Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-02-10
THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT r.r.
TENDED.
Reply Of Mr. Chapman 60 Mr., Roose.

THE CHARGES CF THE LATTER AGAINST THE
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS EXPLODED
The speech Of Hon. ", r. Chapman, in reply
TO the recent charges If MIR. Roosevelt against
the board Of public works, is published in full
in the GIOts OF yesterday.
After abiding to Mr.. Rooseyelt,s "attempt 10
poison tie minds of members of Congress and
charar terizing his speech as an unVarranted
attack on the board of public works. Gen. Chip
MA a., takes up me charges embodied in the speech
OF MI. Roosevelt, the first being an alleged dis
crepancy in the statement regarding pavements
amounting to about 81 600 600.
Mr. RoosEvELT's MEASUREMENTS CORRECTED
In response the General shows that Mr.. X.
instead of quoting from a detailed statement
takes up general estimate. further dis
erepaney was claimed by Mr. R. in his figure.
OF $3.50 per yard for all the roadways improved
when. a a matter Of fact, some OF the work wa.
as low as 10 cents per yard, other IS cents, Other
s1.50, other S115, other 80. 10, and still some
other 20 And yet the gentleman, says Gen
C., with matehless unfairness, and may almost
say efrontery, attempts to mislead the HOUSE
by selecting the highest price paid for any pave
ments, in order to make this supposed dscrep-
"hrst great discrepancy" the "frst blunder OF
fraud in the gentleman's speech.
"ONLY S1O,0OO,oOO OUT OF THE WAY"
Gen. Chapman then goes on to say: Mr.
Speaker, quote the gentleman's language
- blunder'' 40 fraud" hope this is parlia-
mentaIy. Blunt men might characterize the
might not he in order, and L refrain. We are
permitted, believe, TO traduce and call all the
rest of the world hard names, but we must not
always speak the truth OF colleagues OH this
floor. The second charge, that table twelve
gives the the expense OF twenty nine streets and
an alley and furnishes a fair average estimate OF
all the work, is disposed OF in like manner as
charge No. I. The third charge, that the debt
OF the District amounts to fully S19 900 600 is
disposed of by the report of the committee on
the District, who were directed to ascertain and
IL lal.~ ~
making their report, reviewed the financial
condition of the board and its liabilities and
found their assets sufficient to cover their
liabilities, thus proving that Mr.. II. was only
$40, 600, coo out of the way in bis statement.
WHY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD AID THE DIS
TRICT.
It Is true, as the gentleman alleges, that the
board of public works have expressed their
intention to apply to for -, 0OO, 900 during
this session to continue the improvements OF
the city. Why should they not, sIr. Speaker
An examination of the public records of the
country will show that since 1902 tho general
government has expended for the improvement
of our streets and avenues 81 ,s2l 1881. During
the same period the city of Washington has
expended S13, 921 ,761 is, or the citizens have
paid ninety per cent. and the government ten
per cent, and leave out of this computation
nearly $1,000 600 which have been expended
by Georgetown and the county of Washington;
and yet the United States owns, and has
owned, not less than twO-ffths OF the city OF
Washington.
MONEY ECONOMICALLY EXPENDED.
will not here discuss the duty of the general
government towards its capital. The gentle
man expresses his willingness to help discharge
this duty. The only difficulty he has is to per-
NIT anything to be done while the present board
of public works are in power. hope have
convinced him that he can afford to risk the
public money in their hands. A careful exam
ination of their report will show that the money
expended by them hitherto has in the main
been more economically and wisely aex-
PENDED than similar amount in his or any other
city, a. believe, in the United States.
BAsELEss CHARGES.
The charges that the certificates OF assess
ments were void; that the organic act had been
violated; that the property-hOlders had been
ruined; that the work was of inferior Character.
were each discussed and proven without foun-
dation. Gen. Chapman then reviewed the his
tory OF the District since the establishment of
the new government; showed the factiOus oppo-
sition IL had met with from the enemies Of pro-
gress, and speaks of the overwhelming manner
IN which the District authorities have been sus-
ton Of the board of public works by Congress
last winter, and OF the sweeping victory of the
friends of Improvement at the last election. In
concluding he says:
MOB VIOLENCE INVOKED BY THE ENEMIES OF
THE DISTRICT.
III would be impossible for me to convey tOfhe
House an adequate idea of the vicissitudes that
have attended the District government since its
formation. The spirit with which some of the
members OF the board have been pursued has
been almost tiendish. At one time the Oppo-
and greater respectability, counseled the peO-
pie to take the law in their hands and dethrone
what it termed this board of public plunderers;
and ON more than one occasion intimating that
at least one member of this board was guilty of
such crime as would warrant mob in hanging
him at sight to the nearest lamp-post.
AN IGNoBLE CONSPIRACY.
MI. Speaker. n all the imps Of darkness had
devoted their sole time to the work of obstruct-
ing the success of this new District government
since it, organization, they could not have made
mn SAfn
by the combinatiOn-Im may say conspiracy-that
was formed to break it dOIn. Every instru-
mentality, noble and ignoble; every name, good
and bad, every person, with or without charac-
ter who could be misled, caiOled, or bought. TO
expose us. has been brought into service.
But amid all this clamor and abuse
The DISTRICT GOVERNMENT HAS MOVED
STEADILY ALONG,
anu, with the exception OF the financial embar
rassment, caused as l have shown, which can
hardly be estimated. aud infinite yexation.
trouble and delay upon the members Of the gov
eminent, ali efforts in opposition have fallen as
harmless as the gentleman's speech, which
trust that members of this House, when
they look about them and witness the transfer
nation. everywhere visible, from the Old ~ the
new, Will remember some of the tribulatons
through which those gentlemen have passed to
whom, OF all others, our people and the nations
are most indebted.
60 THE LAST VAIL OF OPPOSITION
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, have only this
10 say: that the gentleman from New York. con-
selousy or uncOnsciOusly in his speech, which ]
am about to dismiss, has, as 1 hope, uttered the
last wall of that illiberal and senseless spirit
which has brought only mischief to our people.
have no doubt that the gentleman weighed
well the result of his action, and come delibe-
rately to the conclusion that, whatever effect
his course might have upon the interests of the
District OF Columbia, pen sonaily he would gain
with his constituents
think the gentleman has made mistake I
do not think he can afford to rest his reputation
.rsfKYs NretRs ~a.1r~ n,
'GOOD BYE, JOHN"
He Is about to leave. The House of Represeu-
tatives that kLows him now will soon know him
no more forever.
He will be remembered at the nations cayital
as having achieved the doubtful distinction of
friend and counselor to the most uncanny lot of
chronic grumblers, fOgies, and characterless
people that ever hung upon the skirts of enter
prise, or laid in wait to retard the progress Of
community.
"HIC JACET," &c.
When this grateful nation shall erect a slab to
his memory in that sanctifed spot the Ana
costa river, known as the Congressional bury
ing ground, pray that the remains of his con-
hdante and admirer John III. Crane NAV be de-
posted under the stone, and that on the slab
there be Inscribed
Par notils fr0trum.
In life they were one;
In death they NAV not be parted.
FESTIVITIES are now at their full height