Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-11

Debate in the House yesterday afternoon
on the bill providing for the establishment
of free public library and reading room
developed a spirit of narrow opposition to
the project hardly unexpected and yet none
the less remarkable and regretable, the
majority disposition being to regard the
District of Columbia as a pauper COM
munity forever seeking something for
nothing, and unworthy any appearance
of congressional courtesy. 1t must surely
be known to every sensible member of
Congress who appreciates the responsible
tiles of his legislative position that the
District of Columbia occupies a position
entirely unlike any other city or place in
this or any other country. Years ago
Congress decided that local self-goyern-
ment was not a good thing for the people
resident at the national capital. so it took
away what would generally be regarded
as the priceless right of suffrage. organized
the new form of government, and put into
, statute of the United States the pro-
vision that the people of this city should
be taxed, yet should have no representa-
ton in the body in which ultimate control
is conferred. To the abolition of the voting
privilege but little objection was raised
for local politics had sounded the depths
of political degradation), and in place of
the privilege which every American values
was offered the assumption by the general
government of its share Of the capitol
building burmden. For very many years
the people of the District of Columbia had
borne that burden alone. the general gov
eminent having apparently less interest in
the national capital than 1t had in any
other of the prominent cities of the Union;
had refused times without number to aid
the local few who as best they could
deavored to make Washington creditable
place of residence for those who operated
the machinery of the national government.
There was welcome, therefore, for the I'M
derstanding that the United States should
contribute annually sum equal to that
raised by taxation in the District, and, in
view of the fact that the government hold
ings here amounted to more than one-half
of the real estate and improvements in the
District, 1t was believed by all the parties
concerned that the right thing was to be
done at last. For while the congressional
end Of the bargain was fairly well kept,
but gradually the national legislature was
less careful as to its obligations, and
soon the amended plan was so changed as
to deprive the District of many material
benefits which it had a right to expect.
Yesterday the friends of this community
asked of the House but a little thing
wanted nothing more than consent to con-
solidate a large number of books already
the property of the nation in room to be
provided in a public building now being
erected-yet the request was not only de-
MED but was used as an excuse for re-
Wiling those who have at heart only the
true welfare of this country's seat of gov
eminent. Not a town of any consequence
in the whole country, not village in New
England, but has free public library; the
city of Washington-the political and SOON
to-be educational and artistic heart of this
continent, having within its borders one
twelfth of all the library books on the
North American continent-has nothing
that pretends to be a public library. 1t is
an extraordinary state of affairs and one
which progressive citizens have done their
utmost to amend but without the consent
of Congress the District taxpayers may
not expend even one cent of the millions of
dollars they annually contribute. 1t was all
right-in the eyes of the demagogues-for
Congress to throw away more than a mil
lion dollars of District money on a worth
less aqueduct tunnel without saying as
much as by your leave; IL was all right for
the people of this District to support the
capital without federal assistance for much
more than half a century, it was all right
to deprive the people of the District of
their political birthright. but now that re-
quest Is made for portion of the mess of
pottage then everything suddenly becomes
all wrong. The people of the District of
Columbia are not suppliants; they are not
mealy-mouthed begsars; they are totally
devoid of the pauper instinct or desire;
they want only that which is their right,
and although they may not get 1t of the
present Congress they will ultimately sue
coed.