The Washington herald., 1909-02-05
PROGRESS OR CITY
TOLD By SPEAKERS
North Washington Citizens
Entertain Commissioners.
ANNUAL BANQUET IS HELD
Mai. Sylvester DepIOreS Lack of Suf-
hcIent Men Properly 10 Protect the
City-Miss Thomas Declares that
Women should Not Longer BE Kept
in Baekground-Congr Listens.


IN Baekground-COngre Listens.
Approval Of the progress made by the
District Of Columbia in the past fifteen or
twenty years was the prevailing senti-
ment expressed at the fourth annual ban
quet Of the North Washington Citizens
Association last night at the Riggs House.
While a good many figures and facts
were quoted TO show that the city has
made wonderful strides. practically every
speaker added that many reforms are
needed. Especially was this true Of the
speech made by Maj Richard Sylvester,
superintendent Of police. who deplored the
lack OF a numerically efficient police
force.
The principal speakers Of the evening
were Commissioners Henry B. F. Macfar-
land. and Henry L West and Maj. sylves-
ter. Other speakers were Miss Grace
Thomas. Lewis n. Miller. clerk 10 the
House Committee on District Affairs, and
/ DR.. William TindaIl, secretary TO the
Board OF District Commissioners.
Introduces MacfarIand.
Edwin A Mess. president OF the asso-
ciation, presided as toastmaster. Follow
ing a few words OF welcome, ne intro
duced Commissioner Macfarland. who
said in part:
we have forty citizens associations
recorded at the District Building. where
the names Of the officers Of all such as
! lsociations should be registered. These as
sociations range in membership from IN
der twenty-five to over 80 It is estimated
/ that the total membership is 100
The Board Of Trade and Chamber OF
/ Commerce number over ]. 90 different IN
dsviduals. These are not ali the civic or
/ ganizatIons Of the District They prove.
| however, that IN proportion 10 the pOpu-
lation more men are engaged in civic ser
vice without money compensation than
/ anywhere else within my knowledge
For seventy-eight years the District
/ people maintained the National Capital,
even when they staggered under the bur
/ den. Since IS7S. IN the period Of great
/ progress and Increasing expenditures.
/ they have paid half the expense, while all
the rest Of their feIlow-oountrymen have
paid the other half. Last year the Ma
4 tioral Capital maintenance cost Us about
/ 81 per capita. and our -countrymen
: cents per capita
Paid Full Share.
Besides this, we have paid our full
share Of internal and tariff taxes TO the
Federal Treasury. IN every national war
We have contributed more than our quota
OF volunteers, and IN every national
calamity more than our quota OF sub
scriptlons. Our outdoor charitable relief
system Is entirely maintained out OF our
pockets. and g number OF our charitable
/ institutions do not receive one dollar OF
public money
''The record-breaking inauguration fes-
/ tivities Of March ( next, which viii
bring 10000 visitors 20 Washington, will
only illustrate once more the public and
private hospitality which distinguishes
| this National Capital. whose door is al
ways open
We Commissioners. who from the Dis
/ trict Building can see all that is going
on, are proud OF the public-splrited men
and women who are contributing so
/ largely 20 the progress Of the National
/ Capital We are working on cOnlprehen-
/ sivs plans with the cordial cooperation
/ OF all patriotic Americans TO make this
in all respects the most perfect Capital. -
Answers Question.
/ As the Commissioner was about TO re-
sumo his seat L. J. Matthews, a member
Of the association. rose and asked the
presiding officer II It would be out OF
/ order to ask a question Upon being as
sured it would not. he said:
'Tg II be true, as, OF course, il must
be, what the speaker says about the sat
isfactory manner n which the citizens OF
/ the District have net their requirements,
VIII the Commissioner please tell me why
Il IS necessary TO raise the taxes?''
/ To this Mr. MacfsTland replied: There
Is no reason, I an happy to say"
President Mess next introduced Com
| missioner West, commenting upon the
wiseness Of President Roosevelt in re-
appointing him TO his position
/ Commissioner West compared the gov
erning powers Of Washington TO those Of
q large corporation. saying the board Of
/ control is represented by Congress and
the executive committee by the District
/ Commissioners. He said during the past
I
administration mad been made. not only
along humanitarian and idealistic lines,
but also in the direction Of more busi-
ness-like and efficient conduct Of mu-
nicipal affairs.
/ Commissioner West th,n went into a
/ detailed comparison OF the District gov
/ ernment as against that Of a private
/ corporation. quoting many figures to show
! expenditures and income. and showed
| that remarkable advances had been made
in the past ten years. New and better
/ systems OF disbursement were touched
upon, and the present financial system OF
the government was dwelt upon at
/ length
The business Side.
! IN closing. M West said:
"In thus emphasizing the business side
OF the District government I do not
minimize the high ideals toward which
we ought to strive. It is essential that
our poor should be housed in sanitary
dwellings; that our penal institutions
should be conducted along lines which
! the most advanced intelligence suggests:
that the sunlight should food the dark
/ and noisOme alleys; that children should
not be neglected. and that ample care
should be provided for the helpless sick.
AT the same time. all these most de-
sirable results viii fail Of accomplish
ment II the corporation which is to pro-
( vide them Is not managed with the high
est degree Of business sense.
! Maj. Sylvester outlined organized police
I history from the time OF its inception, in
France, in 400. down 10 the present time
He told Of the efforts Of Napoleon in or
I ganizing a force and OF the later efforts
In Great Britain OF Robert fcele, and the
/ Duke OF Wellington. saying it was from
( efforts Of "BObbie' Peele that the Lcndon
Offc- same 20 &c dubbed ''B0bbies'' -
j lie then told Of the forces in this cnun-