Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-03-24
THE SUFFRAGISTS AND THE COW.
MlSSIGNEKS.
what Commissioner West Says.
VARIOUS UNrouNpKp CHARGER

A STAR reporter asked Commissioner West to.
ia! what the Commissioners had to say OF the ar
raignlnent OF the District government in the me.
0ioElai prepared by the suffrage committee.
You can hardly expect the Commissioners
saio MI. West, looking up from his work, Ito take
Time 70 analyze the doings OF the District govern
Mehe ten years ago-things that are obsolete
now"
The reporter called his attention to the fact tina,
49, . were some points relating TO the present
EXPERIMENTATION. aid referred 10 the statement
SSlaiinins That the appropriations were exceeded,
paid for at a rate Srester than the rsiuced rate
Whlch, 1t is claimed should have been paid under
reduced appropriation
e., Tue man who wrote that" said Mr. West
1I showed II TO me, and told him he was wrong
ne, ne reasons tina! ii the approprations reduced 50
sn esnt sne price per square yard to be paid for
- - Sslnelnlng we cannot control We advertise for
us, ana nave TO take the lowest bids We cannot
We he ", pce per yard to suit the appropriation.
80 NC nave 70 cut down the amount or work TO be
a ae, II !here Is more work to be done than the
aappIopflatlon Will pay for we leave that undone
AA"' - our view OF our duty in the premises"
ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE
AS 10 charge that there is an excess OF expen-
oitures," said Mr. West. THAT is absolutely i'm
possible II there was one dollar expended In ex-
cess OF tne appropriation the Treasury department
Mouio not let US rest minute The fact is we
II fe Sss eo $1,000 curing the last year and placed
apparently an unreasonable advance In the price
vi asnnai., and l want to call a hal: in that
.ialleE When there was competition De
tween the concrete and asphalt men the
, ,e was that prices were low. Now as
c cne,r Is no competition and the asphalt is
49, .s oiieo oy monopoly. what can We do! They
I'M ~ demand S square yard. l did not want
l l present ngure OF S22s put into the contract
VIZ b.Eoe said that II he reduced the figure here
WaII5. ne would have 70 reduce 1t In all other
cities. He said, however, that be would. In iac-,
w tHe WORK cheaper. as he had his plant
mere, Out people in Chicago would not understand
. 30 IL was agreed TO let the figure stand, with
.ue understanding that he should DO more work for
.e money. he result has been that he has paved
Iuee Ol Iour docks that were not in his contract
as lie" thoSe extra squares in. 1t amounts to the
SAME, OF course, as reducing the price per yard
CONCERNING SUFFRAGE.
las To suffrage" said Mr.. West, ssthe Commits
sloher OF course are not interested In the matter
as commissioners Over a year ago / saw what
was coming, and publicly stated it at the time I
saw that, between the enmltieS which would natu-
RAINY pe made by the Commissioners. those
VINO want suffrage, and those who have plundered
the District before and want to 90 so again. the
commissioners would get into hot water.
Hefe is one Inherent difficulty, I think,
IN this plan OF government. II may not,
nCWe;er, be SO great difficulty not to be more
tlan balanced by The advantages OF this method
IL may be better TO bear with the ills have than
that these members OF Congress who come here to
itglSiate Ter US, each comes with preconceived
IDEAS, obtained at home as to municipal govern
nent They have not time when here to make q
Stuuy OF municipal government as applied TO the
Dlstricl so we have great board OF aldermen.
get board OF ten aldermen to agree, and how do
You expect that 400 Will agree