Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-07-29
WASHINGTON WANTS ALEXANDRIA BACK.
fiGh Slice of Northern Virginia Becomes
Bone Of COntentiun-Yirginia Con-
gTesSmen Oppose Il.

Washington, July 27.-President Taft
IN his next annual message, probably
will recommend to Congress that the
old boundaries of the District of Column
bia be restored.
The legal points involved in trans
fer from Virginia to the United States
of that part of the district receded to
Virginia in 1886 are now being investi-
gated. 1t is probable that a joint reso-
luton will be introduced at the begin
ring of the next session of Congress,
directing the Attorney-General to re-
port the steps that should be taken to
secure the restoration of this territory
President Taft in his speech to the
citizens of Washington at public din
ner on May Sth deplored the short-sight-
edness of Congress in receding to Vir-
ginia that part of the district south of
the Potomac. He said that it was a
day of small things when Congress could
have held that the District of Columbia
was too large, and he added:
Il have never been able to satisfy
myself that retrocession was within the
power of Congress to make.
81 believe we ought to look forward
to a great city of Washington, and
while the Anglo-Saxon-and especially
the Anglo-Saxon in Virginia-holds on
10 territory as long as he can, it might
lie possible by agitating the question in
leading way to induce another settle
rlent by which we should get the only
lart of that that we really would like to
have; the part that we own now in fee,
the !, 100 acres of the Arlington estate
and a great deal that is unoccupied,
leaving Alexandria out, and Falls
Church, and taking only that that is in
lsbited, so that we may have in this
district, under our fostering control,
where we can build roads and make the
cstrict still more beautiful-that bank
C the Potomac on the other side as you
50 up toward Cabin John Bridge.
1--WE will need it; the city will con-
tnue to grow"
VIRGINIA CoNGREsSMEN OPPOSE IT.
Senator John W. Daniel was terse in
his protest against any enlargement of
the District at the expense of Virginia.
when we are given back the State
O. West Virginia and the counties that
Commonwealth has taken from US from
{ ne to time, 1 might entertain the
position Of making donation of ter
ory to the District of Columbia" he
id.
Representative William A. Jones, of
Virginia, believes that any effort to
take territory from that State to add to
the District will be unpopular among
the people of Virginia, although he him
self has no decided views in the matter.
lie would be guided very largely in his
sstitude, he said last night, by the pub
L. sentiment of his district, as we'll as
OF the State at large. His district ad-
j,ins Congressman Carlin's, in which
the retroceded area lies.
Representative c. Bascom Slemp, of
the Ninth Virginia District, said that
h had not looked into the question of
the legality of the retrocession act, and
could express no opinion about it. AS
to expansion of the District he didn't
see any need at the present time, nor
for some time to come, and if it was to
be at the expense of Virginia he was
opposed to it.
Senators Scott and Elkins, of West
Virginia, are both in favor Of the pro-
posed act.