Evening star., 1897-01-29
Radical Reductions.

As the draft of the District appropriation
bill is scanned more closely additional rea-
soEs for disappointment become manifest.
Many altogether worthy projects are omit
ted entirely. Notwithstanding the urgent
estimates of the Commissioners. These in
ciude the badly needed municipal building,
the long wanted morgue. the new harbor
boat, and the maintenance fund for the
free public library. The sums asked for
these purposes aggregated s1Io,3n0. which
does rot represent their real value to the
people. The Commissioners estimated for
ss.itT to start the municipal library in its
work Of spreading knowledge and supple
r1enting the public school system 1t Is
a small sum. yet absolutely essential if the
act of Congress creating the library is to
nave effect. The House or Senate should
supply this omitted amount. which is so
small an item OF gain for the economical
pohcS that is evidenced in every division of
ths bill The estimate for a new municipal
nnllcing was of more consequence. in point
OF size. and aided in the reduction process
more heavily. but it should nevertheless
have teen retained in the bill.
The scaling process seems to have been
ruthiessiy conducted, and unless it is coun-
teracted by the amendment of the bill in
the House and Senate many important
projects will be crippled by insufficient
funds The item of assessment and permit
work is cut in half, going from s2joooo to
Sl2".Hn still heavier cut is made in the
appropriation for street condemnation. i'm
provements and repairs. dropping from an
estimate of sII1. 900 to $.5T.9s. A heavier
cut. even. is made i'll the paragraph re-
latins to the public schools. for which the
Commissioners asked 81, I26s76 the COM
rDifrae
tion recommended for the police depart
ment is s6a1i;'6. a reduction of s146GoO
from the estimates and $i,3ti less than the
current allowance. The fire department.
too. suffers not only a reduction from the
estimates but from the current bill as WELL
the item as written standing at s2l9St50
or Sl13.6S less than the Commissioners
asked and Sl2.9i0 less than the present al
loWance. Yet these two departments are in
sore need of increases and it is of the
highest Importance that in the items which
concern them the bill should be gener-
ouSy amended.
The Star has already expressed its grati-
iication at the grant of s1lo000 for the
purchase of a site for a minor contagious
diseases hospital. The fund for a building
is Yet to be completed by congressional
appropriation experimenting the money al
reaGy III the hands of the Commissioners
from private source. The securing of a
site. however, has heretofore proved the
most difficult achievement. and there will
be ample reason for congratulation if this
is accomplished during the coming season.
The Senate or the House might well add
an allowance for construction to this item.
conditioned upon the final selection of a
site.
The District will fare poorly this year, in
v.ew of the enormous cut from the esti-
mates made by the committee. unless the
houses come to its rescue with increasing
amendments. This has almost invariably
been done in the past and it is comforting
reflection that ;he bill in it's present shape
u doubtless at low wster mark and that it
is practically certain to be Dettered from
the local point of view, as it passes
through the various stages of cons:dera-
ticn by House. Senate committee Senate
end conference.