Evening star., 1915-03-29
SOMEOF WASHINGTON'S GRIEVANCES
A DOLEFUL CRY FROM THE PAST
A Wofu Story of Ante~Natal Dangers
Nations Ward Starved by Guard
Attempts Upon Its Life.
BY THEODORE W. MOVES.

e W. MOVES.
create alarm and paralyze improvement.
10 the great injury of the public. He
pointed out that hundreds and thousands
or individuals had been induced from a
perfect confidence in the permanency Of
the seat of government to expend their
all in Its improvement who would be re-
duced to beggary and want by removal.
committee to whom the subject was
referred reported a resolution THAT it
Is 1nexpedient to remove the seat of gov
ernment at this time from Washington
city. A motion to strike out '.inexpedi-
ent and insert ''expedient," after a tie
vote Of 6s to 6s. was decided in the af-
firmative by the Speaker. The report as
amended, was referred to the committee
OF the whole House and was passed after
debate by vote of 70 to II. When the
oili was reported to the House, Philadel-
phia was inserted as the future capital,
crossing the bill for a third reading. it
was lost by a vote Of S3 to a. This &C
count OF one Of the alarming movements
which frightened the young capital out
or many years growth may serve as
suggestion Of those which followed If
the stale a1lusiop to the experience OF
Damoc1es is ever justifiabIe, this is the
occasion. for the city, in very truth. lived
and grew with a threatening sword sus-
pended over its head. The latest assault
IN lS63 In favor of st. Louis. by L. L.
Reavis and others outside of Congress.
and by some western senators and repre-
sentatives within Congress. In reply to
the question. When will the removal be
efected?' Reavis says In his book: II
unhestatingly answer that the change
will be made within five years from Janu-
ary 1. 1859. " and before 1878 the
President of the United States will deliver
his message at the new seat Of govern
oil
capital has not been moved, and will not
be movedS except as the result of some
extraordinary political convulsion; but
this conviction Is the growth of recent
years, and the mischief done by the con-
stant agitation Of the subject in the past
can hardly be estimated.
Indifference and Neglect.
Though the first Of Washington's griev-
ances Is the animosity of many among
those who should have been the city's
protectors. the Indifference of others not
actively hostile has been an evil of hard
ly less magnitude. Under the Constitution
Congress has power Of exclusive Ies1sla-
tion over the District Of Columbia 1t is
tract of national territory to be gov
erned by the representatives of the whole
people. Its interests are entitled to the
thoughtful consideration Of every one of
its constitutionally appointed legislators
Unfortunately they have not received,
and do not receive, this consideration.
In the House discussion of 1871 upon the
bill to provide a territorial form of gov
ernment for the District, one Of the
members of the District committee said
that within two years parts Of only nine
afternoons had been spent in LEGISLATION
for the capital. The improvement In this
respect since that date has not been
startling. The announcement. that a short
time is to be devoted by Congress to
District affairs is looked upon by many
LEGISLATORS as an invitation to be absent.
Others remain long enough to show that
they view their presence and attention
as personal favor to citizens of the
District and not as a part Of their con-
gressional duty. Those congressman who
consider that the main purpose Of their
terms is to arm themselves for re-elec-
ton are, of course, bored or disellsted
with petty and uninteresting District af-
fairs. Discussion concerning such affairs
furnishes nothing to be quoted in the
home papers for their constituents bene-
tit and their own glory. Even of those
who interest themselves In the District
a considerable proportion endeavor to
utilize 1t as a field of experiment for their
political or other hobbies, the practical
application of which they would not. In
many instances. dare to attempt at home.
where there are voters to make their
resentment felt in case the experiment
should prove hurtful. But the District Is
the apothecary's cat. to be dosed ex-
perimentally with each dubious compound
before 1t can safely be offered to the pub
lie.
The capital could hardly have antici-
pated such discouraging treatment. The
early standard of duty set for Congress-
In the matter Of its management of the
District was not low one. In 1903
Representative Bacon made a forrnida BILE
estimate OF the expense and loss Of time
to the nation, increasing with the growth
Of the District, which would be involved
power Of exclusive legislation. Should
JUSTICE" he said. "be done to the exer-
else Of this power, it was likely that as
much time would be spent in lesislating
for this District as for the whole United
States" 1t is hardly necessary to say
cured a proportionate increase in the
Congressional time devoted to District
affairs. and. in view Of the facts, the
very suggestion that the capitals legis-
to the capitals interests seems ridiculous
An unfitness for the performance of the
duties assigned 1t has often been urged as
part either of the accusation or confession
of congressional Indifference in respect to
Washington. In 1865 Representative
Randolph remarked in the course of de-
bate that Congress was incompetent to
legislate for the District, adding 1T was
well known that the Incidence of other
members nhan the District committee)
or their indifference. inseparable from the
situation in which they were placed,
would prevent Congress from legislating
with a full understanding of the objects
before them" Congress for a long time
not only accepted the idea Of Its inca
pacity to govern the people Of the Dis
trict, but apparently forgot that 1t had
any responsibilities whatever in respect
to the Capital city. The excuse Of unfit
ness for failure to furnish the general
legislation necessary for the welfare of
have even a tendency to relieve Con-
gress from the blame which attaches to
its neglect to carry out the original plan
and implied agreement to build up
magnificent capital on the Potomac 1t
could, At least. have appropriated the
money required to meet its obligations.
even II. IN truth, 1t found itself incompetent
to pass the proper laws. But even when
most liberal in the disbursement OF the
peoples money 1t had not cent TO
attractive. The blaze Of glory which
the mere presence Of our national legis-
lators casts upon their place of meeting
was thought, perhaps, by members OF
Congress to hide all defects in the ap-
pearance OF the capital and to amount
TO a satisfaction in full of their consti-
tutional obligations toward the District.
For years the national Legislature permit
ted the capital intrusted to its keeping 10
be an object of derision and contempt to
foreigner and citizen More than tha' II
contributed by its own neglect to make
more wretched the city's forlorn condi-
ton. and then Joined in the laugh at the
latter's expense.
Washington's two grievances-the one
against Its hostile. the other against ITS
to its disadvantage. The miserable state
OF the city for three-fourths of CEN