The Washington times., 1895-02-06
labor men ANSWERED
Board Of Trade Replies 10 OBJ
jeGtionS TO The Sewer Bill.
DIRECTORS MAKE ASTATEMENT
They Justify Incurrlng Debt for the Object
in Yiew-pistrict Is Able TO Stand In
creased Northumberland System
Defen5ed-Eot in Favor Of Submitting
the Matter to a Vote of the People.

the Matter to a Vote of the People.
The objections Of the knights Of Labor to
20 the S7 .5G0. 600 bond hill for the extension
OF sewers and streets were formally an
swered yesterday afternoon by the board OF
directors Of the board of trade. The answer
is-a very lengthy printed report OF the COM
mittee appointed for this purpose on the day
the delegation from the labor unions ap-
peared before the board and argued against
the Endorsement of the bill Mr.. r. Ross
Perry was the chairman. and the other mem
bers were Messrs. J. NJ johnson, Samuel
Ross, S ". Woodward, and 7. VI. Smith.
The report was read yesie day before the
following members OF the board Of directors,
who received Is with considerable appause
and adopted il without a dissenting vote;
President b. II. Warner. First Vice President
s. " Woodward. Second Vice President
Theodore ". Moves. Secretary John y. wight,
and Mrssrs. George 4. Dunlop, Charles 9.
Glover. Games III. Johnston. i. l.. Moore, Il.
Ross Perry, 7. ". Smith, Ihomas someryliie,
o. G. Ssai les, II. A. Willard, and W. A. Vim
sa-t.
the report is addressed TO Messrs. Paul T.
Bowen, W. H. q. SImmonds, and NJ. i.
HoJi s who represented the knights OF
Labor, and begins by stating the objects OF
the bill. presenting extracts from the reports
OF eECineers and the House District Commit
tee in support of their assertion that the I'M
proyemenis named in the bill are necessary
al this tine.
JUSTIFY THE DEBT.
In answering The laboring mems opposition
topubI.c debts the report says: THAT nation,
State a municipality, an individual Is JUS
tilted economically in incurring debt would
seem 10 be beyond question. 5Iany man
has ONLY been atie 10 acquire home Tor him.
self aud family by going into debt.
s'Io question the soUnaaess OF the use OF
borrowing capital wherewith 10 osupport labor
or energy cf any kind Is, almost, 10 lay ylo-
lent hands upon the multiplication table.
That workmen. whose daily bread depends
upon the multiple activity IN all lursdlis re-
sultihg IRON the power OF credit, should as
sail the very source OF that activity, Is llttle
shUrt Of suicidal
Replv.nC TO the assertion that the District
owes too large q de,t now, the report quotes
Il length from the report OF the House DIS
trict Committee which SAYS that the present
de.t OF the District is but SIS. zoo, eco, about
$1,000. .OJ0 less than in 1850, and the indebt-
edness has been reduced SO per capita IN the
last fourteen years.
INADEQUATE AND MISLEADING.
Continuing, the board OF trade eommittee's 5
repeH says:
'You say that there is to-day scarcely
a seryiceab,e foot OF pavement, sewer, or
watpr-main in existence which was procured
with the money the texIstinG) deot repre-
seuts. Even were you accurate IN this as
sertion. YOU would only urge an argument IN
favor OF the doing of better work in the
making OF future improvements. But Ia
reality YOUR statement is Inadequate and
misleading. We to-day enjoy the full benefit
OF the permanent features OF that great plan
Of Improvement which changed the Wash
incton Of $50 into the beanuiul metropolitan
capital OF 1895.
In reply to the objection 70 the bond bill
because fifty wears Interest ~ the rate o. 3
per cent Ter annum upon S15,OeO.OOO VIII
amount to a large sum, the report says.
I'VE shall lot have TO pay fifty years in
tercst in one wear. We shall have all Of fifty
years in which to pay back principal and in
terest. II we get an adequate consid ration
each year for the payment which we make
that year, then we hall be on a sound basis
even from a commercial point OF view.
cASSoT BE DONE FIECEMEAL.
Tic declaration that the sale Of bonds is
unnecessary because the annual surplus OF
revenue viii enable the District to herewith
pay il cash for these needed public improve
ments is next considered.
The report states that. as has been shown.
this comprehensive system Of improvements
must be executed as a whole and not in piece
meal. The District al the outset has this
whole sum Of 81. 500. .000.
I've do not think that conservative citizens
are Of opinion thar local real estate can now
be safely taxed much, il any, beyond its pres
ent rate.
Your further objection that this worl
tn I10In nf
expenditure of so much money in shor
time will attract here many oftne unemployed
elsewhere. seems unusual ana without merit
The committee denies the assertion that
the contract system is Infamous. asserting
that it is the legal system Of letting public
works. and stating that with both individ-
uals and public bodies it has for many years
been almost the only system. 1t further says
the proposed improvements will all be wOrb
exposed during construction. and Will admit
oI easy and efficient supervision and exami
nation.
AGAINST PUTTING IT TO VOTE.
The committee does not agree with th,
laboring men that the fate Of the bill should
be submitted 10 the trial Of universal sut
frage, saying such action would be unWise
as this is DIST .nctly local Improvement. II
conclusion the report says:
That You should put yourselves upon
FECJiN d. DllhiolEE BuDi4C l1hlio III ESslNAtA4 4
to US incomprehensible. That you should
in particular. resist the effort TO make youl
homes healthier. and your city more pros
perous because more healthy. when the sue
cess Of that effort will directly give you tha
work which you need. persuades US that yol
have been mislnformed or misguided. w
ask you TO study these questions CAREFUL!
yourselves and to exercise your own indl
vidual judgments about them. We believe
that you will tier unite with us in urging
upon Congress the immediate adoption Of thi
measure. so necessary 10 the health and con
unued progress of our national capital
already the most beautiful in the world
Upon recommendation of the committee OF
membership the following names were>en
rolled: DIR. L. W. Ritchie, George W. Silshy
J. A. Luttrell. Henry J. Finley. Oscar w
White. DIR. ID. ID. Stone, George o CLAWS, J
Edward LibDey, A. ID. Hazen. James Z. Nil
Ter. DIR. J. Wesley Bovee, Edward II. Thomas
Philip T. Hail. 4. B. Towner & Son. Wescott
Wilcox & Hieston. and ID. G. Pleiaer
The committee received vote Of thank
for lis work and 1900 copies Of the repor
were ordered printed and sent to member
and C51gressmen-elect