Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-25

get the full value for 1t. Speaking of this
particular case. he says:
IL do not think it reflects any credit
upon a banker Of large means to have
acquired an option on land at not much
more than one-third OF its value from
private owners. and then sell 1t TO the
government, even without profit. which
is abundantly able to pay all that it is
worth
Will Interest His Constituents.
I'm that last sentence he stuck in the
phrase, even without profit in further
ance Of the insinuation upon which L
have already commented. But, leaving
that out, he says that he would rather
pay three times the value OF land &C
ouired by the government than take it
under an option secured to save the gov
eminent two-thirds of its value. This
will be Interesting reading to his constit-
uents, and to all who talk about economy
in government expenditures. and to all
who desire to get things cheaply for the
government.
"He says in the next sentence:
'Anothing thing: | do not approve OF
the members of the District government
going around and getting options on land
in this District and then lobbying in
either house to have us purchase it.
Got Better Bargains.
This is his ungrateful allusiOn to the
methods by which the District Commits
sioners have gotten better bargains for
the District government in purchasing
lands for public uses by securing suitable
options than could possibly have been
obtained under condemnation proceedings
as the record of condemnation proceed
ings here acd elsewhere abundantly
proves.
FINALLY, Mr.. Sims, after once more
claiming credit for saving to the govern
ment So 900 for the ravine now dedicated
for park purposes by the owners of the
tract-S7O, 600 If it had been obtained I'M
der the option, and, as he says. in round
numbers, SOC. 600 If the property had been
acquired by condemnation he winds up
by saying that the owners of the prop
erty ought to be thankful for the defeat
Of the bill, since their land is now worth
to them 100000 to $4,OOOOOO.'
Sims Defeated Bill.
"Of course, II Mr.. Sims had not defeat
ed the bill the government would now
have had that land, according to his
statement. worth from $2OO0.OO to ST.
100000, the National Capital would now
have had 1O0-acre addition to the Rock
Creek Park, preserving all the remarkable
natural beauties in the vicinity of the
Connecticut avenue bridge and the Mas
sachusetts avenue causeway (Which to-
gether cost the District of Columbia
s., $50, 600: and also the beginning of the
park connection that must be made. and
that will be made, but at far greater
cost, with the Potomac Park on the
SOUTH
1T is hard to see how even Mr.. Sims.
as a member Of Congress, a representa-
tive Of the people Of this great country,
who desire their National Capital to be
the most beautiful on earth, and who de-
sire their government to acquire land on
the most reasonable terms. can say, To
the extent that I had any part in defeat
ing that bill I am proud of it.
Misused His Position.
"Str less is it possible to understand
how any man fit to sit in the House of
Representatives could take pride in SO
misusing his privileged position as to
malign a private citizen for his years of
effort to serve the National Capital.
THE very last words of Mr.. Sims
speech Of January Is, 1913. are these:
Now, I have not said any unkind
word in the way of adverse comment on
Mr.. Glover. but I will leave the question
to you as to whether Mr.. Andrus or my
self ought to be expelled
II am perfectly willing to leave the mat
ter just where Mr.. Sims left it, without
further comment"