The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1912-03-06

hounces as Beng loaoeo-Says
He IL Target for Abuse Because
He Stands Against Loot.
Washington. - Representative Ben
Johnson of the Fourth Kentucky dis
trict continues to be much il the
limelight here as a result of his ex-
coriation of the attempts to have the
federal government pay the larger
part of the bills of the District of
Columbia, regardless of their charac-
ter. These attempts Mr.. Johnson has
successfully checkmated so far, at
least to the extent of saving the ma
I.onal government over $2,O00,000.
In discussing at length the attempt
ed elimination of those various sec
lions in the district bills which are
loaded" MIR. Johnson made a speech
which caused him to be showered
with congratulations from both sides
Of the house. This speech, as it re-
ferred to the municipality of Wash
ington, would be of local interest to
every other city in the country in
which combinations have sought to
tilch the public treasury.
Naturally the press Of the district
is waging a determined and united
fight on the chairman of the District
of Columbia committee, but Mr.. John
son has paid no attention to the edi-
torial and news stories.
Mr.. Johnson took up, in turn, the
operation of the local railway COM
pany, which seeks, he asserted, at the
governments expense, to have work
cone which il should pay for. He
ridiculed the devices to which those
who are anxious to have the federal
government pay the expenses of the
district resort. He pointed out the in
consistency in this or that apparently
innocent section which, when proper
ly shown up, proved to be another
scheme to eXtort money from the ma
Eional purse. Mr.. Johnson was at
times caustic and humorous, and he
held the attention of the house
throughout.
johnson Opens Fire.
The house being in committee of
the whole on the state of the Union,
had under consideration house bill
No. 1861, making appropriations to
provide for expenses Of the govern
ment of the District of Columbia for
the fiscal year ending June IS. 1913,
and for other purposes. The section
of the bill under immediate consider
Oft Of
1913, 40S for interest and sinking fund
On the funded debt
Mr.. Johnson spoke as follows:
Mr.. Chairman: l make a point of
order on this section of the bill. and
I wish to discuss it a little. | regard
this as one of the very important
.ems in the bill. In fact. I think
here is no one item that is more i'm
fOrtant than this. 1t has been car
ried along in the appropriation bill
for number of years However,
when il was first put in the appropri-
alton bill it was inserted with the
form OF the statute of 1879 upon the
subject. Since that time they have
ceased to use the statute with this
ClusiOn as to what the statute meant,
and have inserted that conclusion in
the appropriation bill instead of the
act itself.
Before going further into that par
licular subject, wish to devote a lit
lie time. not to criticism, but TO a re-
view of some of the rulings which
the chairman has made.
a ruling by the chair to the eff
feet that an appropriation made out
OF public moneys for the purpose of
resuTfacing streets with asphalt can
be diverted from the purpose for
which il was appropriated and used
10 build brick paving for the street
car companies. and another ruling to
the effect that an appropriation made
for the public schools, with which to
equip public Fairgrounds, can be di-
IeTted from that purpose and spent
upon any other playgrounds-par
ial, sectarian or otherwise-do not in
Spire one to further points of order.
Because the street car companies
desire the district authorities to con-
SliuCl tLGl part u the SlIeelS WHICH,
under the law, the street car COM
panies must build and maintain, is no
reason why the district authorities
should want to go into the street
building business for the street rail
roads. The district officials should,
in my opinion, confine themselves to
the task of caring for their part of
the work; and, instead OF becoming
contractors for the railroads. should
notify the railroad companies that
they themselves must do it, The rail
~oads might not care for a small fine,
cut if they did not comply with the
law their franchises would be forfeit
ed These franchises were secured
al too little an expense, and are now
so valuable an asset that not the re-
3 hottest risk will be assumed which
might endanger their forfeiture.
am conscious Of the fact that no
one who VIII read the Record contain
ing the proceedings of the committee
OF the whole house while this bill
L L.