Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-08
THE DISTRICTS SURPLUS REvENul
Labor Organizations Ask to Have II
Appropriated to District Needs.

Labor Organizations Ask to Have IL
Appropriated to District Needs
The Federation Of Labor has adopted the
following resolutions:
Whereas the Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia have prepared estimates
for the necessary appropriations for said
District for the next fiscal year, amounting
to So. 7ol .079.23 exclusive of the water de-
partmenD, and the House appropriations
committee have reported a bill appropria-
ting but 81 go. l94.97 thus depriving the Dis
trict of 81, 77S, Ss4 % which is urgently needed
for public uses, and
Whereas the Commissioners have esti-
mated the general revenues Of the District
exclusive Of the water Department. for the
next fiscal year to be s., 4G4. 740.51, and the
Districts share Of the amount carried by
the appropriation bill Is but g, 461 ,097. 40
thus leaving a surplus of 81. 003. 643 or, which
will be wrung from the citizens of said Dis
trict and unJustly covered into the treasury
Of the United States under the act of July
a. 1892. in a forced prepayment of the debt
Of the District for the cost of the in
creased" water supply, which debt accord
ing to the contract. should be paid In twenty
five annual installments and
Whereas the appropriation of more than
81 100000 Of the money of our citizens and
mated by the Commissioners necessary
for the public welfare will infiict great evils
on the community, especially at time when
money is difficult to get and public employ
ment is needed by working people to sup
plement diminished private employment.
and
Whereas the United States is now COM
PEELED to borrow money for current ex-
penses. and cannot be expected to be Ib-
eral to the District Of Columbia, but NAV
be induced to allow the District to use its
own money raised by taxation, and 10 re-
frain from forcing II to anticipate the pay
ment OF its debts at a time when every
body else is getting an extension Of credit,
be il
Resolved by the Federation Of Labor Of
Washington, ID. c., That We earnestly peti-
ton Congress to appropriate Gin addition
to any amount that may be appropriated
as joint charge upon the District and the
United States) the whole OF the surplus
revenue Of the District, to be paid wholly
by the District and to be devoted to the
purposes for which the Commissi oners have
made estimates. and in the following order
Of preference:
1. For the public schools
2. For the health department
3. For the water department
4. For the sewer department
8. For the police department
8. For the streets and alleys
Resolved, That the legislative committee
OF the Federation of Labor is authorized
and directed to do all that is practicable 10
secure CONGRESSIONAL action In accordance
with these resolutions
The District Assembly of the Knights NJ
Labor have taken similar action. and the
legislative committees of the two organixa-
tons Will work together to secure the END
aimed at by the resolutions.
A member Of one Of the committees saws.
The alternative for the people TO choose
from is. on the other hand a savage cut in
the appropriations and the payment OF q
million dollars into the treasury of the
United States. and. on the other the grant
OF sufhcient money for the public needs. and
the application of the million dollars TO the
necessities of the District though accom-
panied by departure from the so per cent
rule. ~
THE great evils that may result from the
proposed cut In the appropriations. especial
ly to the public health, order and educa-
ton. and by the loss of employment by the
working people. have determined the labor
organizations to insist that all of the money
raised by District taxation shall be ex-
pended here. regardless of how Congress
may shirk its just obligations
THE question is, Shall the people of the
District have the benefit of their own
money, or shall they submit to what
amounts to direct taxation to the extent
of million dollars for the benefit OF the
bankrupt federal treasury? Shall we SUM-
port the United States because the United
states refuse any longer to support usg"