Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-21
DISTRICT BOND BILL
Senator Allen Makes Another Char.
acteristic Speech.
IT TOUCHES UPON MANY THINGS
But Fails to Reach the Subject
Brought Up.
A LIVELY SENATE seen E

|
The wild western idea Of the relations
between the general government and the
District of Columbia was given another
airing in the Senate this morning. This
pet theory that many Of the folks from
| the region beyond the Mississippi entertain
| is brought forth occasionally very much
| like bugabco that is brought out by
parents to brighten unruly children into
| obedience. Coupled with the motion that
| the District should pay all its own ex-
penses, Notwithstanding the fact that the
government is fully half owner of the prop
erty, is thinly yelled threat that some
day, by some process or other, the seat of
government will be whisked off over night
| to some western city that is fairly yearn-
ing for the Capitol and all its appurte-
naLces.
The occasion Of the rehabilitation of this
old theory today was speech by Mr.. AL
len, the Nebraska Senator. Senator Harris
had not completely surrendered the sewer
bond bill to oblivion, after Mr.. Aliens OBJ
lection yesterday morning to an evening
session in which to consider that measure,
| and late yesterday afternoon he introduced
| resolution providing for session at
o'clock this evening for that purpose.
The resolution came up at about 80 this
| morning, and Mr.. Allen Immediately took
the floor to indulge in his favorite occupa-
ton of talking. No one noticed his head
gear anywhere around 1t was doubtless
snug On its hook in the cloak room. yet
there was an unmistakable sound to Mr..
Aliens voice that made it appear as though
it might be coming from the depths of a
Z rs Fedora.
Just why Mr. Allen should have chosen
such medium for the transportation Of
his tones would not have been apparent
had not the fact been known that in just
minutes
to the calendar, If not acted upon. Half an
hour to a man who talked for eighteen
| hours at a stretch during the repeal fight
in 1893 was a mere bagatelle.
He Wanted to Know, You Know.
Incidentally. of course, just for the sake
! of appearances Mr.. Allen said something
| about the sewer bond bill. But that was
not necessary; it was not expected He
might have served his purpose just as well
by talking about Mars, or Coxey, or the
weather. His few illusions to the subject
Of the resolution were, of course, a crafty
ing exhibition of consideration for the feel
| irgs of Senator Harris. who sat calmly
fences, his head resting on his hand.
1T strikes me- said Mr.. Allen, as q
preliminary to his further illusions to the
financial policy Of the government, that
the Senate at this time. The question we
are to consider at the night session is that
of the issue of $7.5OO.00O of bonds for the
| improvement of the District outside of the
city. The question has been before the
Senate, but a few days ago it was decided
adversely. Now, why then should there be
| such persistent effort, in view Of the
present financial condition Of the country.
| to issue bonds for this luxurious purpose?
I confess l do not know
There was a pause. No one expressed
any undue establishment at Mr.. Allen's
confession of ignorance. In fact, his only
| listeners were Senator Kyle, who doesn't
| believe in bonds and Senator George, who
| sat entranced by Mr.. Aliens matchless
| oratory. The populist from Nebraska went
| on to paint a terrible picture of the distress
| that prevails throughout the country, and
with practiced tongue he sang the calamity
song and twanged the harp of distress.
After he had portrayed scene of financial
and Industrial chaos Mr. Allen spoke of
| bonds bonds, bonds. and said:
Some Tremendously Silly Twaddle.
q do not see any reason why the District
| should be made pet in this respect. Why
| are the taxpayers of the city, who are to
| be benefited by this improvement, not COM
| PEELED to pay for it themselves? The spirit
seems to have grown up that 1t is the duty
of the government to improve the city of
| Washington. l know of no reason why the
| taxpayers of the country should improve
| this city any more than they should all be
called upon to beautify the city of Denver
| l know of no reason why money should be
SsleeZeu from the puDnc treasury TO make
f, sewer and street improvements in the Dis
|ct any more than it should be spent in
! neking my own town lovely and pros
| porous"
Just then Mr.. Hill was unlkind enough to
| flip fact at Mr.. Allen, and it somehow
got into the machinery of his soaring APP
| paratus and stopped the flight of his in
| dignant Pegasus.
"Is not this the reason?' asked Mr.. Hill,
| most politely; that the government owns
| the District of Columbia and it does not
| own your town.?
Mr. Allen blushed at the bare possibility
of his town-it is called by the historic
| name of Madison-being owned by the gov
errment. He gave a little gasp to conceal
his emotions, and resumed:
THAT may be nominally true, but the
government does own my town in one
sense. It's people are citizens of the Unit
ed States, and so part of the govern
! ment; thus the government has direct
share in my town."
FIoored by Hill and Harris.
The Senate struggled hard to grasp all
Of Mr.. Aliens logic, but before it had
caught up with his train of thought 1t was
scooting past another station and WAS
whstling down brakes" for Mr. Hill had
rudely SHE'D another undeniable fact in the
path of the populist, and there was anoth-
err interruption.
Your very point" said Mr.. Hill, us just
what is proposed to be discussed at the
session TINS evening, III you Will give the
Senate the chance"
Before Mr.. Allen could gather another
head Of steam, Mr.. George, awakened from
his trance by Mr.. Hills former remark,
got into the fight. He was talking at Mr..
HILL but he turned his back on him and
addressed his words to Mr.. Allen.
1.-The Senator from New York is laborng
| under a very great mistake. The govern
ment doesn't own the District anything
of the kind" Mr.. George would doubtless
have gone on with argument on con-
stitutional law IL Mr.. Harris had not come
forward with few pertinent figures show
ing just how far the government does own
the District.
within the city limits said Mr.. Harris,
1.-The government owns more than one-half
of the property, and outside Of those limits
it is a very large owner. In agricultural
| land it's holdings aggregate ST. 296 $780, and
in agricultural land 81, 500, 695, making
total of $9.S0O,5S4 owned by the govern
ment outside of the city proper, but with
in the District"
A Boom for Omaha.
ooh, Mr.. President" said Mr.. Allen, very
Ucar;Iv though fo,lres opnoyod hin, nv