Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-11
DIST R RICT. D A Y
Measures of Local Interest Con.
sidered in the House.
THE POLICE FUND PENSION BILL
Attorney Thomas Recent Liquor
License Decision.
OTHER BILLS CONSIDERED
THE POLICE FUND PENSION BILL
OTHER BILLS CONSIDERED

The second Monday in the month is q day
set apart under the rules Of the House for
the consideration Of bills reported from the
committee on the District of Columbia and
accordingly today, after the usual morning
business had been transacted. Mr. Heard
took the floor.
For the Police Fund.
The first measure called I'D was the bill
making permanent provision for the police
fund Of the District. Mr.. Hepburn OF Iowa
wanted to know why the Suburban railway
bill. which was pending on the last District
day. should not now be considered. Mr.
Heard said IL would come UP later as II 10
desired to pass the police fund bill first.
The bill was then read Mr.. Heard asked
Tor the reading OF the report. which Ia q
lengthy document. including a long letter
| from the superintendent of police to the
Commissioners. Under date OF April q.
| Major Moore reported that the police PEN
sion funo would be depleted in another
| month, ana thereafter IL will be question
as to how nineteen disabled policemen.
thirty widows and twenty-eight children
will derive livelihood. The persons enum-
Grated have been charge upon the fund at
a monthly expenditure of s., SIS The report
reviews the history of legislation creating
the police fund and says that In the eight
years which have elapsed since the law
| went into ehect but nineteen policemen
have been granted the maximum of $50,
while one has been allowed $40 four $50.
and five. S25 per month. Some OF these
have died. One widow has been given $50.
| three, So. and twenty-six. SO per month:
| thirty-two dependent children have been
| AWARDED SO a month until they should
reach the age Of sixteen years.
| The Status OF the Fund.
The report also says:
| Under the law approved February 2s.
| 1875. the report OF the treasurer Of tine
United States shows that the Commission
/ fad
act of 1851. a total cash fund Of 81. .4es.lo.
which was turned over to the treasurer OF
| the United States. the ex-officio Commits
| sioner: and the same report the first year
arter the treasurer became the custodian
OF this fund. shows that the sum paid for
the benefit or policemen amounted to e.
.s;i. 4e. and each succeeding year from that
time shows increasing demands upon the
| fund.- until In lSE the sum of Sly Az was
required to sustain those dependent upon IL.
an Increase OF over 066 per cent in eight
years. Ii must be remembered that during
the period covered the metropolitan police
force was Increased from a total OF 361 men
| to Az, and the dollar apiece required TO be
| paid by each member OF the force each
month, together with about sluO from hnea
and rewards turned in TO the FUND would
| be far from adequate to Keep UP the s:lonth-
| ly expenditure even at its present rate a
xl.6S5 per month.
Therefore. 1 have TO urge. as one OF the
most important questions that now con-
/
immediate provision TO care for those who
have been heretofore dependent upon the
1 pension fund ana those who may be depen-
dent hereafter. This matter has been con-
| sidered In all its phases. and / am fully
| convinced. as 1 have already expressed my
| self TO and urged upon the members OF
this committee. that the best means to pro-
| vide for this emergency, and for ensuing
years, is 10 set aside from year TO year.
! fiom sums paid the District Of Columbia
as excise or liquor license fees. a sum sum
cicnt TO meet such demands"
Mr.. DingIey Asks Question.
Mr. Dingley of Maine said the bill pro.
poses a civil service pension. II is proposed
TO divert the ordinary receipts from taxa
tion to the support of the fund Mr.. Ding
| ley asked Mr.. Heard IL he knew whether
the attorney for the Distric: had recently
| rendered an opinion that an application for
| a liquor license within 400 yards OF a church
or school pending action at the time OF the
passage OF the law is a license under She
| law Of March 3. lSB.
Mr.. Heard said he had seen a publication
to that Kind, and II IL is true IL is an ex-
traordinary decision.
Mr.. Dirgley suggested that the LIQUOR law
needs amending, for this decision OF the at
| torney is a deliberate attempt to override
the law.
Mr.. Coombs' objection.
The discussion then reverted to the PEND
ing bill. Mr.. CoomSs of New York said that
| Brooklyn is row considering the question II
changing the law which recruits the police
| fund from liquor licenses. II is thought un-
wise to connect the fund and the liquor
license question. because the police have TO
deal directly with the enforcement Of the
liquor license law. He thought this cbiec-
| tion would hold against the pending bill
Another bad feature OF the bill. he said, IL
| that Il diverts fluids from the treasury be-
fore they go into IL. II would be better TO
put the money I'm the treasury and then ap-
propriate for its disbursement.
MIR. Cox Set Right.
| Mr.. Cox of Tennessee feared that to divert
the money from the revenues Of the license
law before IL goes into the treasury would
result in the United States having TO con-
tribute that much more to the District In
paying half OF the annual expenses Mr..
| Heard and Mr. Cobb both controverted this
| position, and explained TO Mr.. Cox that the
| government contributes an amount equal to
| the amount expended by the District, and
not sum equivalent TO the total raised
| from the taxpayers Mr. Cobb explained
| the relations existing between the District
and the government
Nr. Cobb's Idea.
Mr.. Cobb said the fair way to act would
be to let the revenues go into the treas
ury and be appropriated cut. so that the
United States would pay one-half OF the
police fund. AS IL is. the whole amount
is now proposed to be paid out of the rev.
enues or the District
| Mr. Holman feared the bill proposes q
civil pension list and he implored and pro-
tested that no such policy be entered upon.
| Mr.. Heard said the bill simply asks per-
n,ission TO be allowed to spend their own
money, r8ised from their own taxation. In
| 81 pporting this fund. Ii is not spending
one dollar OF the governments money. II
Is the money OF the people. but they can
not use II without the consent Of Con-
gress.
| Mr.. Cox said when he votes 10 put a tax
! on the people of the District to support q
| civil pension list he will vote to tax the
general government for the support Of q
| civil pension list made up of departmental
| clerks.
Mr.. Cobb and Mr. Heard labored patient
! ly with Mr.. Cox to explain to him the rela-
tive position of the District TO Congress
! and TO convince him that in this case Con-
| gress is merely sitting the common coun-
| Gil of Washington to enable the city TO ap-
| propriate money out Of its municipal FUND
for municipal purposes.
Mr.. Holman's Fs rebodinGs Of xvii.
| Mr.. Holman removal his forebodinGs OF
| evil to come from the -, and in a tremu-
| lcus voice and almost N,tE tears I'm his eyes
| besought the House not establish a pen
| sion list.
| Mr. Reeds Practical Statement.