The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-01
Spendthrift Washington.

Nv liiADOttOND oNSiNi
money burning recklessness OF life in
Washington were exposed thoroughlyn not
long ago by DR.. JOHN WESLEY GAINES,
the Monumental Pile of Brains, The
Tennessee statesman told the House and
the country Of his efforts to keep the
aspiring youths of his State at home and
save them from the wild whirlwind Of
extravaganza and the compound life at
the capital:
Mr. Chairman, time and again, out OF my kind
ness OF heart. | hope. and out OF the wisdom Of
my head, | trust. I have advised young men to
stay back in Tennessee. To cast their fortunes
there. Come up from her rich soil under her sun
shine amidst her good citizenship. Make Of them
selves there lawyers, doctors, preachers. farmers,
school teachers, rather than come here to draw
the pittance OF a little salary and fritter It away az
theatres. as thousands OF the people OF the city OF
washington do who are not able to make buckle
and tongue meet. tApplause.l ] know exactly
what ! am talking about. ! have seen all this. II
is a very unfortunate social condition. This ia
the most spendthrtft city In the United States
Whether a man is rich or poor he is obliged TO 90
to the theatre regularly. He Is obliged TO do this
VNdH Nv Nv S'"b So
obliged TO do that. he is oblige to do this, that
and the other or he is not in society,""
A man obliged to go to the theatre
regularly may easily find himself a poor
man at the end of the season, but il a
poor man under social duress can 60 TO
the theatre regularly in Washington, why,
that town of many charms has n more
title to the admiration OF it's worshippers.
On the other hand, there may be pluto
Gratis who don't like the theatre or care
to go to it regularly. Presumably they
avoid Washington and its social law,
and thereby help to reduce the cost OF
living there. 1t seems, however. that
this is enormous The Hon. CHAMP
CLARK Of Bowling Green, Mo, a man
who has seen many men and cities, is
sufficient authority on the subject:
my experience is-and | take II mine is about
the same as anybody else's--thst II costs more to
live in the city OF washington than any other place
I was ever in in py HE. tLaughter.l That is. to
live In the same style OF living. I have lived in
att. in Jefferson City. a little while In st.
Louis, but generally in country places. Taking
into consideration the cost OF living in the city of
washington and the cost Of living in g country
place. ! think all will admit that the cost Of living
in Washington is at least double that which 1t will
cost In a country place"
Strange, but doubtless true. The cost
OF living in Washington must be at least
twice what it is in Bowling Green, Mo-;
and in the latter capital a poor man is
not required to go to the theatre regu-
larly.
The Hon. JOHN SHARP WILLIAMS sar-
castically remarked that he understood
it cost more to live in New York than
it does in Washington. Certainly New
York is full of the Money Power and the
lobster palace, but poor men are not
compelled to go to the theatre here.
DR.. GA1NEs's assertions will be ac-
oepted absolutely. 1t was superf1uous
for him to say that he is talking facts"
and that his duty is first to "his country,
the Constitution and the flag He al
ways does his duty and finds his facts,
Washington, then, is in a most unfortu-
nate social condition. Yet costly as life
is there, DR.. GAINEs's five cent savings
bank is still open and the paying teller
still attending to business:
81 challenge any man to show where In my
career in Congress | have turned a deaf ear 10 real
charity when ] had a nickel to give. l challenge
any man to point TO a man, woman or child. black
or white, 10 whom I have turned an unwilling
hand when l could turn 1t at all within the laws
limit
It is a pleasure to recommend visitors
in Washington to DR.. GAINES. They can
always be sure of car fare.
Once in a while DIR. GAINES finds a
| Government clerk who is tired Of clerk
ing and of forced attendance at the
theatre:
" Why, only a few days ago n clerk who has
been here about six months said 10 me: Mr..
GAINES. ! am going back home. This Is no place
for me; there Is not enough latitude and longitude
for me here: my actions are restrained too much;
I am a mere clerk and will so remain: | want to go
back to the mountains. to the bluegrass region,
TO the silver springs OF Tennessee, where I will
have all the rights and latitude and longitude that
any American citizen can have. I won't throw
away my life In this world"
But no silver springs for the majority
| of 'the splendid young men" who get
iyto the Government service. Their
skins get to be as fair as our W sweet
girls, their hands as soft as the down on
the wings of night" Notice that DR..
GAINES can talk poetry as well as facts.
The downy handed clerks spend all
they make" like so many other folks.
CIarka md REPRESENTATIVES, are SOlemnly
warned by DR.. GAINES:
when old age comes they are going to be
plnched, as all OF US will be II we stay in Congress.
Poverty will get all OF u.s."
If we don't watch out. Sympathizing
with Mr.. SHAw's idea-LEsLIE MoRTIER,
not GEORGE BERNARD-Dr. GAINES
thinks a clerk should get the axe in the
cervix after six years service. Wash
ington is for the rich alone. A last