The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-02-14
Congress Gets Wise TO Hoggish-
ness of the District.
APPETITE HARD TO SATISFY
Kentucky Congressman Lead
ing the Fight Against Ex-
cessive Appropriations
For the District.


The everlasting hoggishness of the
District Of Columbia has at last call
ed forth repressive measures from
congress.
Long ago the District Of Columbia
and the city Of Washington. in par
ticular, acquired a strangle-hold on
the United States treasury. That hold
las been slightly broken at this ses-
sion of congress and the result Is
such a succession of bowls and pro
tests and angry comments as never
before have been heard in the ma
tIonal capital.
Congress has been amazingly good
10 the nations capital. Money has
been poured out in the District to an
extent that is positively astonishing
as we'll as grossly unjust to the tax
payers of the United States, who, in
the last analysis, are the source from
which federal revenues originate and
who must keep the larder supplied
BY an act of 1879, the legality OF
which never has been conceded, con-
gress pays half of the cost Of running
the District government, half the
cost of street and alley improve
ments, water and light bills and ali
Of the multiplied expenses Of a great
municipality. Not content with that
unexampled beneficence the District
continually comes to congress for
more money on one pretext or other
and the complaisant lawmakers have
Eeaped the platter high,
Naturally the national capital has
come to regard congress as a big,
eood-natured COW that can be MIXED
whenever sustenance is wanted, but
at last the COW is beginning to kick
and hold back its milk. This is Gre
ating great disgust and ugly nantes
tations of i'll temper in Washington.
An example Of the light in which
the federal taxing power is regarded
as a municipal asset in the District
came out a few days ago when about
LOO temporary clerks who had been
engaged in the compilation OF the
Thirteenth census were dismissed by
Director Durand. They already had
been held on for considerably longer
they were employed.
Merchants Make Protest.
The order OF dismissal raised a
great howl in the District, not be-
cause LOO men and women we're to
suffer from a lack of employment
but because the merchants and busi-
ness people would feel the loss of
the money which these people had
been paying out at the stores. A cru
FADE was started to secure another
federal appropriation Of 100000 In
order that the clerks might be con
tinued In the service to the end that
the storekeepeIs might enjoy their
lurther patronage. One Washington
paper published an itemized estimate
OF the loss that would result to vari-
GUS retail interests in the city II con-
gress should brazenly refuse to grant
the appropriation. Congress did re-
fuse, on the ground that the work
assigned to these clerks was COM
pleted and the public service did not
require them any longer. but the city
of Washington regards this as d thin
and yelled excuse to deal the nation
al capital another blow.
Congress Is finally beginning to
show some signs of standing by the
people of the United States as
against the rapacious greed Of the
District Of Columbia. Representative
Ben Johnson CT Kentucky, chairman
Of the house committee on the Dis
81 Il. Ia
figure standing between the treasury
raiders Of the capital and the federal
treasury. Regardless Of politics,
Johnson's firm attitude Is attracting
the admiration of men Of all parties,
and as a pioneer in the direction Of
breaking up the Districts strangle-
hold on the federal resources he is
receiving the backing Of Republicans
and Democrats alike.
He is making himself target Of
Ill kinds Of attacks, some insldious
and others open, but he refuses to be
caloied, brow-beaten or buildozed.
He 10 scathlnoIy assalled every day
by tho local press and the interests
that benefit by excessive appropria-
tons have gone SO far as to under
take to break up the District Of Co
iumbla committee by inducing NOM
beers TO resign or to threaten to re-.
sign, thus creating the impression
that chaIrnaxs Johnson's course 10
creating much dissatisfaction among
his associates on the committee; but
conpIracles Of this kind do not feaze
the imperturbsble chairman and
treasury Watchdog"
interests Well intrenehed.
The Washington interests are still
strongly intrenched In congress, as
was shown during the consideration
OF the District of Columbia appropri-
alton bill. 1t required ten days OF
the hardest kind Of shedding and con-
slant fighting to get that bill through
the house. and all Of the time Chair