National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-06-19


of the city. Yet, from the report of the
debate, nothing is clearer than that the
majority voting for the amendment had
no intention to tax the citizens with moro
than half this expense. During the dis
cussion only two amendments touching
this point were offered, the first by Mr..
Reagan, of Texas, in these words:
Provided that one-hdJ of the several sums
appropriated by this bill shall be paid by the cl.
zens of Washington and Georgetown, aud no .por.
ton of said sums shall be expended until said
cities Of Washington and Georgetown shall have
provided the means Of paying the said one.half Of
the sums hereby appropriated
The second by Mr.. Blount, of Georgia,
in the following words:
Oa,.hoD Of tho improvement provided for in
the foregoing sections shall be paid for by tho Dis.
trlct of Columbia In accordance with the organic
laws of the District, and the District Commission.
ors are hereby authorized to issue bonds at 3 36j
rate of Interest to such an amount, and from time
to time as the principal is required In execution
OF said Improvements.
Mr. Blount was recognized rs having
charge of the opposition, and under his
assignment of time speeches were made
by Messrs. Reagan, Blount, Holman
Randall, and Cobb, each of whom advo.
Gated one or the other of the amend
ments above quoted. During the entire
debate no one proposed or suggested that
more than hd!f The erpense ShOuld be borne By
the District, and the only point of conten.
ton was whether the government should
bear the whole expense or whether il
should be divided equal y between it and
the inhabitants. At the close of the de.
bate and being ready to vote under the
previous question, Mr.. Reagan withdrew
hisamendment, saying: Because think
the one offered by the gentleman from
Georgia makes better provision for the
same object"
The question being then upon the
amendment of Mr.. Blount above quoted
Mr.. Hewitt, of New York, said: 81 de
sire to offer substitute for the amend
ment of the gentleman from Georgia
which have shown him, and which i:
acceptable to him." The Chair ruled
that this was out of order pending the
operation of the previous question.
Mr.. Blount then said: al desire tC
say that my amendment was hastily
drawn, and Me same idea, and l think more
clearly and elaborately expressed, is con,
tanned in the amendment which has
been drawn up by the gentleman from
New York" On this statement unani
nous consent was given for the reading
of the substitute, and it was read by the
clerk. Immediately thereafter, and upon
like unanimous consent, the amendment
of Mr.. Hewitt was substituted for that o
Mr.. Blount, and, upon division, was
adopted, and the bill then passed with
out any dissenting votes.
The amendment which, under these
circumstances and upon these statements
and without two minutes consideration
was made part of the bill is as follows:
That the cost of the snid improvement shall b,
| annually computed and stated by the Treasurer o
the United States and charged to capital accoun
OH the books Of the Treasury and that the intcrcs
at the rate of S,65 per cent, thereon shall be an
nually included in the District tax levy and pal,
into the Treasury Of the United States; aud tina
any surplus OF water rents over and above the ex
and paying prior interest charges now existing
shall be paid into the Treasury of the Unite,
| States and credited to the capital account thu
created until tho same shall DO finally cxtin
guishcd.
Thus by the unintentional or ingeniou
omission of tho words one-half" con
tained in each of the original amend
ments the entire cost of the completion
of the water works was placed upon tn,
inhabitants of the District. That this wa
either an accident or q trick is beyond
all question. If any one is not satisfied
of this from the statement which We
have made let him carefully read the
House record ofTuesday and Wednesday
last, and his doubts will be removed
No one can suppose that Mr.. Bloun
could have made the statement which
he did make in accepting the substitute
if he had understood its purport anC
effect. No one can suppose that the large
minority who had strenuously insisted
that the whole expense of the construc
ton should be borne by the government
would have knowingly permitted sub
stitute of this character to be Offered
when only a single dissenting voice
would have defeated its consideration.
Under these circumstances there would
seem to be little room for doubt as to the
duty of the House in the premises. In
the appointment of second conference
committee there should be such an ex
preston of opinion as will amount to al
instruction to the House conferees o
their own motion and before further dis
cussion to modify this isamendment so tina
it shall conform to the intention of those
who voted for it. 1t is not fair dealing
nor does it comport with the dignity o
the House of Representatives to require
or permit its conference committee tC
insist upon a provision which, whether
carelessly or surreptitiously inserted in
this bill, thwarts the real purpose of those
who voted for it.
Bourbon to the Core.
The following is from the Alexandria