The Washington times., 1911-10-23
CITIZENS FEDERATION IN
DORSES THE TINES PLAN.

pharlsaical IT 1t did not confess iti
large qualification at the generous in
dorsement accorded to it by the Fed
GRAFTON Of Citizens Associat tions al
their Saturday meeting. This paper
has not been given to currying favor
1t has seen little advantage to it OF
to the community in setting up straw
issues to fight, when there are real
problems that demand attention. II
has not cared to raise ghosts for the
sake of appearing valiant in laying
them. 1t has not been afraid of a
citizens association or of a street
railway corporation; it has said what
it thought about Congressional com.
mittees, and it has never felt obi.
gated to soft-soap gentlemen in au-
thority.s
Recently, the city has been given an
exhibition Of hysteria. It has been
told that the fiscal arrangement be-
tween the, National Government and
the District was in danger of being
abrogated; that an ancient debt was
to be turned back upon the District
to be paid a second time; that taxes
were to be raised, excises boosted, in
comes assessed, and the last dollar Of
possible revenue extracted from the
citizenship, while at the same time i'm
provement would be checked and the
development of the Capital on truly
national scale would cease.
For all this battling with the hob
goblins there was not the slightest
excuse. The Times knew it, and said
so. 1t pointed out that such excesses
of zeal in behalf of public interest
that was not in the least danger were
not wise.
The Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions has indorsed The Tines atti-
tude, and administered a well deserved
rebuke to demagoguery and buncombe.
Ihe Times protested that the people
of Washington were not all fools; and
the Federation has indorsed that SEN
timent. It's resolution says in part:
The Federation deplores the present
untimely and unwise agitation over the
compact between the National Govern
ment and the District Of Columbia as
unnecessary. uncalled for and in
furious to every material interest of
our city. k1+ tr
Then the resolution expresses con-
fidence that the present Congress will
prove as wise as predecessors, and as
devoted to the proper development of
Washington.
So much for rebuke of the silly ef-
fort to scare Washington out of it's
wits. Then the Federation, by way
OF suggesting a field in which over
valiant champions of Washington
might do some practical work, resolves
in favor of universal transfers, and
instructs it's committee to continue
efforts to this end. :
Another Endorsement for The Times,
which has been trying to get specific,
concrete benefit for the town.
But, recognizing that there are many
other features in the relations of the
public and the service corporations
that need effective administration, the
Federation proceeds to indorse The
Times long standing demand for a
public service commission: |
"n -A
the only proper, satisfactory. and final
solution OF the continual controversies
arising between the public service cor
porations and their patrons lies in
the creation of public utilities COM
mission. with full =. powers to
hear and determine all complaints :
May we hope that some of the local
instrumentalities of publicity will Join
The Times and the Federation in sup
port of these propositions2 The Times
ventures to suggest that any con-
temporary which has latterly seen
reasons for trying to "be more
progressive might look into these
things. ~....
General Harries, addressing the
street railway convention at Atlantic
City recently, told how the street car
companies have made Washington rich
and great, earned fortunes for count
less real estate owners, and in return
had been permitted to accumulate
handsome deficits. 1t was an ELOQUENT
appeal; the most medieval statement
We have observed in long time of
the old theory that the railroads
"made the country and so ought to
own it. That was the argument
against railroaa regulation out West
thirty years ago. 1t hasn't been doing
much business of late, but it seems to
be good enough for Washington.
At any rate,- the full text Of this
really remarkable speech is printed by
pessimistic contemporary that re.
Gently forecast the doom of this
town. 1t is not presented as contri,
button to the humor column, and seems
to be taken seriously.