The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-05-30

Subscription, IN odronce, per year. .ea.S'
Remntdnces should De made Op pos,d, no,e
money order, or checks on Ne,p York or Washing
ton. Wien checks on banks IN other ctttes ar
sent the cos, OF collection ,rtu be deducted.
buildings, and such buildings ! Any othe
Government that could sell per cent. bond
at premium would construct its own build
ings for this and every other purpose.
Never before have Commissioners Of tn,
District given so much time and energy I,
the promotion of District interests befor,
Congress. This is healthy indication tha
the selection for home Offices of home citi
zens is as efficient in practice as Il is sound
in theory.
Congressman W. L. Scott has been promi.
nsntly named as chairman of the Congress
sional Democratic Committee, in place ol
Senator Kenna, who desires TO retire. Az
Mr.. Scot. has been engaged for many years
in filling the Democratic campaign purse, he
might we'll be selected to say where the
money shall go.
The Government has mine of historical
wealth in the Brady collection of war photo
graphs. The Secretary of War should be
authorized to make selection Of them, to be
printed by some cheap process, and distrib
uted or sold on the plan adopted in regard tc
the Government publication of the official
records of the Rebellion.
Well, something has been accomplished
for the schools. The appropriation has been
increased from SAC, 900 TO s65, 900. But, al
was we'll remarked by Senator Hawley, 1,
might have been "sl65, 900, for 5000, 200 ex.
"pended for additional houses would not &C
"commodate the number of children that will
"desire to go TO school eighteen months from
"this time in this District"
The proposed extension ofthe Baltimore and
Potomac Railroad southwark from Pope's
Creek is assuming more definite shape.
With the completion Of the Southern Mary
land Railroad from this city to Brandywine,
on the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad, and
the extension of the latter road southwark,
new watering places would be opened up
easy of access from Washington.
Senator Cameron's bill to construct dry
dock at each of the three navy yards to be
selected, aud appropriating 90, 900. 900, comes
none to soon. In spite Of so-called econo-
mists, it isnearly certain that we are to have
a Navy. We should have Government dry.
docks as a necessary sequence. And Wash
ington has one of the navy yards where such
a dry.dock should be constructed.
The House District Committee have done
we'll in reporting in favor of the Pennsyl-
vania-avenue bridge across the Eastern
Branch. The delay in doing so was caused
by wise wish to have reliable estimates Of
cost to lay before the House. These having
been furnished through individual enterprise
the committee should push the matter. One
feature Of the bill, however, is wrong. The
District should not be required to pay SO
much as one half Of the cost.
boys deserves wider extension. We ar,
behind old Rome in bathing facilities for tn,
poorer class, and our squeamish modesty
forbidding nearly all swimming in the river
aids in keeping the population in the rank.
of the Great Unwashed. There is no philan.
thropic purpose of more unmixed good thar
that which spreads the gospel of cleanliness
among the masses, and the attention of tn,
charitable may we'll be called to it.
The aspirants for the seat which Repre-
sentative Barbour has shown determine
tion to vacate are one by one withdrawing
Mr.. Barbour should reconsider his determi
nation to retire. 1t is wrong in principl,
and worse in practice for capable Represent
atives TO be retired after a term or two In
Congress. Those localities fare the bes
which realize the fact that the longer they
continue a capable representative in Con-
gress the better able he becomes to serv,
them.
Senator Hawlsy was decidedly bette
posted in regard to our school needs and tn
responsibility of Congress for the lack O
proper school accommodations than he wa
upon District affairs in general when h
made his Willard Hall talk. He shows
the figures for the statement that, while ou
population had been increasing 30 rapidly Il
the first half OF the present decade, ther
had been more than corresponding decreas
in the appropriations for school buildings
As the Senator remarked, SIT is q very la,
"record."
In Overhaulipg the River and Harbor Bill
the Senate Committee on Commerce shoul,
not fail TO provide for one work which IL q
national Importance, the improvement O
the Potomac River II they would also ad,
a clause expressly authorizing the Presiden
or Secretary Of War to carry on such work
as those officers deemed essential II nigh
help the bill at the other end Of the Avenue
II is true that the best constitutional law
yers agree that the President already ha
such power, but an express affirmation Of 1
in the bill would greatly strengthen It.
The action Of the District authorities upoI
the question Of lettering the condition o
the Potomac water comes little too late fo
legislation at this session Of Congress. w,
suggest, however, the advisability Of hsvinl
a small appropriation inserted in the sundr.
Civil bill sufficient TO enable an exhaustiv
examination into the question of flterinI
and aerating the water supply Of the Dis
trict, the report to be made in time to ena
BILE the estimates for the purpose to be sen
in with the regular annual estimates whel
Congress meets next December.