National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-05-22

The bill providing for an appropriation OF
three hundred thousand dollars, supplemental |
to the four-milllon loan bill, has been pend |
ing In the House Of Delegates for some days,
and has been made the special order for this
evening. This bill has given rise to good
deal Of discussion, hut as yet we have failed
TO sec any intelligent presentation Of the
whole question. Mr. Clagett has told Us that
. the law provided for the issue Of -four mil
lion bonds and no more" NIr. Campbell as
surcs us that "thc appropriation would not
be for the interests Of the laboring classes Of
the District" and that while he Is intensely
loyal to the Board Of Public Works, he be-
leycs that they "havc money enough to
carry on the improvements without this addi-
tional appropriation" These are the main
points that have been advanced against the
passage Of the blll and when they are ex-
aimed fairly and candidly; when they arc cx-
amincd In the light Of the law and Of all the
facts, they are utterly weak aud fallacious,
aud the gentlemen who oppose the passage Of
the bill upon these spcciOus pretcnces arc
acting In neither the Interests Of the tax
payers nor Of the laboriug classes
The act Of Congress expressly supulatcs
that as soon az the District government shall
have expended si,OOO.OOO the General Gov
ornment will do so and So; in other words
pay its proportion Of the special assessments.
Now, so far as the District Is conc erned,
there has been dc jiUe but not a de- fdciC
expenditure Of the 81, 900, 900 called for. -Four
million dollars worth Of bonds have been put
upon the market, but s4,OOO,OOO have not
been expended in Improvements. The actual
expenditure was IS, 74s OOO. The balance Of
S252 900 represents the difference in the dis
count; for 1t will bc remembered that our
bonds were not negotiated at par. It may be
asked now why the SUN Of S3OO,OOO Is re-
quircdinstcad Of the lesser amount Of 5253, 600
The answer is q plain and easy one. The
government since the loan was negotiated hal
been paying the interest on the whole amount
and reasonable margin l. required and al
lowed for the negotiation Of the new bonds
together with advertising and other incldCnta
detail expenses. To place the matter in an
other shape, the sum uf three hundred thou
sand dollars is required to enable tho Boar
Of Public Works to balance Its books 50 as Il
come within he letter as well as the spirit o
the Congress enactment and cntltlc the boar
to the amount Of money arising out Of spCcia
assessments to be paid by the GovCrnmcn
and voted to be paid at the last Congress
These assessments cannot he paid unless tn
expenditure Of four million dollars Is clcarl,
shown, which Is manifcstly impossible to b.
done, because that amount has not, 10y thI
above sum, been expended.
The question now is, shall the District GOV
crnment pass this supplemental loan so as I,
satisfy the act Of Congress and Cntitle III,
Board OF Public Works TO n large sum o
money to make still further Improvements
or to decline to do so, and thereby deprive
the city Of the amounts voted by Congress
4 failure on the part of the Legislature Il
pass the bill will deprive the city Of mucl
larger sum than Is contemplated by the bill
so that the appropriation, as pure economic
measure, should be unhc'latlngly granted
All this talk In the Legislature about th,
laborlng classes and the taxpayers Is purt
nonsense, and Is calculated only to bCfOg thl
question. The gentlemen who make thcsI
arguments, and who hold out in the opposl
tion to the bill, arc the enemies at once Of the
workingmen aud the propcrty-holdcrs. They
by their action, are simply saying that tn,
work Of Improvement shall come TO an end
that the appropriations which were obtaincC
from Congress last winter In the faco Of 81
bitter and relentless an opposition shall Ii
idle in the Treasury, and not be used for tn
benefit OF the city. Watch the roll call, an
sec who they are