Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-02-14
4 WORRY 70 CONGRESS
MT. VERNON A THORN
IN FLESH OF LAW
MAKERS.
WASHINGTON ESTATE NOW
A PROFITABLE INVESTMENT
Women Who Control itMake it Retreat
For Annual Outing - Government
May Decide to Take it Over Bodily
Senate May Adopt Plan of Night
Sessions.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington. Feb. IA. - Historic
Mount Vernon is getting to be one
Of the worries of congress.
The splendid old Washington estate
few miles below Washington City is
the Mecca Of thousands Of tourists
every season. 1t is owned by a ma
uonal organization of women. which
bought it before the civil war, and has
restored and managed it with great
care. AT the time this organization
took the matter in hand, the place had
passed out of control Of the Washing
ton family, and congress was not dis
posed to make its maintenance and
restoration national affair Funds
We're raised by nation wide subscrip-
ton.
In recent years, despite the good
work of the association, there has been
much complaint about its methods The
estate has come to be a highly profit
able investment, because admission fee
is charged to the grounds, and there
are various ways OF getting the visitor
separated from his money. A monopoly
has been given to one steamboat line
OF handling passengers to the estate,
and this is highly profitable. The an
nual meeting of the Mount Vernon Ma
tional Association is a great occasion
for the ladies' who control the organiza-
ton. They mix a good deal of society
with their business, make the old
Washington home their headquarters,
sleep in the historic beds. and generally
make the occasion a most entertaining
one.
The impression that this fine old
place, which in addition to its associa-
tons with the name of the revolution
airy leader is also one of the finest
examples of colonial architecture ex-
that, ought to be a possession Of the
nation has been gaining ground for a
long time. This year a considerable
is asked to improve the
al Mount Vernon, and con-
gress is requested to invest the money.
The item has been put into the river
and harbor bill, but not without some
grurnbling.
The proposal is being renewed, to
have the estate condemned and taken
over by the government. The question
at once rises, whether the government
can take it without paying for it. The
place Is worth a large sum now: but
its fee is in the association. If con-
gress should pay half million dollars
for it, there would be no disposition to
make of the money except to distribute
it somehow among the members Of the
Mount Vernon association. That or
ganization has practically ceased to
exist except as body corporate; it is
a profitable affair. and has no excuse
for taking money for the estate. The
thousands of them-who
contributed to buy the place originally.
are all dead or forgotten. The govern
nent, 1t is generally conceded, ought to
have the property, but the association
doesn't want to lose it. and there is
prospect of fine ENHANCEMENT about
it before solution is reached
They do say that the senate is going
to adopt, inside another year or two,
the British custom of night sessions
for legislative business.
Senator Bailey started the movement