The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-17
By FREDERICK L. SIDrONS,
One of the Most Prominent LAWYER,
in the District of Columbia.

What's the Matter With washing
! ton?' Not much than cannot be correct
&c. but which, II not corrected. will be-
fore long rctard the growth Of the Ma
tional Capital in a manner that every
sensible man and woman should not de-
sire to see.
I read your editorial and. taking up
the question that you asked I'm it.
What's the matter with the District
Government" l have no hesitation In
saying that in my judgment. on its
legislative side. il is inherently defec-
tive. unsOund and utterly opposed to
the spirit Of our political institutions
and. in saying this, wish II understood
that I speak not from any theoretical
standpoint. but from an essentially
practical view
over ten years ago I delivered in
Cleveland, an address before the Ma
tionai Municipal League. on the sub
ject OF the municipal condition OF Wash
ington. and in doing so. said. among
other things:
Two Small for Congress.
Dependent as We are upon Congress.
its failure as a municipal legislative
body threatens the future Of the Dis
trict. And yet II should not surprise
thinking people that a legislature.
charged with the parliamentary affairs
Of n nation Of sixty-five millions Of
people and formulating currency and
tariff policies. today finds difficulty in
coming to the consideration tomorrow
of whether it will grant an appropria-
ton to lay a sewer or pass an ordinance
he Of L.,
a community of less than three hun
bred thousand persons. This was never
contemplated by the Constitution max
ers and certainly Congress is not adapt
ed to the performance Of such legisla
tive duties Indeed the difficulty OF
legislating even in its legitimate sphere
of action is Occasioning much perpleXity
to ECe students and admirers OF our
political institutions. Is il wonder then
that the petty details OF municipal legis-
lation encounter the impotence. indif-
ference and even disgust Of the national
Legislators. important though that legis-
Iation may be to the comfort. security
and general welfare of the people of the
District OF Columbia?
Citizens Of the District are fire.
quently told by the friends Of the pres
ent system that Washington is and was
designed to be a Federal city, and II is
eminently proper that such a city, be
longing to the people Of the whole Coun-
try. should be legislated for by the Con-
gress of the United States; that the
affairs Of such a city concern the people
OF the whole country. and that, there
fore. they will be fully cared for by the
peoples representatives. That sounds
well enough. but what does it amount
to as a fact? The old adsge that What
is everybody's business Is nobody's
business comes home to the citizens of
Washington at every session OF Con-
gress with peculiar force. With rare ex-
ceptions the average Congressman ex-
hibits about as much information on
District matters as a Eottentot may lie
supposed to possess, and he doesn't seem
to want any more. The result is that
time and again important local legisIa-
ton suffers assaults from some ignorant
member. and is finally defeated because
the House or Senate has no knowledge
or interest in the measure under con
sIderation."
System Will Break Down.
The SOLDERING years that have passed
since the foregoing words were uttered