Evening star., 1917-01-23
PLEDGES HIS AID
TONAT|oN'SC|TY
Senator Jones Discusses
Washington's Future in Ad-
dress to Board of Trade.
OTHER SPEAKERS HEARD

Assurances that so far he was
concerned he would do all in his power
to make Washington the greatest
capital on earth: the suggestion that
possibly the District of Columbia
would receive better care without the
right of suffrage. rather than with
IT,. and "a criticism of some of the ways
in which residents of this city go about
obtaining those things they wish for
the city combined to form the theme
of an address by Senator Wesley l..
Jones of Washington before the Board
Of Trade at the New willard Hotel last
night Senator Jones also touched ON
the matter of taxation for the District.
declaring that beyond just and rea-
sonable amount of taxes the people of
the District should not be compelled 20
support the National Capital. Ee also
urged the people to take up a number
of things which he said would be for
the betterment of the city.
Senator Jones critItlse~ organizations
which send resolutions and petitions to
Congress, which have been passed or
signed without sufficient thought being
given them. The fact that these mat
ters frequently came before Congress
before they had been considered sutfi-
ciently by the people adopting or sign
ing them had led to Congress having
less faith in them than heretofore.
People Sometimes Err, He Thinks.
II think the people of this country
sometimes make the mistake of send
ing in many resolutions and petit
tions.' he said. I'VE have reached the
point in Congress where these things
do not amount to much with US. be-
cause know how easy it is to get
persons to sign petitions or pass reSo-
lutions. This fact has frequently de-
tracted from the resolutions sent us"
Senator Jones declared the people out
side of the District of Columbia are
Just as interested in the National
Capital as you are"
Those who wish to improve the
capital can do it better by interesting
the people of the states than in any
other way" he said.
Il want to see tnis capital the most
beautiful in the world I want to see
IL on plane commensurate with the
power and glory and strength OF the
nation of which it is the capital Some
times Congress is termed niggardly in
It's treatment of the National Capital.
Possibly we are. but it is not because
OF lack of interest My view is that
the nation ought to pay what is neces-
sary to make Washington the beautiful
CITY IL should be- All the people of
the District should have to pay should
be a fair. reasonable and just tax"
Would Abolish Foul Alleys
He urged his auditors to work for the
elimination of what he termed foul al
leys'' of Washington Il am sure said
senator Jones. that if the senator's and
representatives could see these alley con-
ditions here with their own eyes they
would not permit these conditions to con
tinue. There is no better tntng the Board I
Of Trade could do than show these un- I
healthful. disgraceful condItions to Con |
gress Ii would not be very long tnen be- |
fore they would do away with these foul |
spots which ought not to be anywhere I
mach less than in our great capital
School conditions also were depiored by /
the speaker. 1T is really too bad the !
public school facilities OF Washington are
as inadequate they really are" he
said- Il went through some of the schools
recently and there I found some grades
in which the children had to stay at home
half the day. so that other children couli
come the other half day. In other build !
ings found the children in damp dark
cellars This would not be permitted in
my state.