The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-04-21
THAT APPROPRIATION.

held in Detroit Mich in September, 1881, the tity
OF Washington. u. c., was the successful Compel
tor for the location of The Ercampment IN 1897
and whereas said City of Washington by its writ
ten agreement, by its written proposition, pro"
ised and agreed TO entertain said Eneampmeht
and furnish all things necessary as peris sched"'e
filed with its proposition, which said promise ana
agreement was accepted by said Encampneht'
and believed TO have been made in good fai'h;
Aud whereas it has come TO our knowledge that
said City of Washington is now asking Tor q large
appropriation of funds from the National treasury
wherewth TO pay the expenses OF said Eneah'p
nlent which is moi i'm accord with The promise ana
agreement of said City of Washington upon when
q secured the location Of said Encampment;
And whereas there are still hundreds ana thou-
sands OF Observation-Disclosures Union soldiers VINO
have not the ability of earning a comfortable nv
ing, aud who notwithstanding the hberantE anu
generosity OF our Government, are suffering lor
the neccssaries OF life;
And whereas If said appropriation is made, or
any appropriation, IS made for the object ID Nle"'
il will establish dangerous and expensive prcee-
dent which in time. will absorb large amount OIL
funds from our Naiioral resources, wAich hre
needed and which might better be devoted 10 me
supper: Of our aged INDECENT ex-sodfeFs: ihere-
fore. be it
Gesorred, Tint we are opposed TO the said appro-
either in favor of the City OF Washington or for
any other locality, for the same purpose; and we
most respectfully ask our Honorable Senators ana
Representatives in Congress to oppose said appro-
priaions and .l others OF its kind; aud he IL ihs
Their
Resolpcd. That we most heartily approve the firm
and manly course pursued by our Hon. Senator
A 8 Paddock ia said matter. and we hereby ten
der him a vote of thanks. assuring hin tiat We
believe with him. ihat said appropriation. II nlade
would bc an injustice other localities, and not IN
the interests of cur honorable INDECENT soldiers
and, be il further
PesoEged That n cony Of these resolutions be
semitic THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE, with the request
tfst they be published aud that copy be sent to
each of our Honorable Senators and Representa-
tives in Congress.
L. n. ScorHoRN, Commander
T. B. BEACH, Adjutant.
The comrades who passed these and others
like them did so without full consideration
of all the facts involved.
In the first place. it may as well be ad-
mitted frankly that the Citizens Committee
which went to Detroit TO invite the National
Encampment was imperfectly informed as
to the expense attending sucn an entertain
ment This is always the case Ia these mat
tiers. No one adequately understands the
enormous expense involved in taking care
of any great public gathering until he has
had the experience. At the outset it looks
as if $4,000 would be more than ample for
every purpose connected with a National
Epeampment. Indeed, it seems difficult to
an outsider to understand how that much
money could be properly expended fer any
purpose But every city which has had a
National Eucampment has fonnd that much
more money was actually needed than was
anticipated. This the Washington Citizens
Committee found when ii went in business
way to investigate the experience Of other
cities which had entertained the National
Encamnment They found shat every city
had 20 greatly enlarge its first estimates and
apply TO its Municipal Council and State
I LEGISLATURE for assistance The item Of free
quarters alone proved an unexpected revela-
ton. The number Of visitors who expected
free quarters was surprisingly large. The
attendance at The National Encampment al
Detroit was not so large as it had been al
some other Encampments yet the number
of veterans entertained a. free quarters
reached $4,000. The cost OF providing these
accommodations has ranged al the way
from $110 per head 10 $3.50.
1t is believed that the attendance at tho
! forthcoming National Encampment viii fai
exceed that at any previous one. There is
every Indication that this will be The case
The reports from all sections Of the Nation
I the applications already received for quar-
ters. and the countrywide manifestations 0
interest 10 the great gathering all show this
/ There seems TO be scarcely doubt that i
free quarters had to be provided for 32,0Ot
comrades at Detroit, similar accommodation
viii have to be provided for at least Ga, 00'
at Washington. At the lowest e2Gmat'
this will cost $4,000 times $110, Or SIC, 400
The citizens of Washington are doing q
well as those Of any other city have done
They have already in hard-and-fast sub
scriptions about 10000, and promise TO rails
this 10 100000. a great deal OF this has al
ready been paid in. Nov they 90 TO Con
gress. which stands in the same relation t
them that both the Municipal Councils an
Legislatures do TO other cities, and ask as
sis;auce. They ask that 100000 be vote
TO them. OF this amount one-half viii b
their own money, raised by taxation on thei
own property, and the other half contribute
by the United States. In other words, til
people of Washington VIII pay $4,000 {
the EXPENSES Of the National Encampmen
/, and the United States but $4,000. Shoul
the expenses be less than the 100000 COZ
: templated, the saving will be deducted froi
the United States share, and the main blu
den continue on the people Of the District
E Columbia.