The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-19
NEEDS OF WASHINGTON
Commissioner Mcfarland to the
Business Mems Association.
Urges Concerted Effort to Secure
inEs-StrOngly Advocates the Erec-
tfon of the Proposed Memorial
Bridge Reports of Committees.

| washington lot q new municipal OulluiuS
a new court building, and the erection Of
the Memorial Bridge made last night in
the address of Commissioner mcfarland
before the meeting Of the Business Mems
| Association evoked general applause. Mr..
| mcfarland urged upon the members OF
the association and upon the residents OF
the city the necessity for concerted and
united action in presenting the require
| ments of the District to Congress in order
to obtain the desired appropriations.
The melting of the association was held
| in Elks' Hall, z Street northwest, with
President w. S. Knox presiding. The
regular order of business was suspended
| to permit the Commissioner to address the
meeting. Commissioner Mcfarland said
| in part:
Commissioner MacfnrIand's Speech.
"On the Cd of December next the last
session of the Fifty-sixth Congress will
| begin, and it will end on the Sd CT March.
| In those three months, out of which a
| fortnight of Christmas New Year holt
days will be taken, Congress must do
| whatever it does do for the District of
| Columbia for the fiscal year ending July
| !, 1902. All the legislation, all the ap
| preparations, that we want for the i'm
mediate future must be obtained If at
all, from an outgoing Congress in it's
| short session. The difficulties of legis-
lation are greatly increased by the short
! ness Of time and the certainty CT final
adjournment on day known from the
beginning. They make 1t comparatively
| easy for skillful and determined oppo-
nents to defeat any measure which has
not an overwhelming strength behind it.
| The Wis inertia, the unwillingn; SIS to take
up new and perplexing problems, the in
| difference to anything but routine bust
| ness, must be reckoned with by every
one who seeks to extricate one cut of
the hundreds of measures jammed in the
Congressional stream and to try to fiat
1t safely through.
1T ought to be evident to every saga
cious citizen that the only way in which
we Of the District of Columbia can Sc
cure what We need, to say nothing of
what We want, for the District from
Congress at the coming session is by
united action. If we agree in our re-
quests we shall certainly get a great
deal more than if we disagree. Practical
wisdom, as well as patriotic sentiment
! dictates harmonious and conc rts d effort
on our part at the Capitol If we go
up there with divided counsels, ard so
with divided efforts, we shall lcse by 1t,
and without any other consolation than
that the selfish men who prevent har-
mony will suffer with the rest.
Now that the Commissioners are pre-
pairing the estimates of needed appropria-
| tons, and planning their annual report,
they are being urged daily to include
/ things of more or less importance In their
recommendations. Some suggestions are
made for the improvement of the whole
District. some for the improvement of this
or that section of it, some for the i'm
provement Of particular piece of private
property. The Commissioners having like
their predecessors, the interests of the
whole District at heart, and knowing the
practical limitations of the situation, can
only respond that they will do the best
they can for all, and therefore for each
They must be credited with desire at
least as strong as that of anyone else in
the District of Columbia to advance its in
terests as much as possible, for 1t is OBJ
viously their interest to do SO.
1T is evident, however, that the Com
missioners, the official spokesman of the
District at the Capitol. will accomplish re-
suits there in proportion to the support
which they receive from the community.
If they could have the hearty and COM
plete cooperation of all the representa-
tive men Of the District and have it all
the time, they would be able to achieve
what is otherwise impossible. This would
mean that the community would entrust
the Commissioners, as the representatives,
of the whole District, acquainted with the
needs OF all quarters and with the posi-
bilities Of supplying those needs at the
Capitol. with the selection of the requests
to be particularly pressed at the coming
session and that they would not be ham,
pered, and perhaps defeated, by conflict
ing requests from organizations or indi-
viduals. Is 1t too much to expect that
there shall be such n display of common
sense and public spirit in this community?
I. for one, proud of this great Capital in
its Centennial year. believe that it can
and will take Just this wise and patriotic
position. If it does stand solidly and sin
cerely behind its Commissioners in their
recommendations to Congress postponing
all other measures to come future day. II
will be richly repaid in the response OF
Congress. For Congress. sharing the great
and increasing pride of all Its constituents
in their National Capital. is more and more
disposed to meet its needs generously and
would have done much more for it in re-
cent years II the Capital had spoken in
one clear petition instead OF with confused
and confusing voices.
I'VE can all agree on the requests that
ought to be made for the general good.
We all want to see the normal extension
OF all the good work which has been done
in making the District the most beautiful
and attractive capital in the world we
all want to see the park system perfected |
our good streets and roadways extended, |
beautified and kept clean and well-light- |
ed; we want our police and fire protec- |
ton increased by increasing the number |
of policemen and iremen and of modern |
houses and appliances; We want the sani-
tary condition CT the city improved with |
a better water supply and the better dis
posal of our sewage: we want adequate
provision for our public library: We want
all that is needed for the betterment of
our schools and our public charties we
want railway grade crossings abolished;
we want a municipal building worthy of
the Capital of the Nation and Police
Court building that would not be dis
grace to it; we want the Memorial Bridge
Here to go no further. are objects enough
for our common effort this winter. Let
US unite to attain them. II we do we shall
succeed. If We do not we shall fail.
Il am confident that this organization
will throw its influence in the city, and
at the Capitol. In favor OF that rnion
which is essential to our success"
On the conclusion of his address n vote
Of thanks was rendered the Commissioner
On the motion of John Leech. The bust
ness of the association was then resumed.
Reports of Committees.
The report of the special committee
having in hand the matter of delinquent
axes. looking toward the reduction of the
penalty not to exceed per cent per an
lum was made by T. G. Hensey. He
stated that the matter had been brought
,eforp the commissioners MS already ,