Evening star., 1924-05-04
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Congressional economies half a CEN
which appear singu-
Congressional lar now in view OF
, the generous provi-
AeooAoS' sion of facilities for
| transacting the public business grant
ed the officials Of the government. In
The Star of Auril 81. 1874, is the fol-
lowing editorial paragraph relating
20 one of these curtailments:
The House, we suspect, will eIer-
else doubtful economy in declining
to make an allowance for horses and
carriages for the use of the Attorney
Generals office. Judge Hoar, who has
occupied the Office of Attorney Gen
eral. and who ought to be we'll ac-
quainted with the needs of the posi-
ton. said, in reference to this matter
on Saturday, that the officer in ques-
ton had frequent calls to the Su-
preme Court. Court of Claims and
elsewhere. and had to carry books
and papers. Often the carriage af-
forded the only opportunity to look
at the papers and TO read his official
mail. 1t was a part of his Office. and
office or fuel. If the higher officers
of the government absolutely require
horses and carriages in the transac-
tion of necessary official business
there is nothing to prevent them
from hiring them and paying the
bills out of the contingent fund. The
expense of this in some instances
would probably be greater than that
of keeping a conveyance at the eN-
pense of the government
K
The fourth annual session Of the
legislative assembly of the District oH
Columbia convened
Last Session of April 81. 1874, in
r. the u gi $ ative
Legislature. building" now cc.
cupied as the District courthouse. on
the south side of Judiciary square.
This was the last session of the Dis
trict Legislature. as the local form Of
government was changed by act of
Congress later as result of an in
vestigation into District affairs. In
taking the chair upon his election to
that office, President Stickney said:
Accept my thanks, gentlemen OF
the council, for the honor of being
elected as your presiding officer, and
with them the assurance of my dis
position to discharge the duties with
impartiality and with due regard TO
the rights of all concerned. At the
commencement of the last session |
took occasion to urge upon the coun-
Gil the Importance of adopting strin-
gent measures of retrenchment ami
reform. Whatever may have been
thought of that recommendation, all
will doubtless admit not only the
popularity but the necessity Of this
policy at the present juncture. Let
US incur no new obligations nor
sanction the appropriation of a dollar
of money above what is required for
the Necessary expenses of the govern
ment. The practice of multiplying
promises knowing they are To be
broken, or, what amounts to the same
thing, knowing their fulfillment Is
dependent upon some very doubtful!
contingencies in the distant future OF
making appropriations with an empty
treasury, is not only undignifed. blt
demoralizing and dishonorable. what
ever we do or fail to do, let us reduce
our expenses: let us as a government
solemnly assure all men that We are
resolved to fulfill to the letter with
out the abatement Of jot or title
of their force, all our just obliga-
tions: that we will not suffer our
country's good name to be disgraced
by our mjsdeedS, or the credit of the
Capital to be dishonored by bao
faith Let us mAnfully ana VlsoF-
ously put our own shoulders to thg
wheel, then may we reasonably cali
upon our congressional Hercules for
help: and our appeal will not be dis
regarded"
X *
Gaming, or horsewhipping, or cow
hiding, appears to have been some
what vogue as
Another means of settling
questions of honor
"nAPPAne' in Washington half
a century ago. Closely following the
Gaming Of Acting Editor Piatt of the
Capital by an irate Representative
came, according to The Star of April
%, 1874, a cowhiding in the lobby OF
the Ebbitt House. Mr.. Lorenzo Thomas
applying the whip to Charles B. Wick.
cry on the ground that the latter
had made slanderous statements
against a member of his family.
vickery, took the whipping without
defense, and the next day Thomas,