The morning times., 1896-03-22
SPEAKER REEDS DEAF EAR
Ii Is Turned On the National and
District Lobby.
POSING AS AN ECONOMIST
Commissioners wildcat Schemes
Broke the Cameis Back-BiIls of
n-Wnshington's Net Loss
by Reason of ofAutocraticG A G Government.

Speaker Reed, according 90 the latest
about him. is TO play during the rest of
this season as an economist. On its face
this looks like a bit OF humor, but it is not
1t comes direct from "A gentleman to whom
Mr. Reed is credited with having expressed
that view of his duty
There are many straws afioat on the
stream TO verify the truth of this report
This is a Presidential year and one of
crucial financial test for the Republican
party, and incidentally, TO Mr.. Reed, who
is looking longngly to the White House.
Mr.. Reed could not have been elected
President on the heel of his billion dollar
Congress, and it is understood that he is
trying TO keep the record of expenditures
this time inside, at a long distance from, the
bond issues and Executive expenses Of The
Democratic party
As a consequence of this, very many Of
those gentlemen who have had axes that
needed grinding very badly and other
things in expectancy fiom this Congress
have arrived at the conclusion that nothing
good can come out OF this Nazareth.
At a recent meeting OF the board of
trade, Mr August Donath, expressing tue
absence of ali hope for appropriations.
stigmatiZed Mr.. Reed as a coward. This
was from the SENSE OF disappointment eX-
perienced by the board from the declared
intention of the leading members of Con
greSs TO see no use III the great extension
scheme Of Major Powell and the other two
Commissioners.
RESULT OF THE POLICY.
One OF the saddest of all the results OF this
| Reed policy in dealing with the District has
| been that when the Commissioners asked
| for about one hundred and ninety thousand
dollars for some sewer work they got
| only forty thousand dollars. Notwithstand
| ing this ract the Commissioners have again
! thrust ON Congress the street extension
! bill, which asks for the enormous sum oi
! seven and half million dollars.
| 1t was stated again yesterday that there
| is not the slightes' nope FOR fayOra be5ctiOn
| on this. and that il endangcrs thedppropria-
tion for the Lydecker tunnel and certainl!
| kills the board OF trade bill for sewage dis
| posal. The Commissioners were at work Gi
| the scheme again yesterday when Chairman
| BabCoCk was supplied by them with
copy OF their amended highway act. The
| measure is in substitution for House bil
| 6998. and takes the form of an amended
House bill 2649, made 10 conform Il
| the companion bin forwarded TO Senate
Mcmillan on Thursday.
AGAIN lHoSE l. lGJ Il-S.
In their comment upon this product
| the Commissioners refer TO the charg,
made, as they assert, by persons Opposes
to the highway extension act, that TIA
cost of street extensions will reach $50
000, 900 or more, and again present a
an offset, the estimate made for them b.
the real estate experts, in which the tOta
expense OF the project is placed at So
fI,a4 al &c
and just estimate of the cost.
In most other respects the Commission
ers' argument is a duplicate OF tue on
| forwarded to the Senate.
The act for the construction OF TIL
memorial bridge across the Potomac ma
also be put in the category OF the III
possibles this session.
Among the other things that may b
said TO be already seen going giimmerin
is the hope of filtered water, ana almost an
other thing that has been suggested Il
tue general good OF the citizens of Vast
ington.
in place of these there are some yer
hard efforts being made TO turn over I'll
building of a system Of subways 10
syndicate. which is TO sell the materi;
at a certain number OF dollars foot an
also the street extension business involvin
undetermined millions OF dollars.
at the things for which money has bee
asked by the District Commissioners an
that it was time TO call a halt. He hS
also been astounded at the quality OF Il
matters which are pressed and those tn
have been ignored.
1t is said. among other things, that
has been aStoniShed at some recent aus we
given by the Commissioners to inquri
| of Congress. For instance, Congre
4, la
sary to carry out some city improvement
. | and the Commissioners replied that
| would cost 100000, and several 9th
| engineers to make definite reply.
a CHRONIC MALADY.
T When they were asked the figures
every foot OF land in the District TIL
could be condemned for street purpose
they replied promptly that it would I
auire exactly $S,O0O,0 600, and it took on
f three experts, without an appropriate
to find that out to the dot
I'VE are now suffering said one
the business men yesterday, FROM ov
2 government; from government that
r so paternal that it doesn't ask us al
! questions except ON matters on whi
we may be expected TO agree with o
D governors. ! am member of the boa
T OF trade. When there was an imprcsSi
:. that the board was getting weak on l
/ question OF street extensions. Mr.. Re
] was prompt with a letter which was
: cX-cathedra argument against the PoSiti
h taken by opponents of the scheme
e ION the other hand, when we came
y the concusicn that we wanted sewers q
e not streets, up jump the Commission
: like Indians out of ambush and hand
old street extension bill to Congress. T
has been so plain that Inotice that the ri7
- OF The Evening Times has said that
Commissioners are playing dog in the ms
Je ger in this business. But ii all goes to SIN
II that Mr.. Reed, if he had no other reason
d economy, ought TO draw the line at
cxtravagant schemes of the CCmmiSSione
4 and the pity of il alliS that everything c
i will SD ffer for their folly. 1 make you
: prediction that the Commissioners viii w
Il up this business By getting nothing for
g District, and that they will be to bia
.r rather than Mr.. Reed with all his econom
<A q n - nna I