Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-27
Gardner Dinner Hints.

Gardner Dinner Hints.
President Tafts speech at the Gardner
dinner is full of the optimism, the en-
thusiasm and the practical. efectlFe
suggestion which have consistently
marked his attitude toward every move
ment to promote the physical develop
ment of the Capital. His sympathetic
and sincere cooperation in making
Washington in externals the most at
tractive of the worlds capitals is an
inspiration to other Americans and to
other Neutrality-suspicious.. Similarly the
example set by Representative Gardner
of faithful performance of his constitu-
rional duty to give time and thought and
laborious personal attention to District
legislation is, or should be, an inspira-
ton. In deservedly honoring Mr.. Gard
ner on this occasion Washington eN-
tends its manifestation of grateful APP
probation through him to the other
faithful public servants and TRENDS Oh
the Capital in both House and Senate,
whom the District delights to honor.
When Congress collectively ADOPTS the
standard of legislative duty in respect TO
the Ten Miles Square which is set by
Mr.. Gardner and a few others of our leg
islators. then the magnificent future CAPT
tai which President Taft and the rest OF
us picture in imagination will speedily
become a grand reality.
Unfortunately this high standard OF
duty is far from being recognized at
this time by Congress. Speaker Cannon
suggested in his Saturday night speech
that there is some definite relation be-
tween the ratio of District population
compared with that of the whole republic,
and the ratio of the time properly to be
devoted by Congress to the District COM
pared with that devoted to the entire
nation. He intimates that since the Dis
trict has only one OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
tieth of the population of the United
States, 1t would be equitably entitled only
to one two-hundr ed and part OF
the time and thought of Congress; and
that the Houses unfuifilled promise to
give one-twelfth of its time TO the Dis.
trict represents. therefore, an excess OF
most distinguished consideration.
The Constitution makes Congress, the
national legislature, also the exclusive
local legislature of the District. Til.
congressman's salary pays him for thu
performance Of his duties as local lesis
lator as we'll as those of national legisla
tor. and his oath of office binds him t.
perform faithfully both sets of duties.
The assumption is and always has beer
that Congress would give to its loca
legislative duties (as we'll as to those tha
are nationaD whatever time was neces
sary to the faithful performance of
constitutional obligation. The population
ic n,
extended to the apportionment of legis
lative time and thought among the state:
themselves would result in the practica
placement from legislative consideration
of such tiny commemorative as Senator
Aldrich's state of Rhode Island
The early standard of duty set for Con
Gress in management of the District wa.
not low one. In 1903 Representative,
Bacon made a formidable estimate of the
expense and loss of time to the nation
increasing with the growth of the Dis
trict, which would he involved in tn.
assumption by Congress of the power OF
exclusive legislation. Should justice,
he said, "be done to the exercise of thi:
power, it was likely that as much tim.
would be spent in legislating for this Dis
trict as for the whole United States
Representative Bacon in 1903 thu
thought that in justice the District NIGH
well receive one-half of the time ant
thought of Congress. Speaker Cannon il
1911 suggests that one Northumberland
SEVENTEEN OF congressional time and at
tention is all that the District can euttit
ably claim.
The time u be devoted to Dstric
legislation by Congress in the faithful
performance OF its constitutional obi
cation would seem logically TO depend upol
the Districts urgent legislative needs (witl
due consideration of accumulated arrear
ages resulting from past congressional
neslecp. rather than upon its popula
ton: and there can hardly he any dis
pute over the proposition that after tn.
House. In consideration of all III,
equities, has promised and set apart Ger
tam hours for District legislation
should faithfully carry out this n,edpe
not as personal favor to its Distric
constituency. but in honest satisfactio,
III constitutional obligation
II the District was never den,;,ed +,
It's uaS except When the House Will
wise and economical use OF all the othe
days had been unable To dispose. ef i'm
portant and urgent national business i
would make no loud complaint of a sacrf
nee nationally Necessary or highly heir,
lul' contrdriwise. il the precious lesis
latlVe hours Of which il is wantont
robbed are wasted III lilibusterin- il
looilshneSs, in iishwife verbal con.ro
Neisies and III tisticuns