Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-15

II Is expected that the subcommittee of
the Senate committee on appropriations,
having In charge the bill in which the Dis
trict OF Columbia Is most deeply inter-
ested, will commence work on the measure
within day or so. The House has done
with the bill for the present, and not until
&c Is called upon to consider the conference
report will 1t have occasion to worry itself
over what 1t undoubtedly regards as
matter of comparatively little Importance.
Many appropriation bills have been ground
out of the House mill, but none OF them
was ever ground with the Congressional
burrs so close together as they were when
the District bill was forced into the hop
per. The virtues of economy have been
sung for ages and are real. but there was
little or no resemblance between genuine
economy and the pairing which was
done on District appropriations last week
In the House of Representatives. The Star
has already pointed out the shortcomings
of the measure in question: they are pat
ent to everyone who has any acquaintance
with local affairs; they are known to the
Senate committee. 1t was hoped that the
House would at least increase the amount
recommended by it's committee for the
semi-support of the Districts public
schools, but In spite OF the able presenta-
ton of facts by representatives of the
minority the measure went through with
out protest from the niggardly element;
for which latter remarkable condition the
slaughtering policy OF the House commit
tee was responsible. The history OF Dis
trict appropriation bills Is that the Senate
Is always much more fair-and therefore
more liberal-than the House. and there is
no reason for Imagining that there will at
this time be any violation Of what has
come to be regarded as a rule Of appro-
priative practice. 1t is essential that many
items omitted by the House be in the bill
when 1t becomes law-notably those that
have reference to erection and equipment
and repair of school buildings. 1t Is the
lamentable truth that at the capital of the
nation|n a city which broad-minded
Americans seek to make a model for all
other cities-thousandS of children of
school age are not permitted opportunity
to acquire even the rudiments OF COM
mon-school education, while other thou
eands must be content with the half loaf.
of which the best that can be said is that
1t Is better than no bread at all. Were the
District revenues insufficient then there
might be some excuse for such unfairness,
but in view of the fact that the District
by its revenues alone is entitled TO quite
half million dollars more than the House
would put in the bill there is no founda-
ton for the so-called economical argu-
ment. In three years the school appropria-
tions alone-compared with the appropria-
tons for the four preceding years-have
fallen behind nearly seven hundred thou
sand dollars, although the population of
the District has steadily increased and the
wants of that population have grown daily.
To the Senate committee. to the Senate,
and to those who will be the Senate con-
ferees the people of the District OF Column
bia appeal for just treatment. not only in
this matter of schools-though that is at
present of supreme importance-but also
for more OF common-sense Hberality in
other important matters dealt with or not
dealt with In the House act.