Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-30
THE BOND ISSUE BILL
The Present Position of That Measure
Before the Senate.
In Case the bill Should Not BE Made
an Amendment to the Ap.
preparation Bill.

Senate from the committee ON approprla-
tions the District appropriation bill so
amended, as is stated in another part Of
The Star, as to increase the total budget
by nearly $65O,O00 Accompanying the bill
was a voluninous report consisting of let
ters from the Commissioners and others
explaining the estimates that were en-
bodied in the amendments. Mr.. German
announced that Immediately after the rpu-
tine business Of tomorrow he would ask
the Senate to proceed with the considera-
ton of the bill and to continue until
it Is finally disposed of.
An appropriation bill has. by the rules
of the Senate. the right of way against
all other measures, and therefore this an
nouncement by Mr.. German has the GER
tain effect of placing the District bill upon
it's passage tomorrow. This results in a
curious complication in regard to the sewer
bond bill.
The appropriations committee refused to
incorporate in the appropriation bill Sena-
tor ProctOr's amendment, which was a
duplo alton of the bill now pending before
the Senate providing for the issue of bonds
to the amount of s1.5OO,JOO in order to raise
funds for the extension of the street and
sewer systems of the city. 1t was not ex-
pected that the appropriation bill would
be reported to the Senate so quickly. and
hence an effort was made yesterday to
bring up ahe bond bill in the Senate so
that perhaps a vote could be reached upon
the measure so as to give an indication to
the appropriations committee of how the
amendment would be received by the Sen
ate. 1t was understood that the members
of the subcommittee were indisposed to at
tach such an extensive scheme of general
legislation to an appropriation bill unless
it could be demonstrated that there was a
majority in the Senate in favor OF 1t.
An Awkard Situation.
opposition encountered from such Senators
as Call, PETER and Kyle to prevent vote
being reached yesterday. and it was the
plan of the managers of the bill to continue
the effort during the morning hour today
and so, perhaps, reach vote before the
Senate could get to work on the appropria-
ton bill. But today, unfortunately, Mr..
Vests speech on the financial message pre-
cipitated a long debate at the very outset
of the morning hour. which was thus con-
sunIcd before Senator Harris had an op-
portunity to call the bill from the table,
Then Mr.. Morgan moved an executive ses-
sion in order that the Japanese treaty
might be considered. and the friends of the
bond bill have thus far been prevented
from securing action upon that measure
1t is still the hope that the bill may be
squeezed in at the end OF the afternoon, or
perhaps In the morning hour tomorrow
though this is not very probable. There
fore the situation is that when the District
appropriation bill shall come before the
Senate tomorrow for consideration the bond
issue amendment will have been placed in
the awkward position of being rejected by
the appropriations committee. This rem
ders 1t liable to be ruled out of order If
presented in the Senate as new amend
ment.
Outlook for the Measure.
1t was ascertained this afternoon that
there is no disposition among the opponents
of the bill to flibuster against the measure.
Senator Kyle said that he would content
himself with speaking against the bond
issue plan, and he thought that the other
opponents would do the same. He estimat-
ed that there might be four or five brief
speeches on the bond bill IL 1t should come
before the Senate again. He said that he
was opposed to any issue of bonds, es-
pecially for the extension of the streets;
he might approve proposition to extend
the sewers, be he did not think that the
government should aid what he termed a
real estate scheme. He said that he should
offer in the Senate at the proper time an
amendment providing for an issue of green
backs instead of bonds as substitute
proposition.
1t is known that the committee appointed
by the Federation of Labor has been quite
active in its work at the Capitol in oppo-
sition to the bond bill. and 1T is thought
that most of the opposition that will find
voice has been inspired by this delegation.
SNOuld tne senate reItSe 10 cONSiOer tne
bond issue bill as an amendment to the ap-
preparation bill when that measure comes
up for consideration, 1t is hardly possible
that the legislation will succeed at this ses-
sion, there is apparently no time now
for concurrent action by the two houses
upon the bill SIS an independent measure.
There is so little time given in the House
to local legislation that it is doubtf;lJ if the
bill could be brought to a vote there, pro-
vided it should pass the Senate. Senator
Harris however, said this afternoon that
he intends to keep pegging away with the
bond bill until it is disposed of. Whether
he will do this in case it should fail to be
incorporated into the appropriation bill re-
mains to be seen.