Evening star., 1902-08-26
A FIGHTING FRIEND
What the District Most
Needs.
SENATOR MCMILLAN
WAS THOROUGHLY INTERESTED
IN THE CAPITAL CITY.
Some Man Like Him Required Who
Would Be Persistent and Insist
ent in Local Legislation.

What does the District most need?" re-
peated an old Washington correspondent.
as he and several confreres discussed
Washington and matters of legislation af
fecting Washington, and the probability
of new legislation at the ensuing session
this morning on the Row
THE one thing the District needs more
than anything else is not the improve
ments, etc, which at first occur to you,
and which would follow as a sequence, but
lighting friend at the Capitol, and the
congressional contests which are now just
beginning to boom all over the United
States accentuate the point l will make
Correspondents whose duties bring
them in close touch with the men
who constitute the national legislative body
and the Districts municipal board of con-
troll at the Capitol, in the committee
rooms, along the Row and around the no.
tells differ from the average citizen in
realizing how representatives and senators
must of necessity be wrapped UP primarily
in home affairs, secondarily in national af-
fairs and only incidentally in matters
which affect the city in which they hold
their annual meetings, while the people of
the city primarily interested in the
matters which but indifferently concern
those who govern us.
In the press accounts of the proceedings
of the passage of the bills which affect
the District often occur the words restored
in the Senate, meaning that an item of eX-
pendture stricken out in the House was
restored to the bill by the Senate.
One of the Districts Truest Friends.
Behind the scenes this means that some
person, in most instances during recent
years the late Senator Mcmillan, had in
sisted upon the item being restored and
that his views had been acceeded to. The
District, therefore, secured an item of ap-
preparation which otherwise would have
been hopeIessly lost to it,
The House from instinct strikes items
from an appropriation bill a boy knocks
apples off a tree, just can't help it. When
we say the Senate therefore, it means in
most cases that the District has a friend,
a fighting friend, member of that body,
who will not be gainsaid. While a negative
legislative friend is not to be despised by
the helpless, disfranchised residents of the
District, it is the friend who persists and
insists upon whom the people must pin their
faith, for without him they need not ex-
pect to receive but the bare necessaries of
municipal life, and scant allowance at that.
ITO Senator Mcmillan the residents of
Washington owe a debt Of gratitude of
which the recent expressions of sorrow at
his death were evidences. Scores and scores
of items We're saved the District by his per-
sonal insstence and influence. The District
ought to have some one on the floor of
either House who will take, as he did,
personal ana sincere interest IN It's dnd1rS,
and not the mere, though honest, interest
which attaches to the membership of the
respective District committees. The MEM
bers of both Houses are too busy to be
bothered When We speak about some ur
gent District need members say, I don't
know anything about it; the District COM
mittee has those matters in charge, and
then they promptly concur in the striking
out or the cutting down of items the Dis
trfct committee has recommended to the
House, instead of giving the committee
their support.
A District Committeeman's Views.
THE main reason for this Indifference, as
1t is not antagonism, is because these mem
bers are not amenable to us as constituents
and the second principal reason Is because
they are not properly holders here, but are
in most cases transients and soiourners
senator Mcmillan was a large property
holder in Washington, but he took a per
sonaI delight In aiding the District in it's
perpetual and ever to be continued strue-
gle for money and for justice. If we had a
member on each floor who is a large prom
erty owner who would not submit to the
ruthIess cuts imposed upon the District
eStlinat tes by the appropriation committee of
the House, champion whose personal in
terest and political influence was sufficient
TO stand as a barrier to the harrowine
economical theories of Congress. which
seem to be especially in evidence when the
District estimates come up we would swiy,
he respective District committees do
Eallaht work and fight nobly for us but the
ilooa OF opposition is too strong I asked a
member OF the District committee once WIN
the committee did not insist upon ohtainin 20
more than it did for the District. pointing
out one or two imperative requirements
His reply was
What Is the use? We wish the District
TO nave these things, but of what use is II
Tor us TO try when We know to a moral GER
talnty that the appropriation committee will
not allow the items to pass as desired? If
the district committee had the power to an
proprlate money the District would get
more. We do not control the finances We
understand the need of the people of Wash
1ngton, for 1t Is to that the Commission
ers and the people appeal, but the appro-
priation committee is thinking of money
ana the thlngs that cost money, and the
blue pencil goes through the items in elimi-
nation or scaling like sharp knife through
cheese. 1t seems scarcely worth while to
strike or few hundred dollars here and
a thousand there In matters relating to the
District, but 1t is done. The pennies are
saved and the bill looks as II it had suffered
an attack of virulent smallpox it is so
pitted when the appropriation committee
gets through with it.
The Appropriation Committee Supreme
'' If the appropriation committee contin-
ued the committeeman, would only take our
recommendations, allow us the liberality of
expenditure and freedom of action which
We desire, matters municipal in Washington
would take on different hue The appro-
prlatlon committee stands as lot of sharp
shooters and the District must take the con-
sequences. Its course is consistent and prom
er from Its standpoint, but that affords US
and the people of the District but little con-
ISOLATION The will of the aDprOnria tiop ooy,,