The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-04-16
ECONOMY, OK .SLOTIf2

The reluctance of Congress to attend to the
wants of the District is sometimes ascribed to
areluctance to appropriate money, as ii that
were the sole object for which our citizens
resort to the governing body. Mr.. Cox, in
particular, is very fond of depicting our poor
little District as mighty giant laying hold
OF reluctant Congress by the throat and
compelling it TO disgorge immense sums, un-
der penalty of having all the public business
brought to n standstill. THIS would be one
of Mr.. CoX's best Jokes, if he meant it as
such. The real fact is, as specially exem-
plifed at the present session, that the
District cannot get its laws properly
amended and codified, its system of taxation
adjusted, the grasp of corporate monopolies
removed-even though these steps do not in
volve cent of outlay, but perhaps even a
saving to the Treasury. And the cause of
all this is not economy in our legislators, ex-
eept an economy of their own time, effort
and selfish interests; in other words, it is
simply 4 neglect of a part of their sworn
duties. When the Constitution gave Con
gress Exclusive power of Legislation i'll all
cases whatever " over this hapless territory
duty, to be fulfilled both for the benefit of
those who might be resident here and of
the country at large; for it would be easy to
show that misgovcrnment at the Capital
must sooner or later be reflected esew here
through the national domain. Take an ex-
l.. H.,
charges against those guilty of " oGenses
against the operations of government" The
case against the Star Route conspirators
came TO turn upon the question whether a
Maryland statute of 1922 was in force here
one of a class of questions Congress has al
lowed TO fall into almost insoluble doubt by
the chaotic condition of our laws. So it NAV
easily be again i'll the future, though Con
gress should hastily patch up this defect.
For it is characteristic that Congress seldom
takes time 10 make thorough and systematic
correction of any abuse, but some half
baked, slapdash measure is put through in
stray minute, more evils being often in
troduced than are removed. When measure
like the municipal code " gets fairly on
its passage after years delay the thought
lessness and inattention of members leads to
"miXed schools " amendment, which
knocks the whole carefully constructed bill
intOa hopeless wreck on the hands of its
committee.
The District has staunch friends in Con.
gress-gentlem men who feel their duty toward
her, and III the total absence of all selfish mo
tives, and with methods far above suspicion
strive to perform it. But even these will
admit that they find it easier to secure Tia,
appropriation of money Difficult as that is,
than TO secure time, attention, and consider
ate action in either House where merely tn,
abstract rights of citizens or some Difficult
question of public policy are involved. Til,
state OF our laws, as above intimated, il il
the highest degree discreditable to nationa
assembly that has the power, and ought tC
have both the wisdom and the will to reform
it, When property is out on "deed o.
trust " or mortgage, the residuum of title IN
the owner, however valuable, is known a,
the "equity of redemption" TO levy OF
this, under the present system, the creditor
must pursue it through two courts, law and
equity, which seems designed to make fee.
for lawyers. If the owner dies, the widow i.
delrauded OF all dover, under an injustice
in the law as old as the reign of Henry VII
To make will of a square inch of ground
requires three subscribing witnesses, and
the will must be made in all cases after In,
land is acquired while any scrawl with tA,
pen, or even word Of mouth, may bequeatl
millions Of personal property whether ac
quired after or before the alleged act Of be
queathing-surely a most absurd disparit,
in the law, which has been removed nearl,
everywhere else. To correct these aud hun
dreds Of other incongruities which bear heav
lily upon persons and property would not re
quiro any appropriation, any more than !
would have required an appropriation I
graciously confer the charter asked for tn
Garfield Memorial Hospital.
We are not at all arguing that Distri,
measures which involve money should i
laid aside for those exclusively which do not
That would be glaring and shortsighted par
simony. What we do point out is that tn
charge OF mere greediness ON the part of III
District in asking more attention for its il
terests from Congress is wholly unfounded
and, generally speaking, mere pretext 70
shuGling out Of e solemn duty. A prope
number of days ought to be set apart eac
session exclusively for District business, an
the affected fear by Congressman that II tbi
be done the District will "get too mucI
money voted 4" is a reflection on their -
characters and lrmness, -