The Penn's Grove record., 1911-01-13

! down at all why do we not hahe II
plain and spell it s~-h-o-f-e-r?"
Now it Is worth while remeu1peiins
that that was a running DEBATE pe-
tween representatives in Congress-
each one Of whom has high stanoins
here in Washington and in his own
district. But it is even more "oi.n
while remembering that they were US -
cussing the trivial matter OF the -
censing of cabmen in the Capital Guy.
California did not send Mr.. JULIUS
Kahn here to determine how the caus
of Washington should be run. liiiho.s '
which sent Mr.. Mann back again., IL
the face Of a Democratic lanus,iue
which almost drove him out OF pupic
life. did not suppose that he was gums
to spend his time In the house tryihs
to determine what should be the ices
Of men holding market booths III inc
central market of this city, or Wne'nei
or not the government should erect a
bridge across what is known as hocA
Creek. Nor does it seem propapie
that the constituents of Nj. Samuel
Smith of Michigan can be violently
keen over the purchase of Our u d
half acres of land which few OF tnem
will ever see, but which will douptiess
add to the Identification OF Wasnlng-
ton.
System Wrong and Wastefui.
The argument l would make IN TINS
matter is that it is wrong, impohtlc
and -extravagant to use men OF thls
type In the service of a single city as
if they were merely petty city poll
ticians. Nobody questions the SINGER
ity with which they undertake tnls
task, and even here in Washington,
which is the home of suspicion and
scandal, there is no general ak about
anything done by the District OF Co
lumbia committee of the house or
senate which was not for the develop
ment of the Capital City. Fut among
the members of congess-Dotn
houses-there is a genera feeling
that they ought not to be asked to act
as a board of aldermen to manage a
city of which they are only temporary
residents. In all probability in the
next session there will be sme legis-
lation offered to correct thi evil.
City Wants Enforcement.
Nobody who knows anything about
Washington would think br a mo-
ment Of denying that in tie past a
good deal of money has con to GER
tain members Of the house Tho are on
the District committee from their con-
troll of such mere matters d detail as
determining where a city electric road
may be laid or what the next con-
tract with the gas COMPANY may be.
This condition doesn't exist SO much
today, as it did in the Older days, but
nevertheless the people OF Washing
ton do feel that at least tey should
be given the same powels of self
government as have beer given to
Oklahoma within this Immediate po-
litical generation and as the people of
Alaska are demanding and will get.
Negro Vote in the Way.
The only reason why they haven't
thus far had that right is because of
the almost predominant nero vote in
the District. That vote in bygone
years has been invariably Republican
If it could have been cast, and the
Republican party will not allow the
District of Columbia to adopt those
methods of regulation which in the
| southern states have enabled the PEG.
pie of property and standing to mini
mize or to destroy the danser of black
supremacy. With the incoming of the
Democratic Congress and the promise
of a Democrat in the White House it
is possible that this situation may be
corrected and the Capital City of the
United States be given its right to
self-government and thereby made
more creditable to the nation than it
is today.
Long Holiday Foolish.
When congress r~eassembles after
the holidays the representatives
of both parties are going tc
face some very hard fights with.
in their own party lines. If con
gress was less leisurely It would not
take a ten days recess in the middle
of a short session, but would accept
as one of the unfortunate duties i'm.
posed upon its members the necessity
of working straight along for three
months without deducting ten days
for the Christmas holidays. The curl
u part of this Is hat In CONVEX
sation with perhaps 20 congressman ]
found none who did not agree to the
proposition that this prolonged recess
in the middle of a session which at
best amounts to only a little over
70 working days, is entirely unjusti
fable. But even those who agreed
with my theory cheerfully voted for
the recess.
Furthermore, the recess really
means more than it appears. For al
least three days prior to the adjourn
ment for the holidays there was moi
a majority of the whole house II
Washington, and certain measures
which required action by a majority
Of the house instead of a majority
Of those present, had necessarily tc
=. | ~
be laid over.
Democrats Discuss CIark's Action.
What the Democrats will have tc
face Immediately upon their return
is Champ Clark's proposition, which is
practically NOW made effective, for q
conference on the 10Th of January fol
both old and new members Of the
Democratic side of the house of rep
r~esentatives. I doubt whether any
thing has been done by a leader, or q
group Of leaders-for no doubt Mr.
Clark has his adyisers-which has
stirred SO much interest, antagonisn
and support as this action of the mi
nority leader. Go where you will
in hotel corridors, in the halls of the
capitol or of the house of representa-
tives office building you will find
small groups of Democrats buttonhol
ing each other and talking eagerly
about what Is to result from 1t.
They Think 1t a BIunder.