Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-29
FREE TEXT BOOKS.

Petition to the Senate by the District
Federation of Labor.
The Federation of Labor of the District this
afternoon sent to the Senate a petition dealing
mainly with the subject of free text books for
pupils in the public schools and for the erection
OF the necessary buildings. The memorial
states that by reason Of the great cost of
school books thousands of children are
unable to attend school Except by
pleading poverty and securing free books on
ing people have long petitioned for the adop-
ton OF the free textbook system; that the
Flfty-first Congress pretended to start the
system for the first SKI grades. but appro-
prlated money enough for the hrst
four four grades only; that the board of Of
to complete the system the coming year, but
the Commissioners have reduced the estimate
to S35, 600 for the first six grades and the House
OF Representatives of the Fifty -second Congress
has cut the appropriation down to Sl2, 600 for the
hrst four grades only; that the system advO-
cnted by the federation will at once place 5000
more children in school, relieve thousands Of
people OF a heavy tax, carry children OF
mechanics and laborers into higher
grades and the high school and greatly
increase the efficiency of the school: that the
school authorities asked the Fifty-second Con-
gress Tor tive new school houses to meet the in
| crease OF children in this rapidly growing city,
and the House OF Representatives has given
but one-whereby in two years some g. 600 more
children will be forced on the streets for want
OF school room.
The memorialists also state that there is now
In the United States treasury, to the credit Of
the District a surplus of 800 0OO and by with
holding the necessary appropriation for
schools, streets and sewers the House of Rep
resentatives proposes to make the sur
plus of SSOO,0OO more out of the revenues for
the next fiscal year; that section of the
District appropriation bill proposes to seize
the whole OF this surplus to pay at once the
debt of the District to the United
States for the dry water tunnel and
the new water main; that these debts
are by law payable in eighteen and
twenty five annual installments, easily met and
ga satisfactory for everybody; that the action of
the House OF Representatives will not only in
1ict great injury the schools, streets and
health of the District but the diversion of the
money paid in taxes will throw many laborers
out Of employment and bring distress upon the
community.
line federation demands an appropriation
sufficient to provide free text books for all
tine pupils of the first eight grades and to erect
a school building which the trustees and Com
missioners have certified will be necessary in
the future.
The federation condemns the first production
OF surplus and the seizure of 81, 500, 900 which
has been paid in taxes by the people. Demand
is also made that the payment OF debt for
water which has never been supplied shall be
left to the operation of the sinking fund and
that the SURF lus shall be expended tor school,
sewers streets and other public necessities.
L. W. Oyster, chairman Of the legislative
committee, signed the petition.