Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-07-17
Reply To ROosaxeyt

MI roosevelt, OF New York, in the closing
houIs Of the session made al attack upon the
District government in a speech, which be OBJ
tanned leave TO print, and General Chapman, our
representative in Congress, answered By a
speech. which he also obtained leave ID print,
and copy OF which We have received. Ii is a
very able and cOgent speech, afording not only
mastery yinGicaton of che District govern
meEt, but also OF the policy OF starting our
beautiful city on its new career OF greatness"
In this connection General e. expresses justifa-
bic pride that he has contributed something to
the overthrow of the spirit here which would
forever keci the city in a slough Of despond;"
and also chat when this work was brought
before this House for approval or condemnation,
tie American people, through their representa-
tves, pronounced the pIaudit, well done, faith
fUl servants" We take the following from the
concluding portion OF the speech
liam rot surprised at any conclusion short of
cOrdeInning the board to be drawn and quar-
tered 10 which my colleague NAV come after
tracing the methods by which he reasons. He
starts out by christening his speech 'nalds of
the District, and it bristles throughout with
lnsinuatiOns of frauds and corruption, and vet
The counsel for the memorialists disclaimed that
there was even an allegation OF fraud and cor
ruptiOn, and submitted to the committee that il
Vas "a fraud TO represent that the investigation
has failed because the memorialists have not
proved what they never alleged A sorry spec
tacle Is IL my colleague presents to this House in
going further than the memoriasts themselves,
and lnsinuating corruption which they lot only
admit was not proved, but which they assert
they never alleged. The majority of the COM
mittee found distinctly that no fraud or corrup-
tOE was shown, and my colleague failed to get
his associate In the minority report Mr.. Crebsl
20 even insinuate fraud.
The outrages under which the city of Wash.
ingtOn grOans are the outrages existing In the
minds OF class of men who are chronic fault
finders and Professional grumblers- They are
denOuncing the board of public works a ruin
inc them and VI in the last wear their Al las
tate has advanced under the impulse of i'm
pToyCments and the new order OF government
more than in any three years previously. The
great body Of our people repudate all such
opinions a my colleague expresses. They have
no such fcTebOdiIgs; they have faith in the
honesty, integrity. and capacity of our officers;
they breathe fresher atmosphere and have
caught new inspiration under the ''new depart
ure' Of the nations capital. No man who says
the improvements in this District are more in
furious than beneficial can find many to believe
him. The vast amount OF information which
the District investigation let into Congress only
tended to contract and narrow the judgment of
my colleague, as the light poured upon the eve
contracts the pupil; but the result was other
wise with members generally, for in no year
within nv recollection has Congress treated the
District with greater Eberalty or confidence.
With the awful load piled on TO this investiga-
ton, enough TO disgust Congress with the whole
District without stopping to inquire whether the
bundle contained truth or faisehood, We have
gone steadily on, winning the respect and good
wishes OF thousands throu ghout the whole cOun-
try. We hear OF the rev Washin gton wherever
We 90, and the whole people are awakening TO a
new interest in their seat of government.
The ." thousand citizens" who have memo
Tialised Congress and found one champion, it is
hoped will cease their obstruction and oppo-
sitiOn. They have fought hard and pushed the
warfare 20 the last resort; they have failed mis-
erably at every step BY examination o: the
taX-tCOks four hundred and thirty-six of them
are found 70 own no real estate in the District
and pay no taxes whatever, (page 59l.) Ii is
found that the memoriaIists pay four and five
eightEs per cent. Of the taxes Of the District and
own four per cent. OF the property, (page 5gI.)
They have proved themselves to be q powerful
minority, for they have kept the District of CO.
lnmtia in hot water for year, and have occu-
pied committee in Congress nearly an entire
session: In lcoklng back over this eventual Pc
rloJ II Is source Of deep regret TO me that our
Citizens did rot present an unbroken front in
asking legislation Tor the District. Our harbor
reeCS Improvement; our public schools demand
and are entitled TO liberal endowment by Con-
eIess. We must and can enforce upon Congress
the duty OF sharing the cost of making WASH
fIgton the finest city in the world by paving an
amount in proportion TO the government prop
eTty II The District; indeed there is much to be
cone which can only be accomplished ny estab-
fishing cordial relations between the local and
national governments. But these things can
never be while this senseless feud is kept up
among ourselves. We have one common inter-
est and Il Is closely linked TO the national gov
eminent Congress has given its verdict upon
the Indictment presented to il, and the District
should now show its appreciation Of this recip-
Tocal good feeling, as think can assure the
House IL will.
We lean upon the general government be-
cause we know this is the capital of the whole
people of this union. and that sooner or later
the whole people will take national pride in
1t. Sooner or later public sentiment will grow
Up throughout the country which will demand
Of Congress the expenditure of money to beau
tify and adOrn this capital. Sooner or later
Congress must complete the Washington mon
Rment, must complete the beautiful parks and
avenues OF the city, must add art treasures,
must establish national university, must make
our schools models; indeed, must make this the
peoples city instead of leaving it to be scram-
bed and quarreled over by local politicians and
made plaything by disappointed men who