Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-09
By vote Of Al to 10 the Senate has passed

By vote Of Al TO 10 the Senate has passed
tns Grand Army encampment appropriation,
enabling Warrington to provide quarters and
subsistence 10 the visiting veterans at the mu-
picipal expense, treating this expenditure pre-
sissly as other municipal expenditures are
treated The item IL made q part of the local
appropriation bill, which disburses the taxes
and other legal revenues of the District. and
Ne city Of Washington pays it in precisely the
Ams way that ID pays for the lighting,
ssvering. policing and paving Of the capital or
for the local charities. So far as the Senate is
concerned the republic has said that no consti-
sutional objection applies to this provision as
municipal expenditure, such as other cities
have made for the same purpose. and that no
hostility exists toward the veterans which
should cause Congress to shirk in regard to
Chs appropriation its obligation under existing
hw 70 provide for q national contribution to
ths national capitals proper municipal ex-
psnsss. In the full and able debate Of the Ques-
don in the Senate the fact was developed that
Q number Of Senators were not only
ready, acting as local legislators, to treat this
appropriation q proper municipal expendi-
ture to be met in the customary manner, but
were eager that the nation should by direct
and exclusive national appropriation take
conspicuous part in rendering Inequalities to
the veterans in this grand reunion OF the
Unions defenders at the capital Of the repub-
lilo which they protected. But, while such
action would be graceful and appro-
pirate, and serve a. valuable object
lesson for the encouragement of a
love of country and patriotic self
sacrificing service, il was not asked or suggested
by Washington, and the city would protest
against displacement by the nation as the host
at the approaching reunion. The national
capital welcomes and entertains the visiting
veterans, and by private subscriptions of citi-
zens, which now amount to $4,000, and which
will rise to $50 0OO and by a municipal appro-
priation Of 300, 900 for quarters and subsist-
ence. provided in exact accordance with the
law concerning all its municipal appropriations,
it will furnish the means if the House assents to
the Senate's action. Indirectly the nation is .
host of the occasion. for those whom the ma
tionsl capital entertains are under the Con-
stitution and the statutes entertained in part
by the republic The nations city is both
of its constituent elements local and national
alike. Is enthusiastic in the determination to
make this last great reunion of the soldiers of
the civil war a notable event of the century.
No pledges could have been made in behalf
Of Washington at Detroit of a character to
prevent this city's legislature from making a
municipal appropriation for the purpose such
Detroit's local government had provided for
the.eneampment then in progress. I:would have
been absurd to ask pledge not to raise the
money for the entertainment in the manner
which other cities had adopted. 1t is not the
fault Of the people of this ci;y, but
of the Constitution OF the United States.
that Congress is our board Of alder
men and common councils. and state
Legislature. Congress, and not the people of
this District made the just law which provides
how the municipal expenses of the national
capital shah be met. The Constitution and
Congress are responsible for compelling this
matter, even in its local aspects. to
come before local legislature which
il also the national legislature 1t is at least as
annoying for the people of this municipality to
bring their local concerns before a body Of
men who, a rule, take little interest in them,
il is for these legislators, engressed in ma
tionsl affairs or the concerns Of their i'm
mediate constituents, to be bothered with local
Legislation Senators and Representatives can
not reasonably become impatient and berate
the people Of the capital because they request
them to perform their constitutional
function OF legisla.ing for the District
Nor can citizens of the United States outside
of the District base any reproach upon the
fact that the people Of the capital apply for
legislation to the only legislature which the
Constitution and Congress give them.