Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-20

shat on Monday the House will pass the Akin
son bill ~ amended. II through lack Of o
quorum or interference OF other measures this
10 not accomplished there will probably be no
action on tho railroad question this session.
The railroad will in this event have wasted the
Districts legislative time for months TO no
purpose. Iss obstinate and arrogant persist
enes In The attempt 10 force Congress TO grant
il precisely what IL wishes and to ignore the
reasonable requests of the public, has already
injured the District and has shown in the
clesrest light its utter indifference
to The interests Of tho capital II the
railroad in its original draft of the
Atkinson bill had inserted the geographical
limitations upon the power Of condemnation and
the other restrictions which have been forced
upon it by way Of amendment and had also
indicated the willingness which the Senate Dis
trict subcommittee state IL has expressed to
make certain improvements in its grade cross
ings and in the occupation Of the public park,
the opposition to its measure would have been
comparatively slight, and doubtless the bill
would now be law. But the requests Of the
board Of trade committees in the conference
of last January for the very limitation
which has now been added to the bill.
and fer the very expression OF an inten-
ton to make certain improvements which
has been given to the Senate subcommittee.
were eonsemptuously ignored The board of
trade committees wished to cooperate with
the railroad in regard to certain features of its
plan, and TO obtain at least a promise Of COM
pensation IN improvements to the public for
certain other features. The railroad thought
that Il could control Congress Is IL pleased.
It preferred TO rely upon its lobby
rather than upon the support of public
opinion. II determined to grasp for every
thing, and TO made no terms with the people
Of the District Long before today it has
learned the foolishness OF this policy. Certain
of the limitations upon the proposed priv
ilsges which IL refused to the people
OF the city and which its representatives
upon the House District committee
declined to concede were added in the House.
The promise of Improvements denied to the
city, was made, IL is stated. to the Senate Dis
trict subcommittee. And these results how
ever slight compared with the vast gains Of the
road through the legislation. are attributable
to the popular denunciation of the original
Atkinson bill. This measure was proposed and
discussed q settlement of tho railroad ques-
tion. Now In every section by express reser-
vation of power to revoke in Congress, by lin
itat:on Of the powers conferred to q small
spaco in which no change of tracks is proposed
or necessary. and by tho appointment of a
commission to consider the relocation oftracks.
&C., 1t Ii indicated that the measure is merely
preliminary to one which shall do justice to
the people as well as to the railroad. Logically
and reasonably such a commission should con-
slider not only what is proposed for the people.
but what IL proposed for the railroad, and
grants should be made to both simultaneously.
But III this Congress prefers for itself to crafty
the railroad alone, and to postpone for the
action Of some other Congress the satisfaction
of the people. the city should be grateful to it
that It does so In such o manner az to hamper
its successor little as possible in perform
ing duties which it neglects. An addi-
tional amendment to the first section of
the Atkinson bill limiting its application
to the squares east of AZ street,
and putting the privileges granted by this Sec
ton upon the same footing in this respect as
those granted by the other sections of the bill.
would have the effect of perfecting the meas
ure, IL the treatment of grade crossings is to be
postponed. Such an amendment should be
added by the Senate IL the House fails to do so.