The Washington herald., 1912-01-23
Progress Is Slow.

| a man noted for his interest in the affairs
of this city. from the District Commit
tee. The resignation was read to the
House by Speaker Clark. II was brief,
merely asking that the writer be re-
lieved from further duty on the commit
tee.
Resignation Regretted.
While Representative Moore gave as
his reason for this action the pressing
business confronting him as president OF
the Atlantic Deeper Waterways Asso-
citation, il was q matter of common
knowledge among his fellow.Republcans
that an utter lack of sympathy with the
so-called economic policies" OF Repre-
sentative Johnson was mainly responsible
for his resignation. An appeal was made
to Mr.. Moore to reconsider his resigna-
tion when it became known unofficially,
to a few of his friends. that he intended
taking this step. He politely explained
that he had too much other work" and
this was generally interpreted as mean
ing that the task OF fighting Mr.. John
sons restrictive measures was too much
for him.
Il know nothing of the reasons for Mr..
AIOOre's resignation, was the only state
ment that Mr.. johnson would make last
night.
Chairman Johnson's speech on District
extravaganza" was the first incident OF
the session yesterday afternoon. When
the session opened Mr.. johnson urged
that the question OF appropriations for
the coming year be taken up. He then
gained the fioSr and delivered his TRADE
against extravaganza.
johnson on Music.
Not only do they teach music in the
Washington schools" said he, but they
have self-playing pianos and pianolas put
in and paid for by my and your accor-
dion constituents. II Senator Bob Tay-
was willing to lay aside his fiddle and
take up the study Of piano he would be
admitted into the Washington public
schools without question. Under the
'tightwad' school system which the Fed
eral government imposes on the District
the pupils are taught to buy food and
cook it-and II is presumable that the
storekeepers charge for the lessons"
Referring to the application Of the Dis
triCt for two schools, Mr.. johnson ex-
planned that he was called incompetent
because he stood between the American
people and this waste. After having paid
his respects in like manner to the dental
department OF the schools, the sewing
schools. and the millinery schools. the
District Committee chairman entered into
discussion Of the sinking fund, declaring
that the District was not required to pay
half
To this argument Representative Saun-
ders, Of Virginia, member Of the SUBJ
committee on District appropriations.
made a warm reply. He cited the law on
contracts in reply to the contention of
Mr.. Johnson that the existing law is am
biguous.
1T is a well known fact in the law
Of contracts" said Representative
Saunders, that IL the wording OF the
contract is ambiguous the construction
of the parties interested shall be the
construction placed upon II. The District
committees since 1879 have almost with
out exception accepted the construction
that the government shall pay dollar for
dollar with the citizens OF the Capital In
the original debt of 81, 100000 this applied.
1t was continually applied thereafter"
In this contention Mr.. Saunders was
supported by Representative Burleson,
chairman of the subcommittee on Dis
trict appropriations.
District Plans Cause Row.
The next tilt occurred during the read
ing Of items providing for the prepara-
ton of plans for District buildings esti-
mated at $4,000. The question was raised
by Minority Leader Mann why the funo
to be applied to the construction OF
buildings was used for the payment or
architectural work. Right behind the
minority leader was Representative Gar
ner, of Texas, who wanted to know whv
the municipal architect did not prepare |
the plans himself, and whether the appII- |
cation Of funds for plans from a building
item was not a mistake.
Certainly not" replied Mr. BurIeson
1T was the result OF a careful study and
will, the subcommittee believes, result IN |
econouy"
During the reading OF the items for
hospitals and homes, Representative |
Foster, of Illinois, criticised the gov |
ernment IN no mild way for its |
shameful neglect" OF the Columbia
Hospital for Women.
BY quoting from figures he had pre-
pared, Mr.. Foster showed that less
money has been spent for the main |
tenance since the time of its origin in |
1866 than has been spent on any one
OF I'VE big hospitals during the last
decade. The Columbia Hospital. he |
said, was a firetrap and an actual mem
ace, and he recommended that the gov
ernment, IL it was not willing pronerlv
TO provide for the maintenance of the
institution, to abandon It at once.
Il have appealed to the committee"
he said, ''as a member of the board or
trustees of this hospital. to give the
institution a fund OF $4,000 for re- /
pairs. This sum would be sufficient 10 |