The morning times., 1896-11-21

Some very fast work will have to be
done or two special committees appointed
Just before the last session of COngres So
adjourned will be unable to report.
These commiteees were appointed OIL
subjects of local interest and their reports
were to clear away some doubts hanging
around two matters OF great interest to
the people OF the District. Neither OF
the committees has met and the chances
how are that they will not.
The election will be the excuse offered,
of course. Noone neexpectcd when Congress
adjourned that the campaign would be as
hot n one as it was. Every one thought
that there would be plenty OF opportunity
for recess work.
ON sUBWAYS.
The first committee appointed was by
the House. Its duty Was to formulate
a system OF subways for the city and the
District. 1t was To be the first step
toward placing all overhead wires under
ground. This question has been before
Congress in some shape or other for years,
and the District committee thought it was
time to act.
Each year there are q number of teln-
phone or electric power companies damt.-
ing for the right to lay wires or stretch
them overhead. Usually the latter priv
ilege is requested.
So far Congress has been able to stand
by the law passed in the Fifty-first Con
gress, that there should be no more over
head wires stretched. But that law came
very near being repealed for the benefit
of the Metropolitan Street Railway The
officials of this company and their friends
were most urgent in their demands for a
fair showing as they called it. They held
that ii would be impossible to build an
underground line, the expense would be
so great.
Then there are n number of wires al,v,
ground which should be buried. All the
city officials hold that nothing can be
done 10 force outsiders to bury wires until
those of the District are so treated.
IL was 10 suggest the best way If doing
this that the special committee was ap.
pointed. 1t consists of Messrs. Babcock.
Odell, and Richardson. Three thousand
dollars was appropriated for expenses and
the committee expected to spend the
greater part of this amount in visiting
certain cities There the systems OF
sI5wayS were TO be studied and the best
methods adopted in its report. Not even
the first meeting ofthe committee nas been
held. The members may get together
before the first Of December, bat # they
do there will be some heavy work 10 do
ON CHARITIES.
Then n select committee Of the Scna.e
diiion OF the charities of the District
This was forced on the Senate in the shane
OF compromise on the approximation bill
A certain element in Congress was bit
terly opposed to the appropriation Of
money TO Observation-Disclosures. The House
insisted on Jumping the District appro-
priation for charity and placing 1t in the
hands of the District Commissioners for
dist ribution. The Senate insist ed on
appropriating certain amount to IclI
institution. Ii was one OF the most stub
born fights of the session, and bade fair
at one time to postpone adjournment in
definitely.
The House at last agreed to the Senate
demands. and the understanding was that
special committee should examine into
the condition of the charitable Institutions
Of the city and report to Congress their
needs and their capabilities.
vice President Stevenson appointed Sem
ators Harris, Faulkner and Mcmillan on
this com mittee. Very shortly after ad.
Journment Senator Harris resigned the
Craftsmanship, and the Vice President
failed to make further appointment
Nothing at all has been done, and it looks
now as If nothing would he done,
Had the plans Of the Republican ma ioritv
been carried out by the Vice President
an exhaustive report on the condition of
the charitable institutions of the city
would now be ready. 1t was the intention
of the majority to thoroughly examine into
the history and necessities of these insti-
tutions, and report would have been
made soor after the meeting OF the SEN
ate. But this was interfered with by the
appointment OF Senator Mcmillan as the
minority member of the committee instead
of chairman.
Just what will be done is not known.
The fact remains that charities and sab
ways are In the same condition they were
| last June.