Evening star., 1921-02-13

below Masons Island by a I'D bank
recently formed which did not allow
more than thirteen or fourteen rect
of water; that few vessels OF eight
cen feet draught passed the same
safely. and praying to be allowed to
raise a tax not exceeding one per cent
on the real estate OF the inhabitants
to be applied to erecting causeway
and dam from the island to the Vir.
vinia shore, which they conceived
would "effectually cure the evil" They
intended to obtain the consent of the
owner of the island and the prOprie-
tors of the Virginia shore, who We're
the only persons who could possibly
he injured by the work contemplated
TO be erected.
On Wednesday, November 2S. the
House resolved itself into committee
Of the whole on the bill authorizing
the corporation Of Georgetown to
make a dam and causeway from Ma
the river Potomac" Nathaniel Macon
Of North Carolina, Speaker Of the
House, moved to strike out the first
section of the bill with view to
trying its merits" John Randolph OF
respectable friend" (the Speaker).
The river Potomac, he said. was the
joint property of the citizens Of Mary
land and Virginia. under compact be-
tween themselves. This property; at
~
never been relinquished.
Congress. in his conception. had not
right to pass the law in question. but
if 1t had there was another OBJ
lection. The corporation Of George
town was empowered to lay tax
which would be unequal and oppres
sive. since the property on which it
was to be levied would not be equally
benefited by deepening the harbor,
supposing that effect to be accom-
lIa haf
lection of the bill would serve as a
general notice to the Inhabitants of
the District Of Columbia to desist
from their daily and frivolous appli-
cations to Congress-. to the great OBJ
struction of the public business
John Smile Of Pennsylvania said re
understood there was a rival inter-
est between the towns of Alexandria
and Georgetown. and as this rivalry
had been exhibited on many former
they passed any bill for the enoour-
agement of either place that the
parties should be obliged to publish
their intentions some weeks before
application. that if there were any
objections to a measure contemplated
they might be before the House at
the same time. The reporter of the
Annals of Congress added: He
stated this merely as a ground for
postponement, not saying whether he
Mr., Gregg of Pennsylvania thought
the House bound to legislate for these
people (citizens of the District of
Columbia) until they (the Congress)
relinquished claim to the jurisdiction
either by authorizing them to legis-
late for themselves or retroceding
them to the states to which they orig
inaIly belonged. If Alexandria were
opposed to the bill, 1t is probable they
would have sent in memorial on the
subject before this time; their not
having done so inclined him to be-
lieve that they were satisned that the
measure should go into operation.
He did not think the bill perfect,
but he would not oppose it's progress.
the landholders of Georgetown had
very generally signed the petition to
Congress, and no persons outside of
the walls of the House gave 1t oppo-
sition. The people OF Alexandra were
content. and the owner of the island
and the western shore of the river
was the only person most likely to
be affected. yet he had given it his
hearty assent. He was we'll satisfied
no injury would be done to the navi-
cation of the Eastern branch or to
the port Of Alexandria. IT, therefore.
they could render benefit to George
town without injuring any other
property, he trusted the House would
agree to the bill.
James Sloan of New Jersey felt in
terested in the result of this meas
ure. The people here. he said. have
nobody to look to but Congress to
make legislative provision for their
well being; he therefore considered
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