The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1905-01-31
T
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.

II has been known that economy in APP
propriations would be a distinguishing
feature of this Congress. but quite con-
trary to precedent in domestic affairs
economy has been first introduced in the
National home at Washington. The APP
propriations for the Capital city have
been cut down o,OO0,0 900, and many long
deferred and needed improvements will
have to wait for better times or until
Congress is in a more liberal mood. 1t
is estimated tina the value of the public
and private property in Washington is
about equal, or, in other words, Uncle
Sam and the people of Washington each
owns a moiety of the real estate and
should be equally taxed. The AK as
sessment of private and corporate prop
erty this year amounted in round num-
bers to over Sc, 500, 900, and assessing the
Government at an equal amount there
would have been more than $f3, 900 for
the support of the municipal government
and to meet the expenses of maintaining
parks, streets, highways, etc. But the
District has no voice or vote. 1t speaks
and votes only through Congress, some o.
whose members and Senators are avow-
edly inimical to everything that pertains
to the prosperity and establishment of
the capital of the United States. This
feeling, Of course, is provincial and un
patriotic, but that it is entertained y
members and Senator's who are sent here
for a few years, but who are essentially
local state men rather than national
statesmen, cannot be denied. But If the
capital of the United States is not to be
the urban queen of America through
lack of generous appropriation there is
expectation that there will be no lack Of
money to build a big navy. Only a year
ago naval experts were on tip toe. ex-
pecting submarine boats armed with
salient torpedoes to revolutionize naval
warfare. but the stupendous object les
son of the Russo-Japanese war has quite
changed the opinion of experts and there
has been a reversion to the old type of
heavy armored battleships equipped with
the heaviest guns. There has been in the
last two or three years an effort to con-
struct two great battleships of the same
class at the same time. They are called
the Connecticut and the Louisiana. They
are sister ships and their construction is
equally advanced. One has cost 50. 2S5, 600
and the other SO, 548, 900. and, remarkable
to say, the saving of nearly a million and
structed in a government nav yard by
government officers, and by workmen
paid by the government. If the govern
ment can so far Guido individual con-
tractors it is manifest that these have
been making unheard of profits at the
expense of the taxpayers and it is sus-
pected that there is understanding or
collision between the large contracting
firms by which these excessive profits arc
secured and probably divided. 1t is ex-
pected the sea trial shall prove an equal
VI 6iOahNi NiASiChSS VI hht
made boat, and there will doubtless be
an impetus given to national boat build
ing,
The past week has witnessed some in
teresting political episodes in Washing
ton and the indications are that the don
key and the elephant will lie down to
gether and that a little railway rate bin
will lead them. Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr..
Bryan have in~terchanged the glad han
and If the railroad rate fails will be
through the treachery of some of it's pro-
fessed friends. No doubt the presence of
Mr.. Bryan has had much to do with the
unanimity OF the Democratic members
and Senators. Both Republicans and
Democrats are falling over each other
In an effort to effect railroad rate legis-
%lation; each party is claiming originality
of intention and one need not be sur
prised to find out sooner or later that the
measure was advocated by both Demo