Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-12

The opposition yesterday to the immediate
appropriation of $4,000 for street improve
ment In the District was based upon three
. distinct errors.
Mr.. KDgore objected to 1t as a charity ap-
preparation. The appropriations committee
reports that 1t Is in amount and objects q
proper municipal expenditure, which in reg
. ular course would be made next summer
There is nothing of charity In the appropria-
ton itself. To make the money available
now will incidentally relieve many destitute
families by giving work to some of the I'M
employed, but this fact ought not to be a
fatal objection to the proposal. even in the
view of the coolest biooded economist since
the expenditure of the same amount of
money now. when there Is desperate need will
unQuestionably secure more grading for the
District thar its outlay next summer. when
excessive restitution will not cheaper the
labor market. The project ought to COM
mend itself to all phiianthropists, including
that calculating class which delights to do
charity and make money by the same busi-
ness stroke.
Mr.. Kilgore also objected to 1t as propos-
ing method of appropriation in respect to
suburban streets in violation of an alleged
general policy in respect to such streets
adopted by the last Congress. II Mr.. Kill
gore will carefully read the law to which he
refers he will quickly perceive that no gen.
eral policy is adopted and announced, but
merely a method of apportfoning the ex-
penses of creating and improving streets
that are laid out under the provisions OF
this act" There are a great many new reg
ulations governing the streets to be created
under this act which. non-existent now. are
Mt ffrne tn oil 10 tbo I'll
line; and it is Illogical and unreasonable to
pick out one of the provisions affecting such
streets and to declare that It, unlike the
other provisions. is of general suburban APP
plication. in spite of the fact that the ex-
press words of the statute confine il to the
case of streets created under this law. II
will be long time before suburban i'm
provements can be conducted under this
law: and II no such Improvements can be
made except under its provisions, there Is
present denial to a tax-paying portion of the
District OF the local expenditure on high
ways of any part Of its tax contribution.
But no intelligent man will contend, after
reading the act of 1893, that it applies in
any way to streets created before its en-
actment. or to any streets which are not
created in pursuance of the operations of
the elaborate and ponderous machinery
which IL provides.
Mr. Funk indicated that Bloomington, ILL.,,
had the same right to ask the anticipation
of a national expenditure in that city that
Washington had to make this request. The
difference in the two cases is that WASH
irgton comes to the House as it's common
council not as the national legislature. If
Bloomington has followed the example of
cities all over the country. 1t has already,
through it's aldermen and common councils.
anticipated some municipal expenditure of
next summer to give work. a substitute
for charity, to its unemployed. Congress is
the only board of aldermen and common
councils that Washington has. 1t is the
only body which can legislate for the city
or appropriate for any purpose dollar OF
the tax-money contributed by citizens
There Is nothing novel in this request made
by the capital of its local legislature. A
week ago The Star called attention to the
fact that in Baltimore the authorities have
helped the work of relief by opening a
stOne-breaking yard In Boston plans have
been approved for pushing municipal works
The Cincinnati authorities have FASTENED
the appropriation of $30,OO for use in the
parks. and the park commissioners have
given employment, for the most part only
to those who were recommended by the citi-
zens committee. In Chicago extra work Is
being provided by the street cleaning bu-
reaus, and the municipal government has
made provision for employing men at 81 per
day on the draina"e works and in the parks
In order to meet me emergency in st. Paul.
public money has been appropriated to the
work Of grading streets and improving
parks. and employment under this appro-
priation is regulated by the citizens COM
mittee. the purpose being to make the money
go as far as possible toward preventing des- !
tuition In Pittsburg the department of
public works has made provision for EN- |
pioying hundreds of men on the unimproved !
parks of the city. simply anticipating ex-
penditures which would be demanded in the |
rear future |
1t Is notifying and annoying for the peo- |
pie OF the capital TO be compelled to ex- !
pain and apologize to their high and mighty |
common council every time the occasion |
arises to ask this body to perform its con-
stitutional functions as such common conn
GIL 1t Is the fault of the constitution and |
not of the District that the capital is forced ]
10 bring Its municipal concerns to the at .
tention OF Congress as its local legislature !
anu failure TO recognize practically this /
reiatlon between the nation and capital /
involves breach OF constitutional obiiga-
lions On the part Of the negligent Congress-
men.
The people of Washington are asking no |
help Of the nation in taking care of their
poor. The tax payers of the city have
raised and are raising thousands of dollars
Tor charitable relief, and they are feeding
ana warming the thousands of improyident
ones whom the nation brought here and
iert stranded and helpless after the war
Not only are they directly relieving the
destitute. VINO are unable to work but as
individuals, in every way that they DOS
sloiy can they are making. work for the
unemployed. Supplementing these labors
they have applied to their only common
council. Just as dozens of cities all over
the country have done. TO anticipate some
municipal improvements, which will give
immediate cheaply-paid enpI lynent. nor
requiring skill. 10 hundreds CT self-respect
ing men, who shrink from charity. but will
gladly work
IL Is IN the power of a single member of
lhls cltys congressional common council
10 ueteat- any desire on the councils mart
10 De as intelligent and efficient a leyis !
iatiVe body for Washington in the present
elheFsency' as the common councils of
fittsourg, Cincinnati. ST. Paul and other
ei'ies nave been. in dealing with precisely
'he same question. But will not C.ouncii-
man hligore and Councilman Funk reten,a