Evening star., 1936-04-12
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Progress on the work of reclaiming
the Potomac fats was impeded fifty
r,r years ago by the
1aruy funoS LOT lack of adequate
Potomac Work. appropriations. The
Star of April S,
1886, says:
1T appears that the real reason why
the House Committee on Rivers and
Harbors has refused to put an appro-
priation in the new river and harbor bill
for continuing the dredging of the Po-
tomac channels and the filling of the
malarial fats right opposite the White
House is because the bill has assumed
such scandalous proportions in the effort
to give members an electioneering fund
by appropriations for the various bayous,
creeks and trout streams in their re-
spective districts that a cut had to be
made somewhere and, of course, the Dis
trict of Columbia, having no og-rolling
vote in Congress, was the readiest vic
tim"
After many years of effort the project
for a home for the Library of Congress.
Library of Congress he Capitol,
Building Assured. reached a sue
sion fifty years ago. The Star of April
6, 1886, says:
The House of Representatives de-
serves long credit mark for its work
yesterday in passing the Library bill It
voted generous sum, and voted it in a
0o1oroi1S NOV fvo-Soventhc 0f tho Ynar1
bers present favoring it. The opposition
came wholly from men who have been
conspicuous as advocates of what they
are pleased to regard as economy, but
what, in the case of so pressing need
as the new Library project, is neither
more nor less than a narrow minded
stinginess. In the Senate there is no
doubt of the success of the bill and a
reform which has been demanded for a
score of years seems at last on the eve
of accomplishment"
The Senate passed the bill without a
dissenting vote two days later. The
Star of April 10, 1886, contains an article
of several columns descriptive of the
plans adopted for the new Library build
ing, saying:
AT last, after years Of patience and
neglect, the new Library bill is virtually
a law. For thirteen years Congress has
been urged by Librarian Spofford and
the Library Committee to provide suit
able accommodations for the rapidly
growing Congressional Library. The
different committees, commissions, ex-
perts and architects that have inquired
into the subject have all pointed one
way, yet Congress, or, to be more exact,
the House of Representatives, has until
now obstinately refused to do what
everybody, save its own sage members,
conceded in recommending as necessary.
During all these years Librarian Spoftord
has advised legislation of an intelligent
character, diligently calling the attention
of Congress to the totally inadequate
accommodations of the Library. But,
now in the hour of triumph, when an
enterprise in which the people OF all
sections of the country have manifested
the warmest interest has received the
solemn sanction of law, it Is but just TO
state that a large degree OF credit be-
longs to Senator Vorhees of Indiana.
Since his entry into the Senate he has
been a devoted, untiring friend OF the
Library. He took up the contest where
others had left it and pushed on, never
disheartened by opposition until success
crowned his efforts. Senator Morrill, OF
Vermont was a pioneer in the movement
and has rendered valuable assistance.
Representative Singleton of Mississippi
chairman of the House Library Commit
tee, has in truth chiefly devoted his last
several years in Congress to untiring and
disinterested labors in behalf OF the
Library. The gratifying result OF the
passage of the bill by more than tWo-
thirds majority was due more to MS
zeal and intelligent efforts than to any
thing else"