyes Of districts aud interests Infinitely
larger and more important to them aud their
constituents, aud the country generally, than
the local affairs Of your city and small ter.
ritory. They have no time to attend to your
subordinate interests and demands, however
| Important aud vital they may be to you.
| The District Of Columbia Committee are, l
| have no doubt, very much blamed by the
people here for what they regard as our neg
lect OF their interests. But II IL not our
fault. l am sincerely anxious TO do oil In
my power for the Improvement Of Washing
ton and all my associates on the commit
tee are similarly Influenced, aud have equal
ly good Intentions. But what can We do
We listen TO statements, and prepare bills,
and walt our opportunity TO present them.
Now, under the rules OF the House,w eau
get the floor only four or ave times during a
session, aud then make as much progress
as We eau. No one would think Of asking
| = suspension OF the rules to consider Dis
trict business. Il would DO sheer folly to
attempt It. Two score members would be
on their feet to object at the same moment"
"You arc 10 favor Of the Territorial
bulR"
eyes, am 10 favor OF allowing you to
| govern yourselves. have not read the bill
| to which you refer. II went to the Commit
tee on Territories, instead OF 10 our commit
such applications Is, that they come to US
In such crude form that We can do next to
nothing with them.
am In favor OF the Territorial govern
meIt for the District, but with certain re-
strictiouA. have no doubt that Congress
has the power, under the Constitution, to
give you any form OF government 1t pleases.
But there should be restrictions and limlta-
lions. II Ia all very we'll to say, The Dis.
trict OF Columbia shall make no laws incon-
sistent with the Constitution Of the United
States" as we say TO State. The fact 10,
the Constitution ls not so much limitation
as Il Is q grant Of powers and q great
many things may be done under the Constl-
tuition Of the United States which II would
DO quite as well and better for the people II
they were LEFT undone. Unless In the form
Of government proposed certain restrictions
are imposed, am Inclined to think that the
last state would be great deal worse than
the first.
Thare should DO limit to taxatloni aud,
again, Congress should have veto power
on all legislation. would make the lower
house elective; but the Governor and upper
house should, think, be appointed BY the
Executive. The safeguard which that would
make Is very obvious.
Look at the case. The large cities are
VIGOROUSLY the w9rst governed and the most
corrupt portie IS Of the country. New York
PROBABLY TIE worst governed place on the
lace OF the earth. do not believe any one
will dispute that. The city 10 the resort OF
adventure fs from all parts; and here, as in
ever Otuer community, there would be a
class OF people, discontinued, working from
day to day, who would rally to the support
Of any aud every demagogue who gave them
employment, aud thus neutraliEo the efforts
OF the property holders and place them ut.
terly ct their mercy. There should be, as
said, u limit to the amount Of taxation. But
In all other respects, except those have
mentioned, would give the District OF Co.
lumbla all the rlghts, powers aud privileges
we give to Territory.
Then again, am In favor OF the Govern.
meut paying something toward the supper,
Of the city. For instance, when public i'm.
provoments are to be made, such as the paw.
Ing of avenues, &c, the Government officers
should make an estimate OF all tho private
property 10 the District and Of all the Gov.
crnment property, and assess gu the latter
the proportion which It should pay. The
appropriation should then be made by Con-
gress. Bat all those bills for the relief OF
the poor, Sc, should not be passed by Cou-
greSs. Congress should not DO called upon
to support the poor OF this District"
"What do you think Of the removal OF the
capital I"
al care very little about It. believe that
all the associations Of this place should have
some weight and force In this question. Be.
sides, am not In favor OF tearing up
foundations 10 such Wholesale manner"
"You like TO let the Ivy grow around
somethingp
| "Yes. Besides, this argument Of locality
Is done away with by the railway and the
telegraph. The country aud all sections
aud parts Of 1t are In such close communIca,
IIon that Il matters very little where the
capital Is"
"You are not 10 favor OF sending 1t to New
York;"
"No. think that Is the last place the
capital should go to. The tendency OF
everything In large cities Is towards de.
moraliIatlon aud lawlessness. think II
would be better TO send II West than to take
1t there. have very little sympathy with
the project to make the capital migratory
concern"
"About our railroad commuulcationsl"
81 would give the territorial government
tho right to charter companies then they
should come to Congress- but the people
here should not be taxed too high, not more,
as said, than per cent. for anything or for
any purpose. Unless you take the utmost
securities and preyentlons you will cry louder
by-and-bye than you do now. The main
point, the frat thing you want now Is self.
government. But you must DO protected
! hEuluhl lDuTbNlNGbs nave 10 tue
decentralization Of cities, to the unpTlnclpled
men who generally control them. Yes |
believe we have in miniature hero all the
political wlckedness that they have In New
York.
81 have never met anything like II. You
appear TO be all split up and divided. There
appears TO be no homogeneity among the
population. Probably II Is owing 10 the fact
that the Inhabitants come from different sec.
tons Of the country, each class with Its OWE
theories and Strlfesi but however It Is, or tC
whatever cause 1t 10 to be attributed, have
never met with so much Internal dlscord and
dlsputation 10 any community as | have
here"
In conclusion Mr.. Cook said There /.
nothing | can do for the people here that
am unwilling to do. have given their In
terests and the various projects which have
been submitted to mo the closest attention.
Our table 10 the committee room Is now
laden with bills which we have ready to re
port, and make as much progress as possible
on when we get the door. have been at
] 4