Mexico Missouri message., 1914-04-16

aistrict pay for the paving and for the
maintenance OF the streets and alleys
upon which government property
abuts.
The senate has positively declined
to stand for the drastic change of the
system OF taxation proposed by the
house OF representatives. The resi-
dents OF Washington say that this city
being the capital, congress should do
its share in keeping the place beauti-
ful and In making it credit to the
people of the United States. They
say that II they have to pay all the
taxes 1t will impoverish them. that
real estate will decrease in value, that
people Will sell out and leave Wash
ington and that without government
aid the city will go to decay.
eeautifyIne Is Systematic.
AS the country pretty generally
knows by this time, the haphazard
method OF identifying Washington
has been stopped. There Is now
fine arts commission which passes
judgment on all proposed improve
ments and no building can be erected,
no statute emplaced and no park laid
out without getting the sanction of
the members of this commission of ex-
perts.
People coming into Washington and
riding up Pennsylvania avenue from
the train see the post office depart
ment building looming up ahead OF
them and they probably wonder II
other government buildings are so
shockingly ugly. The post office de-
partment building was erected only
about twenty years ago, and how the
plans succeeded in securing the sane
ton of the authorities is something
most difficult TO understand If there
had been a fine arts commission in
this city ct that time the post office
! building today would not stand as
blot on the architectural beauty of the
city of Washington.
The country can be assured that
from now on, so far as human judg-
ment can make things assured, there
will be no buildings put up in this
town by the authority of congress or
otherwise that cannot stand the test
which experts apply to determine sym
metry, beauty and appropriateness.
One Inquiry Worth While.
While the activities of the lobby
investigating committee have been
more or less criticized. 1t seems
that they have produced results.
| Some few officials in Washington
continue to maintain. however, that
the lobby investigation was not
worth while. Some of them seem to
think it will prevent law abiding citi-
Gems, simply through fear that they
may be called corruptionists. from
coming to Washington to plead for
| or against legislation In which they
feel natural interest.
So far as can be learned, there
seems to be nothing to this line of
reasoning. The men who have hon.
est reasons to enter objection against
proposed legislation or to plead for
1t, seem to be just as willing to come
to the capital as ever they were. 1t is
true. however, that the men who lob
bied for pay and who used methods
not altogether commendable are no
longer in evidence. The corridors of
the capitol seem to be clean.
It seems to be true, therefore, that
the lobby investigating committee has
done a good work and has produced
a condition which a good many men
would like to have seen produced
years ago. The question is sharp in
Washington, however, whether the ma
jority of the inquiring activities OF
senate and house within the last three
or four years have been worth the
time and energy expended. Some OF
the critics have called the series of
inquiries government by investiga-
ton" Has it paid?
Williams Calls t. a Craze.
Democrat of Mississippi is saying
sharp things about what he seems to
think is an investigating craze. Mr..
Williams says 1t has cost a lot OF
money and he apparently feels that
the results have not been common.
surate with the cost. In three years
about $4,000 have been spent In In
| NtsllSdliIB dlOHB NdIlOuS llueS anu
there are men of all political shades
Of opinion who say that the work has
not been as fruitful as 1t might have
been. Others, however, declare that
no money spent in investigating sub.
jects to which suspicion attaches can
be wasted.
Now there are Investigations and
investigations. Some Of the inquiries
are forced by the very nature OF
things, as for instance inquiries into
whether or not members OF congress
are rightly entitled to their seats.
There are other kinds of investiga.
lions, however, which seem to spring
solely from the desire of some sena'
tor or representative. who thinks that
he has scented a trail" to obtain ?
place in the limelight for himself
which shall be held as long as thu
investigation is In progress.