Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1882-06-24
niTER SUPPLY.

\ blll lot an atcii supp ~ 49,
the City OF Washington being under con
,idera,ion on Monday week in Congress,
there was an Intelligent exposition Of the
relations of the District and the general
Government in the fifteen mjnute speeches
allowed. extracts from which we find in the
Washington star. We have only room fora
passage between Mr.. Holman, Of Indiana,
and Judge Hoge Of this State
Mr.. Holman The American people feel
patriotic pride in their capital, and VIII
chcerfully meet the necessary expenses iGr
its proper Improvement, and even embel-
lishment; BIT they ought rot TO bear eX-
penses for the mere benefit and convenience
nf the citizens of this District and toreheye
thom from reasonable taxation.
The government has been most consider
ota in the supply of water for this city. The
sparkling and pure watcr that comes here 10
our Capitol is not dependent upon tie water
works II does not come from The Potomac,
but from more satisfactory source, blD-
bling out fresh. pure and cool from mother
earth. and carried along the line traced out
bv the eve OF the Father Of his County,
from that bubblng spring to the capitol.
The engineering eye of the Father OF MS
Country traced cut this line a century ago,
and the pure fresh, inyigoratIng water rom
that spring still flows freely rs II did then.
II IS very different from the Potomac water.
Mr.. Iioge.-Mr. Speaker, ! suppose that
II will hardly be possible 10 gather the loose
threads Of this debate in compact form m
the very few minutes remaining 10 the dis
cussion. scarcely approhend, sir, the pre-
else character of the opposition, thaJ Ea5
boen node to this measure | understand
the gentleman from Georgia Mr.. Blount
10 say that we want no more water in Wash
inrt6n understand the gentleman from
Texos Mr. Rcaran) 20 take the position
I that undoubtedly the demand for additional
water supply must be considered, but that
il must pc paid for by both the government
and the District in equal proportions; ou'
the gentleman from Indiana Mr Holman
if do not misinterprct his position, Is op-
posed 70 all Potomac water, and wants 70 90
back 10 the original spring that gushed forth
in crystal purity from the Garth long before
the days Of great aqueductf end great enter
rriscs. SIP If he could be taken back
~. Holman.-AIy friend from West IT.,
einia misapprehends me altogether. sali
that spring furnished the supply OF water Tor
this building.
Mr. Hoge.-Thcn You want Potomac va
Mr.. Holman -Tha. is inevitable, pre-
sumo.
Mr.. Hogc.-Sir, it was the first time ey-
er knew that there were poetry and imagl-
nation in my friend from Indiana. | dld
not believe that he dwelt in any domain OF
fancy. I have heard him obiecting here,
With conscientious ard unwilling economy,
10 appropriations from the Treasury.
have had every sympathy with his prudence
and caution and have often onvlcd his more
than Roman frmness. and now when ne
encounters this question of an increased wa
ter supply By recalling with something OF
poetic madness the gushing force oi the
crystal spring whose sparkling purity had
fallen under the eve of the great Father 81
his Country. / welcomed it as the emanation
of an Imagination heretofore too rigidly r.
pressed. ! fancy that it must be from the
source of that original crystal spring that
the gentleman has derived his inspiration
0aughtcrl for whenever the expenditure
cf this great government are under cons.d-
Grafton. notwithstanding tie country has IL
creased fs- beyond the three million Of peo-
pie which constituted it population AZ the
beginning of its history 10 the fifty millions
of to-day, the gentlemen brings TO the con
sideration of It's necessities the primitive
measure Of an economy which bears rcla-
tion to the present like that Of the crystal
fountain of which he speaks to the great
volume Of the Potomac waters Is they how
forever onward to the sea.
Mr. Holman said that the people who
get the benefit oft ought to pay the cost.
That the expense of local Improvements, for
local purposes, should be borne BY the local
population of the District, and not by the
people Of the country.
Mr. Hoge For what was the Capitol It
self crecte12 Was it not for the benefit OF
the people Of the ewhole country? Whatex-
.pcnditure has been made here by the gov
ernment that was not professedly at least
designed for the benefit Of the country ~
large? When great capital IS improrad
ard adorned: when parks and fountains
give beatty 70 the landscape, and broad az
enues fringed VITA trees, and gardens bright
with flowers, and majestic edifces and splen-
did monuments make up the measure Of ITS
q. ba ro-,rgsort frn n tho