Evening star., 1898-06-29
Alleged ExtravagaMce.

AicScu Extf0Va38hces
In the House debate last Monday two
sensible and we'll informed legislators.
Representatives Pitney and Dockery, united
In the criticism that the District Commits
sioners and the people and press of Wash
ington are disposed to large and extrava-
giant public expenditure, and that there Is
public sentiment here in the direction
Of economy. The wild ranting concerning
the people of the capital based on ighor-
ance and sometimes on petty. personal
spite. in which individual Congressmen oc-
casionally indulge, may be safely disre-
garded. but the deliberate criticism of such
men as Pitney and Dockery deserves seri-
Gus consideration.
The extravaganza imputed is not that of
disbursement. but of requests to Congress
for appropriative legislation. As Mr.. Dock
cry worded it. his statement being indorsed
by Mr.. Pitney:
THE District Commissioners and the
people of this District in my Judgment are
fairly subject to good-natured criticism for
asking more in their estimates than the
District is entitled to receive. But after
every District Commissioner within the
ten years has honestly and economically
disbursed the public money!
1t is conceded that the Commissioners
perform the executive function of disburs-
ing the public money honestly and econom-
ically. but 1t is charged that In their rec
concentrations to Congress concerning the
manner in which that body should perform
the Legislative function exclusively reserved
to il by the Constitution they are guilty of
extravaganza. In which they are aided and
abetted by the press and people of the Dis
trict.
The law under which the Commissioners,
SO honest and economical in the perform
aEce of their own characteristic duties, are
supposed to tempt Congress to extrava-
gance in the performance of its own ex-
elusive functions is the organic act of 1878.
This law provides that the Commissioners
shall submit annually their estimates IF
municipal expenditures for the succeeding
year. These estimates are, of course, mere
suggestions. of no force unless approved by
Congress The law further says:
To the extent to which Congress shall
approve of said estimates Congress shall
appropriate the amount of fifty per centum
thereof and the remaining fifty per centum
of such approved estimates shall be levied
and assessed upon the taxable property and
privileges in said District other than the.
property of the United States and of the
District of Columbia"
The law evidently contemplates that the
submission of estimates and their approval
wholly or in part by Congress shall precede
the levy of local taxes. and that this levy
shall be limited to an amount equal to one
half of these approved estimates. But in
practice Congress puts the cart before the
torse- 1t fixes the rate and assessment
which determine the tax levy of a given
year in advance of and without reference
to the estimates uf exnendituras for thu
year. Since the levy is not be sed upon the
estimates, ths estimates are naturally based
upon the tax levy. Since the annual reve-
nue. from local taxes is under the law to be
just one-half of the approved estimates for
that year, Congress approves in advance
estimates to the amount of double the sum
which it thus Trematurely levies upon the
District taxpayers.
In practice, therefore, the Commissioners
estimate not only the expenditures but the
legal revenues of the District and they base
the former upon the latter up to the point
suggested by the Districts municipal needs
Thers can be no extravaganza in estimates
of expenditure which apply to Legitimate te
needs and in economical amounts only the
aggregate current revenue under the terms
OF existing law.
1t is not believed that the Commission
ers' estimates of expenditure have ever
exceeded the estimates of revenue. 1t is
impossible in view of the Districts obvious
municipal needs in respect to sewers water
supply, schools and other items involving
large expenditure that the current revenue
should be too large to be wisely expended
in making improvements absolutely essen
tial to the local welfare
If the estimates are eXtravagant the ex-
travasance must consist in an unwise Sc
lection of objects of expenditure, or ar
uEwlse apportionment of amounts among
deserving objects. If any such extrava-
garce is suggested to Congress by the
Commissioners, 1t is the duty of our leg
isiature to disapprove the objectiona bic
items of the estimates and appropriate tn.
money 50 that 1t will go the farthest in
meeting the obvious and urgent muni-
cipal needs of the capital.
Responsibility fo- economical appropria-
tion of the District revenue is upon Con-
gress exclusively, and the people of the
District far from encouraging any waste
of their tax money call upon their consti-
tutional legislators to expend every een-
of it wisely and effectively in promotion OF
the local public welfare, and also to en-
force conseientious.y and fully the organic
act Of 1878, which doubles the value OF
their tax dollars in developing the nationa
capital.