Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-23
Mr.. MCMILLAN BESIEGED.
The Contest Over the Charitable Institu-
tons Money Center About Him.
His Experience in District Affairs-He
q Fair Hearing.

Senator Mcmillan is having an experience
that he will probably not soon forget. On
Saturday last he introduced an amend
ment to the District appropriation bill pro-
posing to cut off the NOR ey supplies here
tofore doled out to a number Of charitable
institutions in this city and to concentrate
the larger part of the funds in the treasury
of the board Of children's guardians. He
did this at the request of Mr.. James Nc
Gowan, who represented himself to the
Senator as a member of the board, and
placed on file long argument from Mr..
Lewis, the agent of the board, to prove
that Congress- should give the money to
the board of guardians rather than to the
institutions directly. Ever since this news
appeared in The Star, on Saturday even
ing, the Senator has been receiving calls
from representatives Of the various insti-
buttons which his amendment proposed to
deprive of their annual supplies, VINO beg
ged him to desst from his endeavor to
amend the District bill in this particular
Ladies kept calling upon him all DAY yes
terday and up to the hour when ne lelt
for the Capitol this morning and tearfuny
petitioned him to grant them hearing on
the matter. He has also received letters
from one or two of the institutions arguing
against the proposition. But the most in
teresting letter of all has come from Miss
Harriet Loring. president of the board of
children's guardians. declaring that Mr..
MCGOWAN Is not member OF the board
and that he was unauthorized by the board
to ask for the amendment. Miss Loring
takes the ground that Congress should not
take these annual appropriations away
from the various institutions and declares
that she is not In favor of such PROPOSE
ton. Nevertheless there is Agent Lewis
report, which is distinctly in favor of the
amendment and it is known that this prop
osition Is favored by certain members of
the board. Altogether 1t looks now as
though the next meeting of the board of
guardians VIII be vastly entertaining.
The Senator's Opinion.
Senator Mcmillan said to Star reporter
today: II have no disposition to cripple
any charitable institution or to retard it's
progress in any way. I am in favor of
these institutions, but 1 understand that
there is a special commission or board zap
pointed for specific purpose and it finds
itself without the means of accomplishing
that purpose, for the funds given to charity
are scattered among the various institu-
lions of the city. / am guided somewhat
In this matter by the experience of our
citizens of Detroit, my own city, where
the good ladies of charitable inclination
have zealously rivaled each other until
they have duplicated the public charities
OF Detroit far beyond our real necessities.
i know that in many cases these institu-
tons duplicate the work of each other
and 1t Is needful sometimes gently to check
them In their commendablel enthusiasm
Tor each one depends more or less upon the
private and public purse, and 1t soon be-
comes question whether community
can support them all. My chief object in
introducing the amendment, however was
TO throw the matter into.the District COM
mittee, where it could be discussed at
length. and I do not apprehend that the
champions Of any of these institutions will
have cause to complain in the end of a lack
of consideration"