The Washington herald., 1914-03-12
SENATE CONTEST
FAVORS DISTRICT
sired to throw it out on the ground of
economy.
MisaPplied Economy.

economy
MisnRpIied Economy.
There is no use trying to economic at
the spigot while wasting at the bung-
hole. he said. Its like trying to IN
crease your bank account by going with
out socks. while wearing fur overcoat-
THE gentlemen he who voted $b.-
000o-1 for a IA -lroad in Alaska, should
not be cheese pairing about voting slsS.-
o0O for fish wharf for the National Cap
ital particularly when the people OF
Washington are paying half.
'-Thi: country is not only ridiculously
but cri: :inally extravagant.
IN I'm for economy, but why al.
ways ecOromize at the expense Of the
National Capital? I'll tell you why-be-
cause behind the Alaskan railroad bill
there was much poE-cal influence, while
tie capital has no political influence ex-
( cept that which manifests itself in the
sending of contesting delegations to ma
tional conventions.
"NoW, :here is some sense in beauti-
flying the National Capital" he continued
after a few remarks on the Alaskan
project We have not spent too much
meney here. We ought to have more
public buildings. We ought to have
buildings to house all the activities of
the ernment instead of renting hun
dreds OF buildings and parts of buildings.
81 wish We could give as good rea-
sons for most appropriations as We can
for this. Here We are spending $4,000
TO create an annual revenue Of s1l.00O,
an investment netting about per cent
return. Where will you get that return
from a public building in your dis
tricts?''
Senator Hughes. who followed Senator
Williams. started out in opposition to the
Ssh market item at the request of GER
out sufficient preparation. As result
sc made little progress, though he in
sisted on a roll call. The New Jersey
Senator. however. commenced by stating
that the Distr t is habitually kicked
around by Congress.
Gentlemen, who vote for all kinds of
extravaEant appropriations said
Hughes, square themselves with their
consciences by economizing at the ex-
pense of the District
..NationnI Capital Looted
This Congress sits here and allows
the Capital City of the Nation TO be
looted by its .ublic utilities" he said.
Let me give you an example. 1 am
informed that an unln. ed telephone
service for a business house in WashlnS-
ton costs $3.50 year. You can get an
unlimited telephone for a business house
in Kansas City for $54 :, year, and obtain
better service than you get IN "dsn-
inGton. ,.
Fright here in the city OF Washing
ton" he said. people are being COM
peIIed to pay for telephone service 81
where they ought to pay 81. IL the gov
ernment would take hold of the service,
there is no doubt that every business
man in Washington could get an unlim-
tied service for so year. The time has
cemc when We ought to set an example
to the rest of the. country in the city
of Washington. 1t ought to be a model
city.
Il am willing out of the public revenues
70 contribute literally to make this. the
Capital of the greatest nation on earth.
the most beautiful and splendid city on
earth [ would like to see the commit
tee of the District get busy and give the
people of the District of Columbia pub
lie service for what service is worth.
4 short running debate Immediately
after the bill was taken up yesterday in
iicated that there would be some oppo-
-ition To the elimination Of the Borland
street paving amendment by Senator
Hokc Smith The Georgia member
stated. however that he did not believe
the owners of abutting property should
he made to pay more than one-third the
cost Of street improvements. the other
two-thfrds to be evenly divided between
the District and the Federal government