Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-01
tosszressiOIai Ignorance OF District
AfhiirA.

/ TC t'e Id;tor Of TIE tvE>lNG STAR.
lad always Sunp posed that mem 1ers of Con
| g@f<- were gentlemen VINO would not wilfuIIy
n.->!cE.c>2nt facs. but must confess it is some
"1Itt niii;'it ~ ftcc1c!'e some of their utter
ANS al ttcrenc. District affairs with such an
/ !tittt F''f ;ISia!Ct. III the discussion on the
Wat"r -t,i.y. aIs- ICub. IF Indiana is reDorte ed
In tsit- ~ cl'r' "i ui.t ith as saying we came
in ga assumed a.. Ili..GCuSe public debt that tie
peo,'.e it-t,safc itg! pat Oit TIRE District =
/ Inc Governor. 1t - true, was appointed BY the
/ President 81 me United States but tie board of
pnd5c '"''as G'ti Hte JeyisiGttUe department are,e
Setsc,,'t ~ 't- t'e",I-s If the District And what
| dd ';rrH ii: ..iet plunged the District at once
int" 10: 81 -. uUO. Gtlo they bankrupted the
! District; thcy Impoverished the people: they
conii~o tted tifeir property by these improve
| DE ats
| 1T : isjound.n- that man of his intelligence
| should 'da~e aucl: 4 statement. and more especI-
| ally % - iio va uu the subcommittee which
had care District affairs in the last Congress
But ne l. Ii. Il; .!e in this matter for it was but
snort ti.iit. SI1ce u member of the present Dis
trict Committee said to citizen II haven't a.
| particle u sympathy for you people here in the
Distr!Cs. lot bit; and when asked why what
| the people here had done he replied ..Oh Won
| have been so extrayagant. See this big debt
| you have piled up here-nearly $22 900 OOOln
And again, when clerk Of a committee was
abusing citizen for bOthering Congress with
| their petty town affairs" and the citizen re-
Y
won't let Us attend TO them ourselves:" a mem
Der who was present spoke up and said. "Yes:
| we dld let them govern themselves until they
/ run the District in debt $50 OOO, 600. and then
| Congress had TO step in and pay it,
The above are but samples OF the statements
made by members day after day, and some OF
them know believe these statements TO be trpe.
| but II they will turn to the act of February 81
1911, establishing the sO-called District govern
ment they will see that there is not particle of
4 truti in the statements Tnaf "a do t.,,t
! not only the COVE nor, as stated by Mr. Cobb
but also the secretary and treasurer all the mem
heFs of the council, the board of health and rhe
| board Of public works, should be- every man of
thern dpl01aed by The President and confirmed BIZ
| M Senate, and they We're so appointed The
citizens OF the District had no voice whatever in
! the matter and it seems impossible that MEM
| bers OF Congress can be ignorant Of these facts
! III Congress will insist on taking entire control
81 District matters, it, or at least Its committees
/ should give enough attention to the subject to
| govern us decently and inteilgently. Ifit can
| not. or VIII not do that, then it should provide
means by which we may do 1t ourselves. 1t is
| an outrage on the citizens and a disgrace to
| Congress for members 70 be so ignorant of the
| true history of District affairs-a history so re-
| cent, and written in the enactments of Congress
| ITSELF Members and Senator'S should know that
| the present enormous debt was created by the
board OF works, officers of the United States Cor
| e''anae1n. and not by the citizens many OF whom
| while IN favor OF the improvements, were op-
| posed TO the reckless and extravagant manner
| IN which the work was done. and did all I'm their
| power TO preyentit Moreover, had the general
government done its duty and held the board
\ osworks TO compliance with the law of Con-
i gfess which limited The total Indebtedness that
fsouid be Legality crested to $40 lI0J9eOs There
/ could have been no such debt as that which now
Exists. II Is therefore, q double outage Tor
C9ngress through its officiais To- isafose siipoa
l as such an Unparalleled debt, four anfias iaH
zines as much per capita as that of yirsfffa
! vhich she says she eannet pay, and then abuse
ms for itt it is then debt, not ours and saei.
tatenents as the aboYe shows degree of i9ns,-
anee on the part Of members that is not onls
isgraceful. but absolutely criminal under the
/ rcuHlstanees. A TAXPAYER