The Washington herald., 1908-04-29

you cannot get any legislation through
here that controls or touches anything
with reference to the street car system
that the managers OF those companies
do not o. K.
We are in the ridiculous condition to-
day of a town Of $4,000 walking a quar-
ter OF mile to get to the depot because
the general manager Of the street car
company viii not agree TO what particu-
lar kind of bill we shall pass"
With this arraignment, aimed at the
Senate District Committee, and following
an arraignment Of the District Commits
sioners. Senator BurSett, OF Nebraska,
himself a member of the District Com
mittee, enlivened the consideration Of the
District appropriation bill in the Senate
yesterday afternoon.
Demands "a RetractiOn.
7 would ask the Senator from Ne
bTaska." said Senator Gailiuger. chair
man OF the District Committee and also
of the conference committee On the
Union Station trackage bill. rising quick
ly and speaking in tones that betrayed
anger, either at the present time or to-
morrow, If il IS convenient TO him, TO re-
tract the statement he has just made
about legislation relating to the street
railways"
If replied Senator Burkett. calmly
"the Senator viii point out to me any
legislation we have had which they have
not consented TO, I viii retract it."
I have no knowledge of their ever
asking for any special legislation" re-
Joined Senator Gallinger.
I have knowledge Of the committee
bringing in measure. and the general
managers interviewing Senators in the
corridor one by one, and then the bill
being withdrawn" Tetorted Senator
BuTkett.
GalllnEer Defends Committee.
The Senator has no right" said Mr.
Gallinger, ito make a statement which
impeaches the Committee on the District
of Columbia and impeaches Congress, and
/ think he viii see the propriety Of with
drawing his language now or at some fu-
ture time.
IF the Senator will point out any leg
lslation,' repeated Mr. Burkett, which
has passed here against the consent Of
the railway managers within the last ten
years I Will Tetract that. want TO know
about legislation which has been passed.
Wants BrightwOOd Line.
The Senator from Nebraska has offered
an amendment TO the District budget
providing that the Brightwood cars
should run through 10 the Center Market
on a siX-minute schedule. Mr.. GalIinger, /
in charge Of the BILL had the clerk read
letter from the Commissioners in regard
IN 0f
the same end. in which the Commission
ers opposed the passage Of the hill on the
ground that they had not had time to
look into the matter and also declared
that the passage Of their bin to give them
the .e~'Nrs OF a pUblic-utilities commits /
sion would Deter secure the purpose !
sought in the bill. Mr.. Gallinger reserved
a point of order against the amendment, /
and Senator Burkett launched into a
straight-frOm-the-sho speech.
AFrHigns the Commissioners.
4 doubted he said. whether the
chairman Of the committee would want
to take the responsibility Of this matter
by raising the point OF order. I rather /
thought he would prefer to let the Senate |
determine ii.
Now. the letter waich has been read IS !
characteristic Of what the people of the |
District have been receiving in matters /
Of this Importance ever since / have been
member OF Congress. If there is any
place in the District where people are |
being outraged IL Is out here at Seventh /
street and Florida avenue, where these
street car companies carry these people /
out and dump them into the rain and
mud and make them take another car 10 1
80 out TO the borders OF the District. /
There are siXty-seven square miles I'm the
District, and yet these street car com /
panies are doing a thing which such COM |
panies are not permitted to do, I dare say
in any other town In the United States. /
within similar territory. and that is TO /
compel the people 10 get out and trans /
fer; in short not running their cars
through 10 the end of the line.
scores of Opportunities"
The District Commissioners come in |
with that letter and say that they have
not had time 70 consider il. I want 70 |
hurl it back at them that they have had
opportunities by the score 10 consider /
that same thing in the last few years.
There have been no less, by the rec !
ords than 800 people before the Commits /
sioners, people who live out in that mart /
Of the District of Columbia, hannerine /
ar their door, trying 10 get recognition
that they might be heard and their rights /
given some attention. They have not
only done that. bat they have come with
petitions and visits and personal inter |
views before the Committee on the Dis
trlct OF Columbia. and interviewed Sen
ators individually for year. 10 compel 1
the street car company TO run their cars /
-
hve miles out and vet all those people /
in Takoma Park and all I'D in that sec /
ton Of the country are compelled to /
change cars out here at Florida avenue.
Status Of Trackage Bill.
Then came the denunciation which
started the colIoquy between Mr.. Burl,att /
and Senator Gallinger. After a little more
Of this exchange of opinions, Mr.. BurIxeft
continued:
want to put the responsibility where
it belongs and want to repeat, because
the Senator has not pointed out anv Ieeis-
iation that we have been able to get
here that touched one Of these street rail-
way companies. I undertake to say that
there are the poorest equipped street rail
way systems in the District Of Columbia
of any town Of any size in the United
States. There is not a Senator who will
make an investigation who will not bear
out that statement"
In view Of the statement OF the SEN
ator from Nebraska, and in the general
interest, inteTposed Senator Culberson
i will ask what is the status OF the
legislation with respect to the construe-
tion Of car lines leading TO the Union
Station?"
Ask the chairman OF the committee. i"
Veplip5 RTr Rs4rLaff fsNETs