Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-19
The District Appropriation I'm Goa
Srel0. 1.

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE YESTERDAY.
The House Of Representatives being in com
mittee Of the whole, yesterday after our Con-
gressional report closed, on the deficiency bill
Mr.. Burchard llll.) Offer ed an amendment to
the paragraph making appropriation To REIN
bprse the DRtrict, providing tn at no part of the
money shsll be paid by the Secretary OF the In
terror except for Improvements around OF oppo-
site to public property, the amount TO bs ascer-
tanned by measure, which shall extend only to
the center Of the street.
Mr: Beck lky.) said that be found by looking
over the report OF the board and the remarks OF
the chairman Of the committee on apprOpris-
tons, that it was proposed that the government
should pay fve-sixths OF the cost OF improve
half. While he believed that some appropria-
tion should be made, he could not see why ii
should pay this amount. Ii q gratuity was to
be given, let it be given as such. He denied the
right OF the committee to bring in q def cheney
appropriation Of this character. He proposed
to strike out 81 al $50 92 and insert S74j i52 So
He also proposed an amendment that twO-thirds
by the Secretary of the Interior in the purchase
Of the bonds of the District of Columbia. He
held that the board had exceeded the limit OF
expenditure. and that they should be kept down
OF two-thirds OF the million and quartz to be
appropriated. He reminded the gentleman
from Illinois, (Mr. Farnsworth,) who had said
10 improve their state, that they elected their
ox n offi GERS, while
THE PEOPLE OF THE DISTRICT HAD NO VOICE
in the matter; and when Congress put these men
over them IL should see tina: the ir rights were
protected. He had looked over the report Of
the board, and thought two-thirds of the money
appropriated should 60 to the redemption OF the
Mr.. Holman offered an ame ndment providing
that the payment should be made on the APP
proyal OF . board or engineer Q TO disappointed
by the chief OF engineers. He appealed to Mr.
Garfield whether he recognized the power of
the board to eSpend such an amount OF money
for the government.
Mr.. Garfield said the members OF the board
were officers OF the government appointed by
the President, ard empowered TO improve the
streets, alleys and avenues or the District,
limited only as TO the amount they might eN-
pend for the District, but not limited, a. he
thought they should be, as TO Improvements for
the government.
Mr.. Holman asked wha. limit there was, then
to the expenditures this board might make.
Mr.. Gsrfeld.-The Ia x-making power.
Mr.. Farms worth.--The general law limiting
expenditures to appropriations made.
MT; y, ,h me n gentleman wen put
chairman OF the committee (Mr. Garfeid) re-
ferrsd to a blue-backed book, the report of the
hoard, which he did not believe dozen gentle
men In the House had had access to.
Mr.. Garfield said that il was public docu
ment, made to the President in compliance will
law, and sent in with his message.
Mr.. Holman appealed TO MT. Garfield 10 In
Mr.. Hale (Me.) said he had raised the same
| objection In the committee on appropriation
| that had been raised by Mr.. Beck as to the pro
| pIiety OF the government being required TO pa,
! I'VE sixths OF the amount instead OF one half TO
Improvements in front of government proper
/ ty. IL seemed to one on first looking at the sub
/ ject that the goverpme mt should, when 1t owne,
both sides, pay all; IL neither side, none, and 1
/ on one side one half. But the subject opened
/ considerations broader than the consideration o
| single section. he government was situate,
| differently from an individual citizen of tn
| District. liz was responsible for the streets auG
| avenues OF the CITY. Over one half of the sur
! face OF the city was devoted to streets and ave
nues by its direction, and 1T was in equity there
! fore
l. REsPoNsIBLs FOR THE GREATER BURDEN.
! He would admit that it was an arbitrary al
| jusrment, but he thought il about an equitabl,
mode OF settlement. The city paid for i've
siSths OF the Improvements in front of its prop
erty, like the City Hall, and il seemed bat RICH
that The government should occupy . simila
| position.
Mr.. Dawes said he had watched the improve
| ments of the city with good deal of solicituds
He had desire TO see the city Improved, but b
| had feared the appearance OF the Improvement
| lest they might involve the District, and ulti
1 mately the government in q large debt He ha
spent some time in going about and viewin
these improvements. " bile he could not judg
| as 10 whether they had been economical, a
could see the design and what was the genera
! system. The necessity tor these improvement