Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-30

When the citizens committee in charge Of ar
rngements for the Grand Army encampment
sked an appropriation of 500, 900 to aid in the
sceptiOn and entertainments of the many thou
mds Of veterans Of the who will come to
ne encampment. they asked Congress to do
rly what has been done in other cities where
hese great encampments have been held In
1 these cities the greater portion of the enter
unment fund has come from the state or city
'easury, or both. As Congress is the only body
rat can authorize an expenditure from District
md an application was made to that body to
ermit portion of the money accruing in the
sual manner to the credit of the District
, be used in helping defray the expenses at
,nding the great September gathering. This
squest had the Endorsement Of the District
commissioners and Of the President OF the
nited States. 1t soon received the ap-
roval of the Senate, and there was
evidence of hostility to what appeared
, be most reasonable proposition until it fell
ito the hands Of the District subcommittee Of
be House committee on appropriations. Some
rrious train of thought suggested to the demo-
ntic majority of this subcommittee that the
,propriation asked for would be proper if paid
ltirely out Of the portion of the District reve-
res raised by taxes on private property, but
Of If paid out Of the joint revenues constitut-
& the municipal funds. The only conceivable
1estion at issue was whether the proposed out
was a legitimate municipal expenditure. If
were not so considered what reasoning could
tisfy legislator that the appropriation could
/, properly made out of one class of the Dis
let revenues ard not out of the other
difficult to imagine. A fancied necessity Of
lopting a course that would place them in
easing attitude before constituents who may
,t be friendly TO the G. 4. R., and still give
ZEN some grounds for jus1fying their action
fore constituents of another class, may offer
IexplanatiOn of the conclusion reached by
lese cautious lawmakers. The citizens COM
ittee has from the outset earnestly insisted
at the appropriation should be made as all
preparations for the District are made, from
re joint revenues. The principle involved is
he which no one representing the
tizens of the District could sur
nder. To do so would be to
my the justice Of the arrangement BY which
e general government contributes its share
ward the expenses of the District government.
is hoped that when the proposition comes
fore the House the reasOnableness of the
opposition made by the citizens committee
u be recognized A strong appeal might have
zen made to Congress to make an appropria-
IN entirely ont of the general treasury for the
Itertainment of the veterans of the war when
ey assemble quarter of century afterward
the capital Of the Union their arms pre-
rived. The occasion Will be unique in history.
se very fact that this Is the nations capital
u greatly increase the numbers OF those who
il come to the encampInent and proportion
ely increase the expenses of entertainment.
resident Harrison said in his message trans
ittIng to Congress the application for al ap-
opriatiOn:
''The event is one Of national interest, and
attendance of surviving Union soldiers will
'obably be larger than at any encsmpment
at has ever been held. The parade Of the
rvivOrs Of our great armies on Pennsylvania
enue will bring wildly back those joyful and
omentous days when the great armies Of the
ct and west marched through the streets of
eshington in high parade and were received
our citizens with joyful acclaim. 1t seems
me that it will be highly appropriate for
ugress suitably to aid in making the demon
ration impressive and in extending to those
ldiers whose lives benefcent Providence has
OlOnged an opportunity to see in the security
d peaceful development and prosperity which
w so happily prevails at the national capital
fruits of their sacrifice and valor."
Still the citizens committee has asked of
,ngress no other aid than that which has been
ven in other cities from the municipal treas
les, and insists only that the appropriations
all be made as all other municipal appropria-
ons are made.