Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-12-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.


WASHlNG1ON LEI1EK.
From Our Regular Correspondent
Washington, D. G., Dec. ls--But
few more days remain to Congress
before the adjournment for the Christ.
mas holidays. The Lower House is
making serious effort to pass one ap-
preparation bill, that for the District Of
Columbia, before adjournment. The
bill as originally presented had been
very carefully supervised and called fol
a smaller appropriation than that OF
the previous year but the Lower House
Of Congress, in the interest of economy,
is contending for still further reduc-
ton. The city of Washington is grow
ing very rapidly and larger and larger
sums are being collected in the way OF
taxes. The national government own
ing and controlling the public parks,
public buildings and streets has for
years paid one-half the expense of up
keep and Improvements and as is we'll
known, Congress is the legislative body
that decides finally with reference to
such appropriations as are needed for
Che schools, police, and all expenses
relating to municipal affairs. But in
Washington, as in many other cities.
there are trusts and public utilities that
escape 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. Wash
ington is national city, the National
Congress legislates for it, the Presidents
of the United States appoints the COM
missioners 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 reason that any,
thing that concerns tn welfare of the
national capital is through Congress,
the concern all the people of the United
States.
The Secretary of the Navy, Mr.. Meyer,
was before the House Committee on
naval affairs on the 10Th inst, and was
SO urgent in explaining the necessity
for the changes which he has made in
his department in his advocacy that
fhoco oh q proo shall I,a oorG,,-,oJ -,
legislation that he prevented the COM
mittee going to luncheon until long af-
ter their usual hour for refreshment.
He is urging the Discrimination of the
Bureau system aud the establishment
of the navy department on a basis
similar to that upon which the war de-
partment is now managed.
General Crozier, one of the few rapid
ly promoted young officers of the Uni
ted States and who was much appreci-
ated and trusted by President Roose-
welt, says that there is no frst-class re-
spectacle power with whom we may
possibly have unpleasantness but that
can put into the field almost immedi-
ately three millions of men. He says
that this great array could be MARSHALL
ed against us more rapidly than we
could manufacture arms, organize vol
unteer troops and bring them in a po-
sit1on to oppose powerful enemy.
This was the gist of General Crozier's
statement before the House Com mittee
on military affairs.
1t came out in his report that the re:
serve ammunition has been fixed ten
tatively at about three hundred rounds,
each for six hundred thousand rifles
and it was further elocited that owing
to the limited appropriations it would
take six and one-half years to accnmu-
late the necessary reserve ammunition
for war. Well, what are we to do
about it? Manufacture and store large
magazines of war material tn at will
become absolete through Improvements
that are going on with great rapidity OF
repose in the security of our splendid
isolation and discontinue all billigerent
preparations
The Ballinger and Pinchot controv-
ersy will not down. 1t continually
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 champion
ing Mr.. CLAWS, who was discharged
from the Land Office and says that
CLAWS story carries conviction and
shows that whether the Land Office
was presides over by Ballinger as Com
missioner or as Secretary of the Interior
it was and is manipulated to assist
land thieves IN their deprediations in
the valuable coal regions of Alaska
Secretary Ballinger, as a member OF
Mr.. Taft's cabinet, is, of course, restless
under the attacks of Congressman
Hitchcock. Mr.. Ballinger says that
the whole matter is fabrication [and
that, besides, Mr.. Hitchcock is a demo
GRAFT. He says that he courts the fullest
investigation. Well, it it probable that
he will succeed in getting in.
A Word from a Subscriber and
Friend.