Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-02
Washington il DESTROYS Of making the sp-

Washington IL desirous Of making the ep-
preaching Grand Army encampment the most
ENJOYABLE Is 10 will certainly be the largest, in
which the veterans have participated. Wash
ington wishes to raise the funds to pay the ex-
psnsss Of this encampment in the same manner
that has been adopted in other cities. In them
10 has been recognized that the benefits Of such
. gsthering are enjoyed directly and indirectly
by the whole community that IL visited, and
the greater part Of the entertainment fund Gin
some cities nearly all of IT'D has been raised
by:sppropriations made by the city and state
which serve a. hosts on the occasion. In addi-
tion to these appropriations, which represent
the contributions Of all taxpayers, there has
been . guarantee subscription by private citi-
zsns, especially by those who would derive the
greatest immediate pscuniAry benefit from the
concourss Of people, and by representative
wealthy and public-spirited men. Washington.
though far from having the wealth OF several
Of its predecessors among entertaining cities,
viii raise by private subscription larger
amount than any other city has contributed
in this form. Fifty thousand dollars, at least,
viii be supplied in this way. But the encamp-
msnt fund ought not to be made up exclusively
from the contributions Of the fraction Of
citizens in whom public spirit is strongest.
The principle recognized in other cities that
all property is benefited and that all property
should therefore contribute its mite to meet
the expense applies with equal force here. In
Boston's case the municipal legislature appro-
priated $4,000, the state legislature ESQ, 600
for the encampment and the private subscrip-
ton fund was $4,000. Warrington applies
to its state and municipal legislature, which is
70 tbaaa Dris he, q a<
body 10 made its exclusive legislature by the
Constitution and IL has no one else to whom to
apply. 1t does not approach Congress Is
national body, but as its local legislature under
the Constitution. asking that it treat the pro-
posed expenditure Is a municipal item. to be
paid a. all other municipal expenses are paid.
Congress. IS the national legislature, has be-
fore it bill, introduced by Senator Pettigrew,
proposing that the War Department furnish
quarters and rations to veterans unable to pay
for those accommodations This bill, while it
suggests an eminently proper and graceful
thing for the nation to do, was not framed or
suggested, directly or indirectly, by the peo-
pie Of Washington. 1t sprang from the views
Of western Grand Army men, who desired to
enable an extraordinarily large number of vet
Grams, not well supplied with this world goods,
TO enjoy revising once before they passed
away the scenes of some Of their exploits and
the capital Of the nation which they saved. II
Congress should respond fayorably to this
Grand Army suggestion undoubtedly many
more thousands of the soldiers would be pres
ent than could otherwise attend, and to this
extent the encampment would be more COM
pletely and conspicuously q success. But it
is 10 be distinctly understood that this national
action 10 . matter between the Grand Army and
Congress. and that Washington will in any
event spend on this encsmpment more than
any other city, even wealthy Boston, has ex-
pended, and that it is not applying to Congress
for this direct national aid, but for an appro-
priation from its municipal funds
Congress ought to be quick to respond hear
tily to the effort Of the national city to enter
tain creditably at the nations home the nation
defenders