Gilpin observer., 1913-09-18
KIN OF ANT EATER WASHINGTON NEWS
By Edward Keahng. j..

/ am a member of the city council
OF Washington. The people Of COlora
do did not know that they were con-
ferring on me this honor when they
elected me to congress, and l did
not know had the job until reach
ed the capital. Then l discovered
that every member of the. house and
senate was In theory a member OF
the governing board Of this city and
was expected to devote certain
amount of attention to municipal at
fairs.
The spectacle OF the greatest leg
islative body ON earth turning aside
from the consideration of national
and International problems to discuss
how garbage shall be removed from
the alleys of Washington is certain
ly one calculated to make the angels
weep and cause strong men to use
deeppurple language. Yet this is ex-
actly the scene presented on the
floor of the house twice month on
District of Columbia Day."
The Result.
The net result is that, in my opin-
ion, Washington is the worst govern
ed city in the nation.
1t is without civic spirit because
its people have been disfranchised
and are given no voice in it's govern
ment.
1t is graft-ridden, because a small
clique of selfish rich men have been
enabled to secure the ear of con-
gress and to SO shape municipal ac-
tivities as to enrich themselves.
Its condition constitutes a menace
to the entire nation, because the
members of congress have in times
these corrupt cliques. and their gen
eral usefulness has been materially
impaired thereby.
1t is a drain on the treasury of
the United States, because congress
has bound itself to pay one-half the
running expenses of the city, and
this item now amounts to something
more than five million dollars a year,
exclusive of the tremendous sum ap-
propriated to ''beautify" the city and
erect ornate public buildings.
Government of Rings.
The executive functions of the city
are vested in board of three COM
missioners. two named by the presi-
dent and an engineer assigned by the
war department.The powers of this
board are circumscribed, and congress
is constantly interfering at the sug-
gestion of some one of the power
full cliques, which are determined to
exploit the city for their own enrich
ment
The newspapers of the city are
controlled by these c'inues and they
are unsparing in their criticism of
the congressman or senator who dar-
es interfere with their masters pet
schemes.
Congressman Pen Johnson. of Ken
lucky, chairman of the house commit.
tee on the District of Columbia, Con
gresham Henry George, Jr., son of
the great philosopher, and Judge
Prouty, Of Iowa. a Republican of the
most progressive type. have en-
deavored to change conditions, and,
as consequence, have felt the sting
OF newspaper attack.
Johnson has carried the issue to
his constituents down in Kentucky
and they have sustained him in hand.
some fashion. Whenever one of the
kept" papers attack him. he has
the article reprinted in practically
every newspaper in his district and
his people have learned to guage the
quality Of his work by the amount Of
mud flung at him.
George has shown where the 'real
estate clique. through the control
OF the assessors, have been enabl
ed to dodge their taxes. and Prouty
recently discovered where, through
nttle bookkeeping leeerdemain, the
district has beaten the government
out OF cool million Of dollars.
Richest Of 0rafts.
The members oe the real estate
clique" have made millions out od