Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-05
PRAISE JUDSON BILL
Citizens Express Regret Over
Defeat of the Measure.
TAKES ACTION
Resolution of Approval Practically
Adopted by Unanimous Vote.
c. G. LANCASTER ONLY 0PPosER
Motion to Criticise Commissioners
for Dismissal of Superintendent
Of Street Cleaning Defeated.

Charles c. Lancaster, president of the
| Citizens Northwest Suburban Associa-
tion, who admitted that with others ne
had lobbied successfully to defeat the
Judson financial bill in the House of
Representatives, at a meeting of the
! Federation of Citizens Associations last
| night stood alone in voting against two
| resolutions, one expressing regret at the
| defeat OF the Judson measure and the
+, other approving 1t as a business meas
ure, practical and feasible to obtain fu-
! ture benefits for all citizens of the Dis
trict. Both were adopted.
! Again, when q resolution condemning
J the Commissioners for dsmissing James
NJ Wood as superintendent of street
cleaning was laid before the federation.
Mr.. Lancaster strenuously urged its
| adoption, but the organization voted al
most unanimously to lay the measure on
| the table.
| The federation is composed Of delegates
from twenty citizens associations. Last
| night meeting was attended by sixteen
! delegates.
The meeting had hardly opened for
sentine the Lincoln Park Citizens Asso-
citation, presented d resolution setting
| forth that lit is the sense of the Fedora
| ton of Citizens Associations that the
| defeat of the JudSon financial bill by the
| House of Representatives is greatly re-
| GREETED by residents of the District
| In explaining the matter Mr.. Edwards
said the Judson bill was the most i'm
| portant measure for the improvement
of the District of Columbia that had been
| introduced in Congress at the session just
! closed.
1t was defeated largely through a mis-
| understanding of its terms" he added.
| Judging from the statements Of those
congressman who opposed it they were
| misini ormed. Where they got their out
| landish notions 1t is hard to tell. The
defeat Of the bill was misfortune for
| the District
! ton Society of Fine Arts. also introduced
| resolution commencing the bill pre-
| pared by the Engineer Commissioner and
| said the measure ought to be reintrO-
| duced at the special session Of Congress.
Mr.. Browns resolution set forth that
| the Federation of Citizens Associations
approves most heartily the action of the
Chamber of Commerce and the Board OF
Trade, and joins with them In urging
upon Congress the passage Of the JUDI
son bill, as business measure practical
and feasible by which improvements OF
| our city may be carried on in logical
and systematic way. following a system
laid out and planned for the future good
of all citizens
Comments by E. w. Oyster.
Delegate e. w. Oyster of Petworth
took occasion to remark that while he
did not object to the provisions of the
proposed bill. he did object to its omis-
sions. He believed that publication OF
the city should go hand in hand with the
Identification of the city, and failed to
see where a comprehensive park system,
I k41 1>xvD n
and others. would decrease the death
rate of the National Capital.
Glenn Brown In reply said the bill
would authorize the Commissioners to
slums and to take such other action as
is necessary to provide better sanitation
here.
Following brief discussion both meas
ureS were adopted.
When this matter had been disposed of
q resolution termed by one of the subse-
uuent speakers "a measure couched in
violent. fierce and furious language was
offered by the East End Suburban Citi-
zens' Association scoring the Commits
sioners for dismissing James NJ Wood as
superintendent Of street cleaning
Mr. Lancaster Immediately moved Its
adoption. Leon Z. DesseZ, delegate from
the American Institute Of Architects, was
on his feet in an instant, and moved that
the resolution be laid on the table. In
der suspension of the rules a debate
was then begun which lasted for more
than an hour. Mr.. Lancaster was the
/ only speaker to favor the measure in its
entirety.
Delegate Dessez and Delegate Oyster,
! representing the Petworth citizens, held
| that the Commissioners had authority to
| appoint men from other cities to District
| positions. Other delegates argued that it
was not within the province of the fedora
| ton to pass upon any matter OF per-
sonal nature.
oNI, y3nfo 1c
| have no place here" remarked D. A. Ed
| wards.
Mr.. Lancaster's Criticism.
! Then Mr.. Lancaster obtained the floor
and excoriated the system Of government
| in the District.
There is a class Of citizens in this Dis
| trict who have lost their manliness and
| independence because they have favOrs to
ask" he said. There are also people in
| this city who would sacrifice Their friends
! and principles TO curry favor. l do not
| regard this matter as personal, neither
| will mention names, but do insist that
| this official. who was dismissed without a
/ hearing, was denied a privilege extended
| even to criminals. And this dismissal
was after he had rendered efficient serv-
! ice for years. l would feel humiliated to
| belong to tn S federation II it were to re-
| fuse to protest against this summary dis
\ HliSSdl anu dpplduUS the SOLlfIlSSlONeTS
| for appointing out-of-town men to con-
| duct our affairs.
! 1T i'll becomes US to act as II we are
| afraid to play the part of men and stand
| up for the people of the District. We are
not here to represent a lot Of fawning
! fellows"
Mr.. Edwards. W. H. Richardson and
| others resented the insinuaton that The
| delegates were acting as sycophants In
| opposing the adoption of the resolution.
| When put to vote the resolution was
| tabled.
| motion to rescind the action of the
| federation and thus remove from the
| records all mention OF the Wood matter
| was defeated, on motion Of MIR Lam
| caster. Another motion offered by
| George F. Williams Of Takoma Park. ex-
planning why the resolution censuring the
Commissioners was tabled, was likewise
| defeated
The resignation Of Eugene Thompson as
secretary of the federation was rendered
and Edwin c. Dutton of Chevy Chase
| was elected to fill the vancancy.
On motion of e. J. Ayres of Bright
wood Park the association will forward
a letter to Postmaster Merritt commend
ing his action in indorsing the carrier
windows in the city post ONCE closed
Sundays.
BY unanimous vote tho federation
authorized William NICK Clayton. presi-
dent IN take the necessary stems to In.