Evening star., 1897-03-06

to receive attention when the republic De-
gan to do equity in the case OF the peopie
of the capital city.
Eour wears before the act of 1878 Con-
eress had refunded much of this debt In
3S3 bonds guaranteed by the United
States. 1t enacted in 1874 concerning these
bends that "the faith of the United States
is hereby pledged that the United States
will by proper proportional appropriations
as contemplated in this act. and by caus-
ing to be levied upon the property within
said District such taxes as will do so pro-
vide the revenues necessary to pay the in
terest on said bonds as the same may be-
c. me due and payable. and create sink
ing fund for the payment of the principal
thereof at maturity The first Commits
sicners appointed under the act OF 1913
reporting to Congress in 1878. the very
year of the creative legislation said: The
act of June II. 1873. commits the United
States to the payment of - per centum OF
the expenses of the District government
Interest and sinking fund for the 3G'
bonds and the funded Indebtedness of the
District form large part OF the ex-
penses." And again: THE $50 bonds form
nearly twO-thirds of the Indebtedness for
which the District revenues are made to
provide These are obligations of the
United States" And again: THE burden
of the public debt weighs heavily. Pay
ment of interest alone absorbs about one
third OF receipts from all sources. includ-
ing the - per centum contributed by the
United States. To this sum must be added
a large amount for sinking fund to pay the
principal. Thus mere than one-third of
the revenue of the District, year after
year. goes to the public debt as now fund
ed Is it not clear that only colossal ig
ncrance and malice would venture to ac-
crse the District of insidiously enlarging
the scope of the act of 1878. until, contrary
to its intent. 1t now covers this debt?
Mr.. Dockery eulogiZed his own wonder
full astuteness in anticipating that the law
of last session which created the library
as a supplement of the Districts public
educational system and directed explicitly
that it should be maintained would be fol-
lowed by an estimate for such mainte-
nance. Encouraged to the point OF rash
ness by the accurate fulflment of this
sage prophecy. Mr.. Dockery ventures
further to predict that after maintenance
has been provided application will be made
for a MAJ nficent library building to cost
the government million dollars or more.
to the maintenance estimate that Mr. Dock
cry predicted. and thus made his reputa-
ton a prophet. just clearly annihi-
lates his second predic ton concerning a
future library building. The law fixes the
permanent home of the library in the DIS
trict's proposed municipal building and di-
reefs that room in that structure sufficient
to accommodate not less than 100000 vol
umes shall be reserved for it's use. Evi-
IDENTIFY the oracular Mr.. Dockery has lin
geTed too long upon the tripod
There We're other uncontradicted mis-
statements in this debate which might be
noted. including the statement that tile
departmental circulating libraries are oper
to the general public. but they become in
significant in contrast with the mastery
fabrca tons concerning the Districts ac-
complished robbery OF ten millions of debt
and its proposed robbery of a million fol-
a library building. to which attention has
already been directed.