The morning times., 1896-06-03
A PENNYwIsE wARpsHIp.

PENNYwISE WARDSHIP.
The Commissioners estimated that $685.
| 00e would be absolutely necessary to COM
plete the street improvements contem-
plated for the coming year.
This amount has been reduced in Senate
conference to S271 900, sum consider
ably less than half of what is believed to
have heen conservative estimate; for
the Commissioned in cnly exceptional
cases ever ask for sums that are increas sed
| by Congressional action.
II is tc tie assumed that unless extraor-
dinary influence is exerted in the Senate
| and House there will be an adherence to
the agreement OF the Conferees. That
| this holesale reduction is open to the
grayest criticism is not TO be gainsaid,
aud especially as ii is the fact that there
has been tedious wait of five years
already for some CT the improvements EN-
braced in the Commissioners list. 1t is
also apparent without argument that the
appropriation as it new stands will secure
only some mastery bctch work where
complete results were contemplated at a
minimum cost.
This forecast OF what Congress proposes
for the city is in marked contrast With the
Incorporate. break-neck speed with which
1t is attempted TO drive through both
houses the river aud harbor bill involving
an addition TO the ccuntry's debt of sixty
two millions Of dollars. We will not hest
tate to say that there is a hundred dol
lars of unnecessary expense in this river
and harbor till for every single dollar that
has been cut off the sum for the city's i'm
provcments. The economic yard stick, as
applied to the District and as compared
with the riOteus admeasuremeuts for
places only recently on the map of the
Unlted States, is sublitncly ridiculous
criterion of legislative sincerity.
1t may perhaps be unkind to refer to the
post-prandial speeches OF such distinguished
legislators as Messrs. Babcock, Dingley,
and others ut the Arlington Hotel and at
Marshall Hall, but it is only history to
repeat that they gave more or less solemn
pledges on those occasions to deal fairly,
lioeEaly nay, unagnificently with the
most beautiful city on the gobe.' Grant
ing that there was sincerity III all this,
it may perhaps be not too late to remind
the Influential members Of Congress of
what they owe the city at least in pledges
that ought to circulate at par.
As the emaSculated appropriations now
stand the northwest viii receive S45,COO
the northeast, $4,000; the southeast $34.-
Cnly be necessary 10 say that $4,000
was asked for the southwest and that if is
proposed to give it S22, 500, one-fourth
Of what was absolutely necessary George
Town needed S54 coo, but this has been
reduced Ia S13 800. \ campari rison of these
figures is all tie comment necessary to
show the absurdity OF the senseles slash
of the conference knife. 1t may perhaps
be as well 10 say thar the sections needing
the improvements most viii suffer most
BIZ the indiscriTninate slaughter. The places
to be 'mended'' are 50 many. ana the new
works 50 few, that the next Congress viii
require committee OF experts TO dis
cover the difference between the improved
city Of 1897 and the unirnproved city OF
1896
For ii all there appears to be no appeal
except To the good sense and judgment OF
the members Of the House and Senate who
are not members of the Joint High Com
mission charged with the preSumptive duty
of establishing a reputation for economy
in behalf Of the Fiffy-fourth Congress ana
at the expense of the District of Columbia