The Washington times., 1905-01-10
The District and the Ball.

Inc concurrence OIL the HOUSE III the
Senate resolution providing that the
inaugural ball shall be held in the
Pension Building arouses in the Dis
trict two sensations The first sensa-
ton is gratitude to Chairman A B.
Browne and his lieutenants of the
inaugural subcommittee on legisla-
ton. The second sensation is resent
ment at the attitude of the House that
the District stands continually with
its hand outstretched and that it is
the Districts responsibility to pro-
vide a hall for q regular feature OF
the inaugural ceremony.
Mr. Browne and those who worked
with him are antitheses of the local
speechmaker Their work was I'M
usual and discouraging. and it in
volred the sacrifice of much time and
private business. No opportunity Of
fered for posing in the public view
Yet the gentlemen who undertook to
obtain the legislation needed for
inaugural ceremonies which should
conform with the dignity of the ma
ton, kept diligently at work until the
harvest was secure This is the kind
OF public service which Washington
needs.
AS to the contention Of the House
minority that the District has the
.impudence to go constantly TO Con-
gress with hands out and say, Give
US more; give us more (these are
the words of Mr. Baker of New York
with his grammar corrected) it is
preposterous.
The District of Columbia is depend
ent upon Congress because it was
designed TO be so, and because the
Constitution provides that it shall be
so. The District cannot help it.
Washington was planned as city
which should exist only as the CAPT
tai OF the nation and be supported by
the alton And Washington cannot
help that either.
If the District did go constantly to
Congress, then, with its hands out
stretched, etc, its course would be
only the logical outcome of a situa-
ton created with the establishment OF
the Government But the District
does not go TO Congress in this or any
other such way. Just now it is chiefly
occupied in asking the privilege OF
using its own credit for its own good
and the good of the National Gov
eminent
Congress pays half the cost of gov
erning the District because the Ma
tional Government, which Congress
represents, gets at least half the bene-
fit. It's property is, dollar for dollar,
worth more than that of the munici-
pality. Its taxes for protection and
municipal service are, OF right, there
fore, not less than those of the Dis
trict. And the District pays every
year as much of a tax On its property
as would be required in any other To-
cality to maintain its government on
the same scale.
Washington is no beggar Neither
is it greedy or ungrateful It would
have less self-respect than a beggar,
however, if it were afraid to ask for
the municipal improvements which
distinguish Mr. Bakers Brooklyn and
Mr.. vowherd's Kansas City.
Nor is the District dismayed be-
cause the minority condemns its fail
ure to erect hall for the inaugural
fall. That function is no local at
fair-although local enterprise keep:
il alive 1t is distinctly national anG
governmental. Congress is RESPONSE
bic, not the District, that hall shall
be provided for ii, and in proof OF
that responsibility, Congress did pro
vide hall for it when it planned
the Pension Building.
II the District desires to build !;
hall, that is the Districts business
Perhaps IL the District Nationa
Guard did not drill among the chick
ems and cold meats the District nigh
have had hall, and the perturbation
of the House minority have beer
averted.