Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-13
A Scheme tina. Came To Grief.

A Scheme that Came To Grief.
A rather ingeniously devised scheme came to
grief in the House yesterday. On Wednesday
last, Mr. Van Horn, from the committee on print
ing. reported the following by way OF substitute
for House bill $500:
Strike out all after the enactng clause and insert the
following IN lieu thereof:
REQUIRED By law 70 be pub isaei and all adseTtss.
ments notice. OF proposals fer co tracts and supplies
t6eFe the SAFE Of any rovern%ent ' prI srty
shall be published under such resuations ray be
daily newspapers in the District of Columbaa Of
Of the United State and ali snr aa We for
any de;srtment of the goTernment; and for thu Dis
nessEarers in With provisions of
emitted an get n requisite Ia award Of and comPenss-
iambs approved January 81 1871 and al ad1erts-
the courts of said District shp be published Tn
daily newspaper. to he designated by the President Of
ton for any service exceed the regular commercial
shall be cnpstrned ta shoze ,he pmbeann of ADJ
yertiseena expenditure for the same. ia excess OF
vided for the District OF Columbia"
Objection was made to its consideration by Mr.
Robinson, OF Massachusetts, and 1t went over.
Yesterday Mr.. Van Horn called up the bill and
sought TO secure its immediate passage. In an
swer to suggestion that the bill should be read,
Mr.. Van Horn objected that it. would take some
time to read 1t. On Mr.. Prescott's demand the
bin was read. and after remarks In its favor
by Mr.. Van Horn 1t was ordered to be engrossed.
Mr. Holman asked that the bill be read again.
The Speaker interposed the objection that 1t had
been read twice already. Mr. Holman. however,
insisted upon its being read again, and that done,
he asked for explanation of the bill, which was
made by Messrs. Van Horn and Cassidy,
who claimed that 1t was in the interest of economy
and efficiency in the government advertising system.
Mr.. Cassidy said it would place the bidders of the
In pf fnfo ftNn
which is now confined to points where these ad-
vertisements are made in local newspapers MI.
Robinson failed to see II In that light and argued
that TO require all the government advertising or
printing now done under the law through various
parts OF the country to be brought here
and given to certain newspapers to be
specified in this District would, in
place OF benefit, make the advertising more local
than before and add largely &c the expense. Mr..
Van Horn contended that the bill did not contefn-
plate an addition to the expense now incurred for
printing outside. Mr.. Robinson thought 1t clearly
written upon the face OF the bill that it did Mr..
Atkins thought light might be thrown upon the
matter by having the bill read. The Speaker
again objected that 1t had already been read
twice. The question upon the passage of the bill
was then taken by tellers, but before the vote
announced Mr.. Van Horn, who apparently saw
that the vote was adverse, asked and obtained
cunsent to withdraw the bill to Introduce 1t at
another time SO this ingenious project, which 1t
will be readily perceived revves all the old plum
der system OF public advertising for the support
of political and administration organs In WASH
ington, was nipped In tue bud.
curious feature OF this project was the pro-
vision requiring all the advertising of the District
courts to be published exclusively In the admin
1Stration organ There Is no class Of advertising
that I'm the interest of the public and of all parties
concerned, requires wider publicity than the
conrt advertising; and yet this precious bill pro-
posed to hide 1t from the public eye in order to
give little pap to an administration organ.
Baltimore Is on the eve Of recognizing the
management OF Its fire department. the expressed
object OF the change being take 1t out OF poll
tics and place it above the sphere OF political in
nuence The change proposed consists in the
adjustment OF the existing unpaid fire board and
the creation OF 1re-marshal, who shall be the
controlling and responsible head of the depart
ment This change was recommended by Mayor
Whyte, and an ordinance to carry 1t into effect
has already passed one branch OF the council and
win, 1t is predicted. pass the other. Under the
present management there seems to be general
complaint Of the growing inefiiciency OF the de-
partment, and Its decline Is generally attributed
70 the corrupting influence OF politics The
ordnance OF reorganization prohibits nremen
from serving In any official capacity at elections,
but after all that the law can devise, 1t viii
deVolye upon the mayor to elevate the department
70 the standard desired and to keep it there by
appointing marshal who Will not yield to the
politicians.
The French senate, while not agreeing with the