Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-11

Those who imagine that because there
was comparatively brief discussion in the
House to the District appropriation bill
there has been a change of heart favorable
to the national capital will. IL they exam
Inc the measure ard read the record of yes
terday'5 proceedings. be forced to confess
themselves mistaken. Extended debate on
District matters invariably originates with
those who are always ready to object to
any proposition that promises the District
of Columbia a dollar more than the most
economical congressional mind alleges to
be necessary. The bill which passed the
House yesterday carries appropriation
much smaller than was asked for by the
most conservative estimates-it had been
slashed and pared and hammered down I'M
til further dimin1ton was practically i'm
possible-so the professional DIRECTORS were
unable to find single protuberance at
which to hack with their little hatchets.
The measure as it will go to the Senate is
far from creditable to those who have so
ruthlessly stunted its growth. Representa-
tive j. Il. Henderson showed this yesterday
when he laid before the House figures to
prove his assertion that the District, by its
revenues alone, is entitled to quite half
million dollars more than it gets in the bill.
Representative Ray should ask what is
the occasion for cutting down these appro-
priations if they are necessary To this
Gen. Henderson replied that that was a
conundrum he could not answer. and every
other member of the House could truth
fully have made the same reply. What Will
generally be regarded the weakest spot
in the Dill is the comparatively Insignificant
amount set apart for the maintenance or
our public school system. The necessities
of this system have frequently been pointed
out by The Star and by those ofncials and
other interested persons who have appeared
before Congressional committees; yesterday
the House had presented to 1t the salient
points in the argument for better condi-
ton of affairs. 1t was told that nearly two
thousand children can only go TO school
one-half of what should be each school day,
1t was told also that there are nearly fifty
four hundred colored children who are
without schooling and that the number of
white children similarly circumstanced is
still greater. Then Gen. Henderson showed
how the Commissioners had asked for
twelve rev school buildings and for the
reconstruction of two others, the total es-
Innate therefor being 100000; the commit
tee authorizes the reconstruction of two
and the erection OF TWO, at lOldl coSl VI
s12O.OOO. Further than this. Gen. Hender-
son showed that the total appropriated for
buildings for four years-1SS9 to 1892, both
inclusive-produced an average OF S2SO-
DI7.57 a year, while the total appropriated
for the last three years for school buildings
produces an average of S62,Sl6. If" said
Gen. Henderson. I'VE had appropriated for
the last three years at the same rate as for
the preceding years-and the growth OF
population has been going right OMIT
would have been our duty to have appro-
priated, IL the other appropriations were
wise the sum of ssh, So. IL. We only gave
a total of SlSS, $50, so that during the last
three years We have run behind the ap-
preparations of the preceding four years
1851, 49, H." Notwithstanding the showing
thus forcibly presented. the House made no
effort to amend the bill as, for its own
credits sake, 1t should have done. That
the Senate will be so inconsiderate Is far
from probable. 1t Is reasonably expected
that many of the omissions as to which
there is much of reasonable complaint Will
be supplied by the legislators at the north
ern end of the Capitol.