Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-12-06
ALEXANDRIA, VA.
TUESDAY EVENING, DEC. G

PRESIDENT IAPT sent ms amman
message to Congress today. 1t is more
than Henry A. Wise document, "
as it is nnety-four page pamphlet.
The bulk Of the message is simply a
review OF the condition OF the country
MS we'll as the world at large. The
following excerpts arc about the only
portions Of the voluminous document
of interest to people living in this sec
ton OF the country:
There are entirely too many customs
districts and too many customs col
lectors. These districts should be con
solidated and the collectors in charge
OF them, who draw good salaries, many
Of them out Of proportion to the col
lections made, should be abolished or
treated as mere branch offices, IN
accordance with the plan OF the Trea-
surv Department, which will be pre-
scented for the consideration of Con-
gress. As an illustration, the cost OF
collecting 81 Of revenue at typical
small ports like the port Of York, Me,
was 5000. At the port Of Annapo-
lis. Nd, it cost SS09.4l to collect 81
of revenue; at Natchez, $52.76; at
Alexandria, Va, S122.49.
have already in communica-
tons 10 Congress referred TO the import
ance Of acquiring for the District OF
Columbia at least a part Of the terri
tory on the other side OF the Potomac
in Virginia which was originally grant
ed for the District by the state OF Nlr-
GINA, aud then was retroceded by act
OF Congress in 1916. 10 is very evident
from conferences that have had with
the senators and representatives from
Virginia that there is 10 hope OF re-
granting by the state Of the land thus
given back; and am frank 20 say that
in so far as the tact includes the town
of Alexandria and land remote from
the Potomac river there would be no
particular advantage in bringing that
within national control. But the land
which lies along the Potomac river
above the railroad bridge and across
the Potomac. including Arlington Gem
e'ery, Fort Myer, the government eX-
pertinent farm, the village OF RoSslyn,
and the Palisades Of the Potomac,
reaching to where the District line IN
tersects the river. is very sparsey Sc
tied and could be admirably utilized for
increasing the system Of the parks of
Washington. 1t has been suggested to
me by the same Virginia senators and
representatives that If the government
were to acquire for a government PARK
the land above described, which IS not
of very great value, the present law OF
Virginia would itself work the creation
of federal jurisdiction over 1t, and II
that we're not complete enough, the
legislature ofVirginia would in all prob
ability so enlarge the jurisdiction as to
enable Congress to include 1t within the
control Of the government OF the DIS
trict OF Columbia and actually make 1t
n part OF Washington. earnestly
recommend that steps be taken to carry
out this plan.
The retrocession paragraph in the
message is as the echo Of note of the
diving swan. Retrocession was never
regarded seriously by the great major
itv when the fever was AZ its height.
Now that the republicans are suffering
from serious setback and n demo-
cratic House Of Representatives will
soon be in evidence, the prospect Of
any further despoilment of Virginia IS
remote indeed.