Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-01-17

From q message OF Mayor Wallach Mt the
close Of the war, II appears that the records Of
the War Department show that the total num-
vice and credited to this District from the COM
mencement to the close of the rebellion was
1882. Their numbers, when compared with
the population of the District sufficiently attest
the loyal spirit of its people. No State, except
Kansas, supplied 50 large . proportion OF troop,
whether computed by the actual number OF en-
Ils list or by the different terms Of service:
1850 was 1900; the number OF troops furnished
by the District OF Columbia, computed on three
years standard Of service, was IL 500, or one to
less than every seven Of it's population; while in
the States the proportion was about one in every
ten Of the population, based on the census of
1860. A direct war tax was levied upon the peo-
pie OF the United States, and the amount paid
by the city Of Washington was $40 300. Claims
to the amount of some S4T5 900 600 have been
presented by the several States for reimburse
ments for expenses incurred in furnishing troops
to defend the Government of the United States.
and several millions have already been refunded
by the General Government; but not one dollar
has been allowed to this District for her expen-
ditures for the same purpose. (Cries Of "Good!"
"Good!'1
The amount expended by the Government for
river and harbOr improvements throughout the
country during the past twenty years will. il is
safe to assume, exceed so 200 900; vet within
that period not one dollar has been expended
for improving the river or harbor at the national
capital. have known of several instances in
the West were many thousand dollars have been
expended to improve small streams that now
are not navigated by more than three fiat-boats
a year. [Laughter.J And why? The sole in
ducement for the expenditure of the appropria-
tons that representatives in Congress have con-
stituents whose votes they wish to secure for re-
election. These representatives having no con-
stituents in the District of Columbia, the noble
Potomac and harbor of the national capital has
be- n thus shamefully neglectedfo for these twenty
years or more. Yet the Government collect tom
mage duties upon all vessels entering the Dis
trict. The corporate authorities of Washington
and Georgetown have found it necessary to ap-
prOpriate several thousand dollars to keep the
channel in navigable condition.
There are II ,2N children in the public schools
of the District, per statement of School Su-
perintendent Richards. Mr.. Richards states
that more than One-half of the children i'm the
public schools belong to families connected in
ard their parents pay no taxes.
The parents of these children referred to by
superintendent Richards are the constituents
tf Senators and Representatives; they hold Office
tanning their residence in the several States
from which they are appointed; they pay no
taxes toward the improvement of the District,
but their children are educated at tn, expense
OF the District taxpayers; and yet Congress has
peIsistently refused to donate any public lands
for school purposes i'm the District OF Columbia.
Bv the following exhibit, for which am in
debted to Hon. James s. Wilson, Commissioner
of the General Land Office, it will be seen with
what lavish generosity the Government has
Ell, outraged the school system OF the West.
Statement showing the quantity OF public
lands estimated as granted by the United States
to the several States containing public lands
for the support Of common schools, and reserved
pose in the organized Territories, the Quanti-
ties in the Territories being estimated on the
presumed basis that the grant will be extended
to the Territories by Congressional enactmehts,