Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-19
Rev. John Van Schaick, Jr.,
Tells What Washington Lacks.
REsENTFUL TO CONGRESS
Scores Suspicion Of All Citizens
Seeking Legislation.
WHY HE OPPOSES HOSPITALS
Funds for Emergency and Columbia
Could Be Better Spent, Says
Pastor From Pulpit.

In supporting opposition to the expendi-
ture of 100000 for. a new Emergency
Hospital and a new building for Column
bia Hospital, Rev. John Van Schaick.
jr., speaking from the pulpit of the
Church of Our Father yesterday de-
nounced the whole miserable subsidy
system expressed his resentment against
the attitude OF congressman toward the
District of Columbia in their suspicious
OF motives of seekers after appropria-
ss.rIs and distrust of established char
Acser, scored the selfshness of lobbyists
End citizens. and urged that Washington
c5othe itself in self-respect in it's baltic
for proper legislation.
THE need of Washington is self-re-
spect" said Mr.. Van Schaick. I'm our
system of government, there Is much
calculated to weaken our self-respect,
IT need not destroy it.
Resents Attitude of Congress.
Whenever we want something done in
Washington we are compelled to ask
some one else. We can't go to town
meeting. stand on our own feet, argue
1t out with one another and do it for
ourselves.
And yet we must not forget that when
the thing done involves an expenditure Of
money. half of it at least, SO far as the
money end is concerned. we do ourselves.
'Unhappiiy, the way matters have
worked out has not been favorable for
character development.
For twelve years / have deeply re-
scented the attitude Of many congressman
toward the District of Columbia. I have
felt Inundated and ashamed many times
when my duty took me to committee
1T seemed. We're unsupported. No reputa-
ton, ii seemed was above serious queS-
ton there. And yet I have lived here
long enough to see the other side. have
the average congressman in the District
of Columbia, and to understand why sus-
picion and distrust have so often filled
their minds.
been selfish. The fact is We have often
taken the attitude Of beggars. do not
mean all of the District Of Columbia. But
] do mean that selfish men have gone to
Congress year after year and urged selfish
schemes. and mistaken men have gone
there year after year and urged foolish
schemes. and the rest OF us have kept
still
Never Oppose Anything.
II often think of the remark of Com
missioner Judson when our Monday
the Commissioners with our proposed So
cial program for Washington. We want
ed wanted this thing and we wanted that
thing. But Maj. Judson said: "You want
many things, but You oppose nothing.
You want to oppose something now and
then has an evidence OF good faith. That
Is absolutely true. 1t is an indictment
which might be made against most of us.
We oppose nothing.
I'VE are willing that the other fellow
should get his appropriation, If We only
get ours. We don't stop to think that our
expenditures are limited, that we cannot
ask for more than just so much, that II
we spend our money for pie or cake, we
can't have bread We ought to be as
willing to fight some of the demands on
for the District of Columbia as we are
willing to fight for some of the things
which We regard as our necessary daily
bread
Il will go further than this. Little by
little the idea has grown among US, un-
consciously, am sure. that the more We
get out Of Congress the better it is for
US: that the more money we can get
Congress to spend here in the District Of
Columbia the richer. and better WASH
ington win be.
Now no man wants more than to see
this capital great beautiful, adequate.
worthy capital of great republic: Here,
for better or worse, have cast the lines
OF my lot. Here is my home. Here are
the people whom have learned to love
and call my people.
But there are better things than domes
and spires. great monuments and me-
MORALS. And those better things are
liberty and justice and honesty and self
respect in the hearts of the people.
We must not permit unchecked and
unrebuked the notion that we are slaves.
Unselfish Voices Needed.
Whether we have suffrage or mt e.on-
gress is compelled to hear us. And what
Congress ought to hear more frequently
lis the voice of the unseffish, broad-minded
citizen. and not simply the voice of the
trader The citizen stays at home too
often The man with some scheme is
always on the job.
II recognize freely the downright in
justice of the executive order which for
bids employees Of the government appeal
Ing to Congress for any legislation what
ever. II 1t were thought wise an order
might be issued forbidding them to lobby
for larger salaries. But to forbid citizens.
deprived Of suffrage, from expressing
rs their common council Is subversive
Of self-respect and a violation of the
fundamental principles of liberty.
nevertheless. 1t Is true that those of
as who are untrammeled are not on the
Job.
We must not permit unquestioned the
common notion here that he who opposes
projects. honest and commendable In
themselves. but inexpedient and unwise.
Is false to the District of Columbia
So long has everybody here cheerfulIy
helped everybody else-put their clause in
the appropriation bills-that the notion OF
any citizen falling to come to time in this
way strikes everybody as queer. 1t must
be that he has personal animosity He
Is assailed and denounced as il he were
bird befouling his own nest
Il oppose the appropriation Of 800 cor
Tor new emergency hospital. / do II
because, after carefully investigating the
subject, studying all sides Of it. my
judgment tells me that II is not needed