Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-28
PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
They Know Little About the Capital
City.

During the recent debate on the Philip
pine bill in the House." said well-known
correspondent, much amusement was oc-
casioned by a republican representative
calling attention to the fact that a mem
Der of the opposition had introduced bill
to abolish the war taxes six months after
they had been repealed by the House, the
fact serving to illustrate the backward po-
sition of the democracy on the various up
to-date matters of legislation with which all
men ought to have been familiar.
Il have been going up against members
of both houses and public officials Of all
grades since the ffty-third session, and the
peculiarities of Washington official life over
those of other cities have often been en-
phasized in many ways, as was shown in
the instance of the representative in ques-
ton.
Il have had members of the cabinet tell
me that Jeyond driving to their offices, to
the White House, to social functions, and
in evening drives, that they had seen moth
ing of Washington and its people, and knew
little about it's local government and man
agement except in general way; had never
been in the Washington monument, nor in
the Capitol except in response to a call to
appear before a committee, or at inaugu-
ration and state funerals; had never been
Institution, the naval museum, the naval
observatory, the bureau of printing and en-
craving, to see the making of money, and
scarcely anywhere else except along the
streets which led in the most direct route
from their homes to their Offices where
they would remain from 8 until 6 o'clock
frequently later, and often returning after
dinner in the evening.
The same is true with members Of the
House. Each Congress changes it's per-
sonnet to degree which would surprise
many If it were figured out. OF course
when the political complexion of the House
is reversed perhaps 200 or more, new and
uninitiated representatives are stranded
upon the sands of the capital and even
where the politics Of the House remains
the same several score Of new men take
their seats. The new and the old members
alike look upon our city as temporary
abiding place for few months In a year
and their first step is to acquaint them
selves with the shortest line from their
hotels and boarding houses to the Capitol
via the departments.
1t Is no exaggeration to assert that It
would be an easv matter to take a goodly
percentage of the members Of the House
at any session In the past or In any session
In the future to be held, blndfold them and
turn them loose in any one of the four
quarters of the city off of their beaten
trails to the Capitol, and they would be as
completely lost as stray children In a
strange city.
This fact, which correspondents and
others we'll versed know to be true. acouits
the city and our permanent but non govern
ing residents of many shortcomings in mu-
nlclpal improvements, and tends to account
Tor the reason why We have been unable
until this session, to obtain even initial an
preparations for such desperately needed
improvements as the Eastern branch or the
James Creek canal, which lie off the beaten
congressional trails to the Capitol. have
had scores of members tell me- while dis
.usslns iocai matters for my paper, that
they had never been in the District bujl0-
ing, while others did not even know where
II was located, and of these, several had
served more than one term
1T is not astonishing therefora that
some members fail to keep track Of i'm
portant legislation when they would get
Washington" IA