Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-04-30
Largest Circulation in the District
Beading Matter on Every Page
WASHINGTON CITY:
W EDNESDAY...... April 30, 1873.

CIV. Cookies message to the Legislature
seems TO make a favorable impression general
l.. The Philadelphia Press says of it:
''The showing is one of which the people of
debt Is large, il has been incurred in the bean
LITIGATION and Improvement of their city, and
more honestly and economically, we believe,
than in the case of any other city"
The New York Times prints il nearly in full,
SIS lot general interest" and SAYS editorially:
'The present government of the District be-
ing CONSIDERED by many to be still an expert
fnent, and the action of the local authorities
having been 50 fiercely ssssiled in some quar-
tiers, an official exposition of the conduct of af-
lars from one so high in the public confidence
a. Gov Cooke is valuable as a refutatiOn of the
reckless abuse which has been heaped upon the
District authorities for alleged extravaganza
and corruption That these charges have been
based mainly upon ignorance and malice is
evident from the very complete exhibit which
Gov. Cooke gives of the financial transactions
OF the District.
''Several facts are given which will be consid-
cred conclusive on this point 1t appears that
the disbursements have never, in any case,
exceeded the specific appropriation, and il seems
difficult 20 imagine how, under such a rule
there there could have been great squandering.
lrudently managed Is apparent from the fact
that all the floating debt and unsettled claims
against the late government have been settled
amounting to Il 10000, and it is not strange
that the bonds of the District, formerly only
worth eighty. are now firmly held at ninety
stNth ne much-abuSed board OF public
works has thus far audited claims to the amount
OF eS,IIO921, of which IS, l99, SIS has been paid
This Il undoubtedly large sum, but the good
erect OF the expenditure is already felt. Prop
erty In Washington city has largely advanced in
value a. consequence of the increased demand,
which Is shown by the fact that the transactions
IN real estate in 1872 exceeded those Of 1870 by
S5,Oe,OOO- That private Improvements are
keeping pace with those of public authorities
appears in ,216 houses erected in 1872, adding
50 no go of assessed valuation to the tax lists.
"GOy. Cooke refers with pardonable pride to
the great Improvements which have been made
in the national capital by the government of
one of the most unsightly and disagreeable
cities in the Union, has been greatly changed
dor the better. That this change should be at
tended with vast expense was inevitable from
the plan of the city; the wide streets and nu-
merous public places required great outlay for
their Improvement and adOrnment. That
Washington will ever be a trade center of con-
sequence IL not probable, but that il will remain
The political capital of the nation, fer some gen
eratiOns at least, is beyond dispute. Whoever
therefore, makes il less of Quagmre in winter
and not quite 80 much of dust-heap in sum
mer, l. benefactOr to the whole nation. A
visit TO the city Is attended now with less dis
gust and humiliation than it was some years
ago; but II the energy of the present govern
ment Is continued, we may hope soon to be
panied only by the Washington Monument,
and perhaps. few other relics of a barbarous
and thriftless age
Even the TrJUns, while protesting to be be-
wildered by 'the maze Of figures spread over
the scandal which has been caused by the bril-
liant career of the Board of Public Works."
comedies that Governor Cooke in his message
to the Legislature of the District of Columbia
makes fair financial showing"