Evening star., 1938-02-06
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

"A member of the Senate District
Committee" says The Star Of January
p:,, 81, 1888, expresses discour-
1'a1lio oau agement at the small pros
Problem. pect Of relief from railroad
grievances in view OF the
contradictory and obstinate claims of
railroads and citizens committee and
suggests that all are opposed to the Sen
ate committees plans. 1t makes no diff
ference If they are so opposed. When the
members OF the Senate committee, in the
performance of their duty as the imnne-
date protectors of the Districts interests
in this matter have decided upon the
best method of relieving the present
grievances and have presented their plan
in the shape of bill to the Senate the
time for the fullest concessions by the
contending interests will have arrived.
If substantial relief is furnished the
people of Washington will not, it is be-
lieved, be obstinate or exacting in respect
to details. The Baltimore &, Ohio feels
an overpowering desire to secure South
ern connections and very probably if put
to the test it will concede more for that
privilege than 1t is now willing from con-
siderations of prudence to admit. 1t is,
OF course impossible to secure the con-
sent Of the Baltimore {, Potomac to a
removal Of its present station, even for
few squares. The only way to accom-
plish that removal Is for Congress to
harden its nerves and move the building
the Baltimore & Potomac to the con-
trary notwithstanding Give us a good
bill. gentlemen, as soon as it can be done
intelligently, and we will see what hap
pens'
THE question of open sessions" says
The Star of February /, 1888. comes up
r.: again in connection with
oAecu'A'e the consideration by the
Sessions, Senate Of the proposed ex
tradition treaty with Great
Britain Senators of the old school main-
tain that the rule of secrecy should not
be broken under any circumstances, but
the attempt to smother Mr.. Riddleber-
gers motion yesterday reused the spirit
of the more progressive men In the
chamber and there is a possibility of an
interesting debate before it is finally de-
feated.
"A good many persons who strongly
favor the abolition Of secret executive
sessions when nominations are to be con-
sidered are disposed to regard them more
leniently when the discussion Of a foreign
treaty is in question. There is some rea-
son for this distinction, moreover. Inter-
national relations are often so delicate
that harsh speech by some Federal
lawmaker, anxious to make a record or
create a sensation, may add materially
to the discomforts of q strained diplo-
matte intercourse.
"On the other hand there is strong
feeling abroad among the people that
self-government means exactly what its
name indicates and that self governing
nation has right to demand of its serv-
ants that they shall do their work in the
full light of day so that their employers
may see and know what they are about
An extradition treaty, more than treaty
of any other kind, perhaps, affects the
people in their individual rights and
privileges and requires the most careful
scrutiny before 1t is concluded and past
recall, and the people echo the assertion
of Mr.. Riddleberger that they have q
right to know how well the Senate is
guarding their liberties"