The evening times., 1896-10-28
NEEDS
OF THE
DISTRICT.

from Squeedunk 10
raise his hands in holy horror and start
him to make comparisons between the
appropriations for running his village and
those asked for the National Capital but
it is only that class OF statesmen and the
professional cheese -parers that will find
fault. IL takes money to keep Il great city
in good condition, especially one covering
so large an area of ground and the. OBJ
Jectivc point of thousands of people from
all parts of the country
number of important items is con
tained in the estimates, probably none more
50 than that which contemplatcS an addi
ton of 1O6 patrolmen to the police force.
IL must be conceded that city having an
area larger than New York, though less
thickly populated, cannot we'll get along
With less than 600 policemen. Even with
that number the patrol beats ill still be
unusually large, but it will be at least an
improvement upon the present condition of
affairs, v Inch is nothing short of dis
graceful. Equally urgent are the increases
OF force and equipment in the fire and
health departments, both OF which are
greatly crippled in their efficiency by the
lack of means.
The demand made by the Commissioners
ON behalf of tie schools is entirely war
ranted by the necessities of the case The
least the people of the District have Il right
to ask is that enough school buildings shall
be provided 10 give every child the bcn,f fit
Of Il full days tuition. 1t should not he
said oi the Capital city of the United States
that there is an insufficiency of school ac-
ccmnodations or that there are any school
houses unfit for the reception Of children
Inclose relation to the public schools stands
the public free library. The COMMISSIONERS
have very properly regarded the Congress
sional sanction for its establishment as "a
warrant for providing for its maintenance
In this they have been exceedingly modest.
rs they have only considered the most ur-
gent needs of the institution. They have
wisely left the matter OF a permanent home
for the library for future consideration, be-
cause in all probability, room will be found
for it IN the new municipal building. for
the beglnningOf which an estimate of SlOu.-
coo is put in. If no other reason could
be advanced for the construction Of such Il
building than that of economy the demand
would be more than justified. because the
District pays i'll rentals for the accommoda-
tiou OF its offices sum very nearly, if not
quite as much, as would lie the interest
charge on an amount sufficient for the
crectionof a municipal struct urc that would
be "A fitting home for the local government,
and an architectural ornament of the city.
There is a variety Of fotheritcms I'm braced
In the estimates that deserve attention AMI
will receive it in these columns from tine
TO time. Chief among these are the iucrraS,.
in the pay Of public school teachers, a site
for contagious disease hospital. a chem |
ical laboratory, Il morgUe. 4 plant for tie |
disposal of ordinary street refuse. and |
last, but Of paramount importance, the |
perfection Of our system Of sewage dis
the estimates contemplate The expenditure
Of very nearly the entire amount of est
mated District revenues, Plus the equal
amount Of the general governments shar".
This is corumendabIc, for there S 10 need
fer gathering still larger surplus i'll the
Treasury than already lies idle aud useless
If the taxpayers money Is not to ie used
for the Improvement Of the city, it wC!ld
far better remain in tEeiT pockets.
~
THE annual report of Inspector of Build
ings Brady, just submitted, furnishes
food for reflection. Perhaps the III os; start