The National tribune., 1903-06-04

people live in the District outside of the
cities of Washington and Georgetown. The
Congress of the United States is the Leg
islature of the District of Columbia and
It's Judiciary is affiliated with the courts of
the United States. The Commissioners
recommend legislation, including appro-
priations, which are made under the or
ganic act of 1878, half from the National
Treasury and half from the District tax
funds The United States contributed lit
tie or nothing to the general expenses of
the District of Columbia prior to 1873,
although it was admitted that it ought to
do so because this was the National Cap
ital and because the United States owned
over onc-half of the land, rs is still the
case. This land was donated to the United
States by the original proprietors at the
request of George Washington. the found
er of the National Capital. With S2030.G0o
secured by the United States from the sale
of a portion of this land, together with
small grants from Maryland and Virginia,
the Capitol and White House and other
public buildings were built, from 1890 on,
and the approaches to the National build
ings were improved. The National Gov
ernnment has paid the rest of the cost Of
the National buildings and grounds. Con-
gress, besides passing on measures sub
mitted by the Commissioners, refers to
them for report all bills pronosins irsisla-
ton for the District of Columbia, and is
largely guided by their advice. The Presi-
dent before approving bills relating to the
District Of Columbia, which have been
passed and sent to him by Congress, sub
mits them to the Commissioners for any
objections they may have to offer.
No one can have n greater interest in
the National Capital than the survivors of
the men who maintained and preserved it
during the civil war. They kept the Ma
ton from being rent in twain and the Ma
tional Capital from being swallowed up
in the awful gulf. They also discovered
the National Capital to the country,
which had cared but little about it before
the war. The old, persistent talk of NOV
ing the Capital out West, started at first
before the railway or telegraph gave ade-
quate means of communication, was never
seriously revived after the civil war had
hallowed Washington as the Capital for
which the blood of the best had been
poured out.
Gen. Grant, the leader Of the grand
armies of the Republic, shared the new
feeling about the City of Washington
which the civil war produced, and when
he became President gave the powerful
support of his influence to the efforts of
Alexander r. Shepherd and others who be-
gan the transformation which has created
the newer Washington. In the process of
its improvement through these 80 years,
many other veterans of the civil war who
remained here have been prominent and
useful. Many of the first citizens of the
District of Columbia are survivors of the
soldiers of the great conflict. They typify,
in their constant and patriotic devotion to
the National Capital, the home of the flag,
the center of the Nation, the cordial feel
ings which their comrades everywhere en-
tertain respecting it.
New Washington, Greater Washington,
welcomes with peculiar affection the de-
tenders and preservcrs Of the National
Capital, its best friends, the veterans of
the armies of the Union.
(The End.)