Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-15
A IRRITABLE District Day.

District day in the House wss more of
. success yesterday than 1t has Eeen at
any previous. time at this session. both as
regards the amount OF bus ness transacted
ard in view of the probable value of the
legislation. The calendar cleared of
Hills awaiting action, and Cha rman Eab-
cock was enabled to make a material in
Ioad upon the items of local ed awaiting
enactment into law. Thirteen measures
were presented and all were approved, in
no case requiring a roll call. Three of the
bills were strictly of a private nature.
Two others were of Insignificant be airing
Upon public matters. One relates to the
laws governing business transactions,
affecting the status of negotiable instrl-
Hents- Its intention is to place the Dis
trict upon the same footing in this regard
as some of the states, in accordance with
q tendency observable of late to harmonic
the laws affecting such matters wherever
possible. Two of the bills passed concern
the criminal laws in force in the District.
Ore of them is of a most worthy nature,
seeking to decrease the opportunities of
people to secure possession of deadly weap-
oEs. and making it punishable offense for
airy person TO put such a weapon into the
pt session of a miner. This law, If rigdly
enforced. should BE- productive of excellent
results. The other affects the status of
persons arrested under the laws of the
United States relating to the District and
is urged by the local authorities.
The bulk of the session was devoted to
the passage of bills relating to the street
railway interests. Two, that legalzing
the extension of the Glen Echo road into
the District and that authorizing the Capt.
tai Railway to use the trolley on the Navy
Narr hridpe Of
The bills that seek to adjust the status of
the Belt and lexington roads and to place
them On rapid transit basis have gone
through tedious process of perfection
and may now be considered to conserve
every material interest affected. The pub
he chief concern in these measures is
the guarantees they convey that within a
Few n onths, under their operation, these
two important street railroad systems viii
be adequately equipped for service in har-
mCny with The rest of the city's trans
portation facilities. The situation with re-
g&ru to these measures is well known, and
ii is to be hoped that the Senate will not
require much time for their cont smpiation
siice it is highly desirable that the work
Of the equipment of these properties On
repid transit basis should be authorized in
season for its completion before another
winter has set in.
The bill relating TO the taxation of street
railways in the District seems TO seek to
adjust the burdens upon these corpora
tions on more even basis than heretofore
1t is desirable that this should be DONE but
OILY experiment can determine certainly
whether the best results are obtained by
the method outlined in the bill just passed.
The three dividend paying properties are
properly segregated from the other fran
chises that produce no net revenues and
the personal property tax seems to be
merged into another form of taxation an
assessment on the gross receipts of the
corporal ton, 10 of 1 per cent as a fran
chise tax and and per cent as a general
tax.
The House negatived an amendment seek
ing to grant to all railroad companies the
privilege of acquiring the property, rights
and privileges of all intersecting and con-
Meeting lines. 1t is proper that this subject
b. left for future consideration, as a sep
arate proposition. unconnected with any
ether Legislation. There is no present need
o. demand for general consolidation.