The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1909-12-24
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER

But few more days remain TO Con-
gress before the adjournment for the
Christmas holidays. The Lower House
is making serious effort to pass one
appropriation bill, that for the District
of Columbia, before adjournment. The
bill as originally presented had been
very carefully supervised and called for
q smaller appropriation than that of the
previous year but the Lower House of
Congress, in the interest of economy, is
contending for still further reduction.
The city of Washington is growing
very rapidly and larger and larger sums
are being collected in the way of taxes.
The National Government owning and
controlling the public parks, public
buildings and street has for years paid
one-half the expense of up-keep and
improvements and as is well-known,
Congress is the legislative body that de-
cides finally with reference to such ap-
propriations as are needed for the
schools. police. and all expenses relat-
ing to municipal affairs. But in Wash
ington, as in many other cities, there
are trusts and public utilities that es-
cape their fair appropriation of taxes.
There are transportation companies and
telephone companies who do not con-
tribute their proper quota to the sup
port of the District of Columbia
Washington is National city, the Nat
ional Congress legislates for it, the
Presidents of the United States ap-
points the commissioners who are at
the head Of the District Government,
the residents of Washington are without
the privilege of voting and have no
direct influence in the affairs of the city
in which they live and it is for this rea-
son that anything that concerns the
welfare of the National Capital is
through Congress, the concern of all
the people of the United States.
The Secretary of the Navy, Mr..
Meyer, was before the House Commit
tee on Naval affairs on the 18th inst
and was 80 urgent in explaining the
necessity for the changes which he has
made in his Department and IN his ad
vocacy that these changes shall be con-
firmed by legislation that he prevented
the Committee going to luncheon until
long after then usual hour for refresh
ment. He is urging the discontinuance
of the Bureau system and the establish
ment of the Navy Department on a
basis similar to that upon which the
War Department is now managed.
General Crozier, one of the few rap
idly promoted young officers of the
Unite States and who was much appre-
ciated and trusted by President Roose
velt, says that there is no first-class res
pectable power with whom we may pos
siblY have unpleasantness but that can
put into the field almost Immediately
three millions of men. He says that
this great army could be marshalled
against US more rapidly than we could
manufacture arms, organize volunteer
troops and bring them in position to
oppose = powerful enemy. This was
the gist Of General Crozier's statement
before the House Committee on mill
tary affairs.
1t came out in his report that the re-
serve ammunition has been fixed tenta-
lively at about three hundred rounds,
each for six hundred thousand rifles
and it was further elected that owing
to the limited appropriations it would
take six and one-half years to accumu-
late the necessary reserve ammunition
for war. Well, what are we to do
about it1 Manufacture aud store large
magazines of war material that will be-
come obsolete through improvements
that are going on with great rapidity or
repose in the security of our splendid
isolation and discontinue all belligerent
preparations?
The Ballinger and Pnchot contro-
versy will not down. It continu lily
crops up. This week Mr. Hitchcock of
Nebraska brought it up in the House
and it is sure to be heard from in the
Senate. Mr.. Hitchcock is championing
Mr.. CLAWS who was discharged from
the Land OAice and says that CLAWS
story carries conviction aad shows that
whether the Land Office was presided
over by Ballinger as Commissioner or
aa Sscretarv If tho Iptar;or If uas ond
is manipulated to assist land thieves in
theirl depredations in the valuable coal
regions Of Alaska. Secretary Ballin-
ger, as member or Mr.. Taft's cabinet
is, of course, restless under the attacks
of Congr essman Hitchcock of Nebras-
ka. Mr.. Ballinger says that the whole
matter is . fabrication and that, be-
sides, Mr.. Hitchcock is a democrat.
He says that he courts the fullest in
vestigation. Well, it is probable that
he will succeed in getting it.
The hundreds of thousands who have
used them will be glad to know that
the combined pocket y-191O-mem-
orandum book and calendar for 1910 & |
1911 with other handy information is
sued by G. A. Snow & Co., of Wash
ington, D. c., is ready and send to any
address on receipt of two cents postage.
Write to c. A. Snow & Co., Washing
ton, D. G.
No, Politics in Census.