Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-28

The ups and downs Of legislation are being yery
clearly exemplfed by the work Of the confer
ence committee on the District appropriation
bill. Several times the committee has been very
close to An agreement on the topics at issue and
then the scale would drop and the couferees
would find themselves further apart
than ever This morning the conferees
held another meeting and il is hoped although
naruiy expected that an agreement will be
reached From present prospects, far as
can be judged of anything which is not settled,
there will not be SO much general legislation
In the bill as was at one time expected.
The committees have been disc ussing the ad-
Instability OF inserting four District bills in the
measure, the proposed assessment law, liquor
license Law. refanding law and street extension
law.
THE ASSESSMENT QUESTION.
The first of these bills will in all probability
be inserted when the bill energies as the pro-
posal is warmly seconded by members OF the
District committee. as well as the conferees
who appreciate the necessity of adopting some
plan for more equal assessment of real estate
and the raising OF more money for the District
UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE LIQUOR LICENSE
In regard to the liquor license matter, it will
hardly be included IN the bill, the conf.rees
fearing that such opposition will be raised to
the proposition rs to endanger the entire re-
port. Some conclusion will be reached
on the question OF meeting the
maturing bonds of the District, and probably
this decision will be the insertion of the
House bill providing for the issue Of a new
series of 3 per cent bonds to meet the bonds
falling due. The proposition of the
Senate TO take these bonds up
entirely by an appropriation from the
United States treasury and the repayment of
hr- A. 4 Il
stiiments with interest al 3 per cent. is thought
by the House conferees to be setting an ex-
ceedingly bad precedent.
STREET EXTENSION.
An earnest effort has been made to have in
serted in this bill at least portion of the
street extension bill providing for the extern
sion of the city streets in conformity with the
present plan of the city through the outlying
portion of the District. The bill carries
large appropriation. but it is claimed that
only very small portion of the sum would be
needed for several years. survey and map
would have TO be made. which would require n
considerable time and cost comparatively
small amount.
Many peopla consider this measure as the
most important to the District now pending
before Congress. Ii Is rather improbable
however, that the conferees will finally include
the bill; some portion may be inserted, how
ever.
The original questions at issue between the
two houses have been giving the conferees a
large amount of trouble. In regard to school
books the question has been TO the amount
of the sum TO be appropriated and the confer
ence committee when it does report will have de-
cided on a compromise sum between the Senate's s
appropriation of $4,000 and the House,
amendment Of s.5i 900. decision will also be
reached on the question of the electric subways
of the District which will confne, to some ex-
tent the laying of subwsys and conduits until
the board Of electrical engineers makes its re-
port
THE TUNNEL AND zoo PARK.
The report will in all probability agree TO
the proposition crediting back to the District
her share of the s575, coo paid for the new
forty -eight-inch main ano charging the same
TO the water rates. TO be paid in twenty-five an
nual installments. This will be an important
concession, as if will make S2s,, 500 available
for improvements this year.
The report, with equal probability. will con-
tain a disagreement on the proposition TO re-
fund the Districts half of the original cost of
the Geological Park. On this question the two
bodies are entirely at variance and a separate
vote will have to be taken on the question