The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-08
AGREED TO BY THE House
Conference Reports on the Rail-
road Bills Adopted.
Messrs. Cowherd and Sims Continue
Their Opposition to the Grade
Crossing Measures. Saying That
the People of the District Give
Much for Little-rIea for the Mall.

The reports of the conferees on the
Baltimore and Ohio and Pennsylvania
Railroad bills. providing for the elimna-
tion OF grade crossings, the erection of
new terminals. stations. etc. were agreed
to by The House of Representatives yes
terday. Messrs Cowherd and Sims, mem
bers OF the Committee on the District of
Columbia. and who led the fierce fight
against the passage of these bills. Ftortly
resisted the adoption of the conference
reports
Mr.. Babeock submitted first the con-
ference report on the Baltimore and Ohio
bill
Mr.. Cowherd reiterated his objec'i ion to
the railroad bills. saying that the ap-
preparation of Government money and the
donation of Government land served rot
the public good, but only private interest
In part he said:
The House will understand that these
are two bills providing for eliminating
the grade crossings in the District of Co
iumbia and the erection of depots at the
terminals. This is the Baltimore and
Chic bill, in which we appropriate mil
lion and half dollars. and the other IS
the Pennsylvania in which we appropriate
thirty-four acres of public land. l insist,
Mr.. Speaker. as l have always insisted.
that these appropriations of money and
property ought not to be made: that they
do not serve the public benefit, but are
for private interest. But if the House is
determined to make these appropriations.
then l do insist for the interest Of the
public. that we should see that there is
.gaI -l-
a union station, at which all roads may
enter both now and hereafter I want to
say to some of the gentlemen from the
southern States. that if these measures
are put through, they are putting IL in
the power of one railroad company to shut
on hereafter the opportunity for the
Southern States to reach the Nations
Capital. or else to come in at the dicta-
tion of the road into whose hands the
power is placed.
when this matter was before the House
the last time, the chairman of the com
mttee made a statement which seemed
10 me had great weight with the House,
and which. / wish to say, was entitled to
great weight. if it stated the facts.
think. however the chairman mis-
taken il regard to that, and I intend to
prove. as far as in my power, and l think
| have the proof here, that the chairman
was mistaken. l read from the Record
so that l may do him no injustice:
" AS rule. the people of the District OF
Columbia are behind the proposition
This was the Pennsylvania Railroad,
and the gentleman was speaking in regard
to that company
' I would say that 80 out of 100 favor IT,
that the people and the taxpayers Of the
District unite in consensus of opinion as
to the desirability of this project
MIR. Speaker. the people OF the District
of Columbia have no way to express their
wishes to Cogress except through civic
associations that they may have formed
They have no way of voting upon these
matters; they have representative here
to express their wishes. But they have
formed all over the District various civic
associations; and these associations are ac-
customed to preEeBt their wishes to Con-
gress by resolution. ] want TO call the
attention of the House to the expressed
opinion OF every association, so far az |
have been able TO find them, in the Dis
trIct of Columbia. and to show that every
single one of these associations not only
disagrees with the opinion Of the chairman
of our committee. but especially and EN-
phatically protests against these bil1s'
Mr.. Cowherd at this point produced res
olutions passed by the Business Mems As
sociation, the Board of Trade. the East
Washington Citizens Association. the West
Washington IliiZtHS ASSOCIATION, ana the
Single Tax Club.
Continuing, he said:
Nov. l do hot pretend. Mr.. Speaker.
that these measures ought to be tried by
the touchstone of the interests of the
citizens of Washington. OF course, that
is prominent factor. But we ought to
consider them on a broader basis. We
ought to consider the interests of all the
people of the Urited States, and We ought
TO consider them in connection with
our duties to our constituents in all
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