The morning times., 1896-02-09
LEGISLATORS Is GUESTS
Board of Trade Enteriains Men,
bers at Its Reception.
CONGRESS AS TOWN COUNCIL
Arlington Hotel the Scene of a Costly
Function by WasfiingtOn's business
Men-Representatiy Speak for
Cheaper Gas and Municipal Owner
ship OF Lighting Plants.

! LIN Ittdkh VI Itotlt bSIu It's tilltttIlt1
annual reception last evening, at the
] Arlington. The occasion was in every
respect worthy OF the board and its ira
ditions in the way OF ningiing business
With pleasure. There was possibly more
| pleasure and less business than was antici-
| patcd.
The affair was held in the reception room
and i'll the banquet hall. both OF which
were very tastefuly decorated, especially
the beautiful banquet room. The music
twas by the Washington Orchestra Band. OF
which Mr.. VIII A. Haley fs the capable
| director.
The attendance Of the members OF the
board was numerous. The board had
| invited a very large contingent from the
House and Senate, some OF whom were
rallied on for speeches and responded in
the spirit OF the occasion.
The proceedings were opened by Mr..
Theodore $. Noyes. the first vice president,
in the absence OF President woodward,
| who was unable TO be present for personal
| reasons. Mr.. Noyes' address was de-
| voted to showing that Congress should
regard itself as the town council OF Wash
| ington and he introduced all the members
| OF Congress, who spoke, as councilnen.
Mr.. Noyes struck the keynote of the meeting
and its object, and all the invited guests
who spoke adopted the idea of their host
Mr.. Ross Perry addressed himself to the
relation between the National Capital and
national legislation. He enlarged upon
the present and future greatness OF the
city. which the foresight of the Catholics and
| Aethodists impeled to build here their
national universities. The general drift of
his remarks, which were very clearly and
strongly put, was the dependence OF the fu-
ture Washington on the good will a nd foster
ing care OF Congress.
| Mr go r1p Hpll,o ri no
idea OF the unigueness OF oUr government.
He complimented the zeal of the Commis-
sioners over District affairs. and, while the
citizens did not shrink from full share
| OF the expenses, Congress had not been al
liberal as 1t might have been. Had it done
its duty we would not now have to boast
OF the biggest tunnel in the world the
emptiest reservoir and the muddiest water
| on the face OF the earth.
| Ex-Governor Shepherd was greeted with
! great applause when called on to speak.
His address was very short. He spoke with
modest pride OF the beauty of the city and
said that Washington was the one American
institution that Europeans did not, or could
not, deride. The practical part of his ad-
dress was TO show that Congress owned
three-fourths of the city land, and that it
might naturally be expected to pay at least
| half OF the expenses of the city govern
ment.
Mr.. Babcock, chairman OF the House
District Committee, began by saying that
he felt like ali other congressman, that
this is ''eur CITY" He expressed the
opinion that when Congress and the people
knew each other better, there would be
no trouble in having proper care taken OF
the city. He felt sure that Congress would
do all it could to make Washington the
greatest city on the globe. He believed
that Congress would in the end have conn
pleted some of the improvements asked
for. Mr.. Babcock specified as the con-
tempated improvements lighting, trans
portation, and water supply. He did not
commit himself to any other. In conclu-
sion he trusted that occasions of this kind
would be frequent, remark which was
received with unanimous laughter and APP
plause.
Gen. Grnsvenor, the next speaker, said
that Washington ought to be the model
city OF the nation and of the world II
ought TO be the cieanest and the best cared
for: ii ought to have the brightest gas at
a fair price and a perfect system of water
works lie agreed with the opinion ex-
pressed by Mr.. Ross Perry that there should
be a modification Of the laws He made
some humorous remarks about the recent
election in the city as showing that the
local election methods could be improved.
! He concluded amid great applause as fol-
lows: Il believe that Congress will see
TO il that your charities one and all of
them shall be taken care OF"
Representative Dingley, chairman OF the
WAYS and Means Committee of the House,
said that while Congress was always dis
posed to be liberal, it looked TO the Com
rnissioners co suggest the way in which
they should act. "Gentiemen of Washing
tom he said, "if you want anything, ask
for il: don't promise that you viii always
| get it, but we have been accustomed to do
| SO in the past"
Senator Thurston OF Nebraska, said that
| lie regarded Washington as a ward OF
the nation. He expressed S1me surprise
that he should have been called on as he un-
derstood that it was the members of the
District committees who were to do the
spea king. AS a member OF the Senate he
was ready to do his share towards the i'm
provement OF the city.
Representative Washington Of Tennessee
made quite a speech such as might have
been expected from him in the House. He
was in favor of better lighting, better trans
po-tation, better water supply, and he ad
viSed the board to keep knocking at the
doors OF Congress till it got what was
needed. He described the crooked streets
in the suburbs and argued that the continu
ance of the same would mar the beauty Oi
the city. why should such state OF af
fairs continue when it could be renedied by
! Congress lcW thousand
This must have been quite a surprise to
those members of the board who believed
that it would take some million dollars
for street extensions and renedying the
evils of which Mr.. Washington had made q
special study and had spoken SO eioQuently
In fact Mr.. Washington said that he knew
all about the city and remembered when
Pennsylvania avenue was Il bog. He also
expressed himself in favor of a better
system of sewerage, which subject he had
down fine, as lac followed the lines of the
proposed sewers TO be provided for by
bonds. He, however, electrified his hearers
by coming out squarely in favor OF thS
municipal ownership of lighting plants
which recommendation will be found il
| the special report made to the Board o
Trade by Mr.. j. II Raiston, who was present
, | last evening.
Representative Cobb lectured the Hous,
Committee on the District for absenteeisn
oE trict day. He ethought thatmore worl
would be done If there wasn't such con
sumptive attendance Of the members ol
) that day. Mr.. Cobb said that the boar
! Of trade had made great mistake in no
: | having the House District Committee brinl
all their bills down with them this evening
He felt sure that the board of trade coul
, have them passed IL they were here. II
! said thatit was not to be expected tha tanev
code of laws could be passed when Gen
J Grosyenor knew that there were alread
] several OF such bills in the archives of tn,
committee aud ne did not have much hop
that the present bin for recodficatioI
! | would have any better fate. MIR. Cobb wa
in favor OF liberal appropriations. He ha,
become more liberal himself since attendin,
The meeting and in fact he was consciou
of having experienced some ''educationa
: influences" This frank confession wa