The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-08

The District Commissioners are spend
ing four hours of each working day max
ing up the estimates for the municipal
expenses for the fiscal year ending June
so. 1902 That is to say, they are figuring
out and listing the several amounts and
items which will be needed in all the de-
partments of the District government. To-
gether with the additions of clerks, high
er salaries for those already employed,
and for the long list of improvements,
repairs, and new construction which, in
their judgment, is essential to the proper
extension of streets, sidewalks, sewers,
etc. The work entails much labor and
covers in the aggregate nearly SS,0O0,O0o.
The organic Law requires that the Com
missioners shall make out each year such
a statement of estimates for the expenses
OF the District and to submit the same
to the President and Congress through
the Secretary of the Treasury. a book
of these estimates is published each year
before the meeting of Congress by the
Treasury Department. In this form the
estimates are laid before Congress and
are referred to the Appropriations Com
mittees.
The committee of the House of Repre-
sentatives then drafts bill, having the
right to modify the estimates made D!
the Commissioners or add to them. While
the District appropriations are thus in
committee citizens are privileged to ap-
pear before the committee and urge spec
ial appropriations for the improvements
of streets or other public work, and many
of these requests are favorably acted upon
by Congress. The District Appropriation
bill being completed it is reported TO the
House. is usually considered in Committee
of the Whole, and finally passed with such
amendments and notifications as indi-
viduai members of the House are able 10
secure. The bill then goes to the Senate,
where, before the Senate Appropriations
Committee, it is usually submitted TO ex-
tended examination, and here again citi-
zens OF the District may appear and pre-
sent their claims for improvements mere
or there, often with success.
The bill finally is acted upon by the SEN
ate and sent back TO the House for con-
currence in the amendments added by the
Senate The differences between the House
and Senate are usually settled in COM
mittee of conference appointed specially
for the purpose, after which the bill is
concurred in by both houses and sent to
the President for his signature. This add
ed makes the bill law and is the author
ity upon which the Commissioners act with
reference to public expenditures during TIE
fiscal year covered by the bill.
1t sometimes happens that in the amend
ments made to the appropriations bill in
Congress original Legislation is added. For
example. in the last appropriation law the
Commissioners were empowered to appoint
the new school board and TO inaugurate
the changes in the public school system
that are now in operation, and the new
system for the collection and removal of
garbage and other refuse was authorized
by the same Law. AS a consequence the
appropriation bills passed upon by Con-
gress each year constitute a considerable
part of the current District legislation, as
well as providing primarily for the ex-
penses of the municipality.
The Commissioners are guided in their
work by the estimates submitted to them
by the heads Of departments in connection
with their annual reports. Many Of these
have been published in The Times during
the past two months. The estimates thus
placed before the Commissioners show the
expense items of each department, and
where additions are recommended to the
expenses either by way of enlargement Of
service or increased pay to employees eaeh-I
is noted. and these estimates form the
basis OF those finally submitted by the
Commissioners to the Secretary Of the
Treasury.
Despite the spirit of economy which
prompts certain members to object to
many items in the Appropriation bill. Con-
gress is exhibiting tendency to treat the
District with something like liberality
The last Appropriation bill was particu-
larry noteworthy in this respect, not only
supplying liberal amounts for current ex..
penses, but providing for needed additions
to the service, notably in the Police De-
partment. and in the schools by way of
providing for eight new buildings, which,
when completed. will much relieve the
present crowded condition OF some of
those now in use. Large appropriations
were also made in connection with the
cleaning of streets and the collection and
disposal of city waste, Moreover, the
establishment of the House of Detention
and authorization of the purchase of a
suitable site for a municipal hospital can
receive only approval
The estimates for the running expenses ,
OF the city government will doubtless re-
main about the same as in former years,
except that several additions to the cleFi-
cal force will be asked for, and Congress
will be asked to increase the salaries of /
a number of officials and clerks. There
will also IL is expected be an increased
estimate for the fund for contingent ex-
growth of business in the departments.
Additions to the police force II is likely
will be asked in accordance with the well
known views of the Major and Superin-
tendent, as well as of Commissioner Ross,
who has immediate supervision of that
department.
For work on the streets in the way of
repairs, new paving. the relaying of curbs
and the general extepsion of streets much
more is needed than will probably be
asked for or granted by Congress. The
needs in this direction, already great, are
rapidly increasing with the growth Of the
population in the suburban section, and 1t
is a practical impossibiIity for the Engi-
neer Department TO keep up with the de-
mand with the resources at its disposal.
The schedules Of streets already made out
for improvement is a long one, and at the
past rate Of appropriations for this OBJ
ject Il will take from five 10 seven years
to catch up with the work which has been
thus recorded as important and pressing
1t would take perhaps 5000 900 to do all
the work that is regarded by those In
charge OF the streets as essential, but 1t
is likely that only small part OF that
amount will be included in the estimates
this year.
The public schools will also doubtless
come In for larger estimates. New build
ings will be needed to keep up with the
growing attendance OF pupils, additional
teachers will be required for the school
houses in process OF construction. The
same is true OF the charitable and punitive
institutions supported Ia whole or in part
by the District. The FIFE Department also
will need additional APPROPRIATION. as will
the Health Department
In all these matters thu cJoeoe. snr,.gn,