The Washington times., 1895-01-26
Directors of the Board of Trade Heard a
Committee from the knights of Labor-0p-
pose the Bill as Uneconomical, Unneces-
sary. and Impolihc-Infamous Contract
system-AQueduct Times Remembered.

spokesman.
On behalf OF the board Mr.. r.. Ross Perry
made brief reply. and by vote of the di-
reetors President Warner appointed the fol-
lowing committee to draft formal answer:
R. Ross Perry. J. NJ. Johnston. Samuel Ross,
S. W. Woodward, and T. W. Smith.
In granting the privilege of the floor to the
committee Mr.. Warner spoke OF the receipt
of Mr.. Simmons letter asking for hearing
at the recent monthly meeting of the board.
and the reasons why that privilege could not
be granted. The labor men. he said, had not
come 10 speak 10 body of men who are
aliens in feeling 10 tile humblest man in the
city. One great reason for the boards in
dorsement of the bill was TO give work 10 the
unemployed men of Washington, and he was
greatly surprised that the men who were most
in need of work should
OBJECT TO THE MEASURE.
Mr.. Paul T. Bowen spoke for the labor men,
and said:
''The labor organizations are in favor of
most of the ostensible objects of the bond bill,
but they oppose the bill as uneconomical,
unnecessary and impolitic.
I've oppose public debts. One reason may
be found in the fact that the District owes a
debt OF over $4,000 900. The worst of it is
that there is to-day scarcely seryiceable foot
OF pavement sewer or water main in existence
which was procured with the money the debt
represents. All OF the existing public i'm
provements have replaced old ones. and have
been paid for in cash as we went along.
''1he principal and interest of the proposed
bonds will amount in fifty years to s19.-
lbs. 600 For this we shall receive the worth
of but 7,650.000. On the other hand, if we
incur no debt we can take the 1885,, ,000,
which the bonds will demand for interest
and sinking fund. and apply it annually to
the objects of the bill. thus obtaining IN fifty
81. ~ 81 iuctn nod nf
s., 1850 900.
SALE or BoNDs UNNECESSARY.
'.IE 1894 the District had surplus revenue
OF $500, ,oC0, which was violently applied by
Congress to the repayment Of the dry-water
tunnel debt This year we shall have larger
surplus than last. In 1895. SHOULD the appro-
priation bill pass in its present form. we
shall nave surplus of-Se0O. GOO. In all,
surplus OF 81 400, 600 in three years.
1.-The board OF assesso ors, in open violation
of their oath OF office. are reducing assess
ments far below the true value of property,
with the admitted purpose OF curtaillng super
iuous revenue.
Just three simple things are required to
secure necessary public improvements: First,
that property shall be assessed. as the law re-
quires, at its true yaiue:' second, that prop
( erty owners and corporations shall pay their
taxes. and third. and most important. that
Congress shall appropriate for our public
needs all the revenue of the District, adding
to i an equal amount from the Treasury.
''FoT instance with the $500 0O0 surplus Of
District revenue and SS0O.0OO more con-
1 tributed by Congress. we might expend dur
ing the fiscal year 1896 the sum o. 81 coo, 900
on sewers and streets. paving cash and not
borrowing cent This shows the honest
/ plain, practical business way of doing what
the bond bill aims at. Ii is our opinion that
\ this plan can be made to succeed, while the
bond scheme Will never go through. We ln-
vite the board of trade, as body, to assist
US on this line, as many of its
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS ARE ALREADY DOING.
"organized labor of the District desires
and needs employment, but will not invite
future ruin for days prosperity.
"During this period of depression the sud-
den expenditure of 81, 600 on public works
/ withdraw to the District hordes of the unem-
ployed from near cities and States, and when
the work is completed they will be stranded
here without the means of subsistence. keen
competitors of our own people for employ
1 ment, burden on the charitable, menace 10
health and good order.
THE sale of large amount OF municipal
bonds is of so serious a character that it is
never done elsewhere without a special sane
tion by ballot of the community affected.
We believe il will be a crime to bond this
District without the free consent of the peo-
| pie 1t is claimed by the advocates of the
bond bill that majority of the people favor
it. II they really believe themselves, why
not test the question? 1t can be done in
forty days with nominal trouble and expense.
We believe the scheme would be defeated
and that IFS promoters
DARE NOT PUT IT TO THE TEST.
Further the work is to be done under the
Infamous contract system, of which the Ly.
decker tunnel in an example, and which
Gems. Duane and Newton testified was the
invariable result. Sewers are finished, ac-
cepted and buried, and the crime of fraudu-
lent work is safe from detection. The bill
ought to provide for the execution of the
work under the supervision of disinterested
public agents as the only guarantee that the
people will not be swindled by scamped work
and the employees will not be imported from
other cities and cheated and oppressed after
they are here. The italian colony of the
aquedUct times is not yet forgotten.
1.-The bill as introduced had a provision
that in making the improvements the Com
missioners should employ as many persons as
might be necessary TO do the work speedily
and properly at wages current at the time IN
the District and this was stricken out before
the bill was reported to the Senate. Why?
THEY "woULDN'T HAVE TO-
f'The details OF the bill We will not critieise
except 10 say that in substance, S7.65O, 900 i.
handed over to the Commissioners to expent
on certain objects. practically without re
striction. and with such phraseology tha
nearly the entire amount can be applied out
side OF the cities of Washington and George
town. Ii is such bill as that if Tamman,
had the execution of it not one cent on a dol.
lar would benefit the public. Our Commits
sioners would no doubt spend the none,
carefully, ludieiously, and honestly, but the.
wouldn't have to- u
Mr. Perry made few remarks in reply to
Ar. Bowen.
There is an exceedingly important thing
that is ignored by these gentlemen. The,
don't seem to realize the fact that system 0
sewerage is a thing that cannot be done by
piecemeal. 1t is absolutely impossible to b.
done in that way. A comprehensive plal
of sewerage is something that must be don
as whole. If we are going to have a scien
tiiic plan Of sewerage we
CANNOT DO IT BY PIEcEaEAL.
''This tax is going to come heaviest upol
those people who own real estate in this cit,
and they are the ones who are willing to pa
for it," Mr.. Perrys remarks were greetet
with considerable applause, and after tn
committee of five had been appointed III
board adjourned.
1t was stated after the meeting that hear
ing would be granted to the members of tn
Builders Exchange who are said to favor tn
passage Of the bill.
| ga Morning Dip" or Il little maid givin
her fluffy goslings their bath in the pond
It's the Sunday TIMES separate colored pic