Evening star., 1927-10-23
Fifty Years Ago
i'm The Star

With the Fifty.fifth Congress In
extra session in the Autumn OF 1877
there was hope that
Ulstr1ct anu something definite
ror0r..s would be done toward
"o"SASso' establishing on an equi.
table basis the relations between the
Federal Government and the District
Of Columbia. To that end q citizens
movement was started looking to the
correct statement of the issues to
Congress. In The Star Of October 20.
1877, is the following editorial set.
ting forth the situation:
Everybody admits the urgent neces-
sity for united action by our citizens
to secure from Congress legislation
imperatively needed In behalf OF our
District, but the trouble IL that what
is everybody's business 10 nobody's
business A good many, in fact, are
disposed to despair Of getting anything
like combined energetic action in view
of the general listlessness displayed
and the disposition on the other hand
by some to raise q mad-dog cry OF
interested motives against any citizens
Of public spirit enough to attempt
to rescue the community from the
Slough Of Despond. Impelled, how.
ever, by the urgent nature Of the
emergency, quite a number of our
citizens interested in the prosperity OK
the District have entered upon the
thankless task indicated. After con.
sultation, they appointed q committee
with instruction to send out the fol.
lowing invitation, addressed to a con.
siderable number Of prominent citi.
zens Of the District who. It was
thought, would be willing to give
active cooperation for the object in
view."
After reciting the memorial. The
Star continues:
1.-THE answers to this invitation have
been so hearty in promising the active
cooperation asked that there is en-.
working organization Of jealous, en-.
ergetic men can be effected in the
shape OF a citizens committee of 100
or more. But one declination has
been received, and that comes from
Mr.. Columbus Alexander. who thinks
he smells some ring jobs in the
movement. While he thinks there Is
much in the memorial that is very
just and commendable, he thinks the
clause in reference to the improve.
ment OF the Potomac River may be
construed to involve Job which may
result in incurring further debt to
tlC 0AStIlCt duU AiCI SoSCu NdAdtAVh'
"This objection from Mr.. Alexander
illustrates the difiiculty--we might
say the utter hopelessness-of secur-
ing entire harmony of action on be-
half Of vital District interests, or of
bringing forward any measure OF pub
lie good that will not be straightway
denounced by some clique or some
suspicious Individual as having some
wrong motive at the bottom. All in
the world the clause in regard to the
Potomac River improvement contem-
plated was to induce Congress to
make such appropriation for the i'm
provement OF river and harbor OF the
National Capital az it makes every
year for the rivers and harbors al
over the country. There was not o
shade Of q shadow Of q foundation
for the suspicion that there was any
job in this matter. and 1t would seem
to be impossible that any man, In
terested In the welfare Of the city
could be found to oppose the effort
to get an appropriation from Congress
to improve the navigation and abate
the malarious scourge OF the Po-
tomac." as,..seS az