Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-16
Commissioners Wight, Ross and
Beach at the Capitol.
CONSULTING WITH SENATOR ALLISON
An Advance From Federal Govern.
ment to the District Suggested.
ORGANIC ACT DEFENDED

! Commissioners Wight, Ross and Beach
called on Senator Allison, chairman of the
committee on appropriations of the Senate,
today and laid before him plan for re-
| ieving the present embarrassing condition
of the treasury of the District of Columbia.
| The Commissioners were in conference
| from II until 1:3O o'clock and explained
fully the shortage under which the Dis
trict is now suffering, which has been
fully published in The Star.
Commissioner Wight said that the pres
ent shortage is about SsOoO0O, and suggest
ed that while this was being provided for
the street extensions now approved by the
Commissioners and which have not yet
been taken up, amounting to about 5000 ,0OO,
be provided for at the same time. This Will
require the raising of 81 400, 600
The Commissioners suggested that there
is precedent for the general government
advancing this amount of money to the
District, which can pay it back by means
of sinking fund.
This method Is regarded as preferable to
the issuing OF bonds, which plan, it is also
recognized. would be extremely unpopular
in Congress. The Commissioners suggested
that this loan from the general government
to the District might bear 3 per cent inter-
est, but 1t is doubtful if the appropria-
tons committee will demand the payment
of any interest, should il decide to make
the desired advance.
What Senator Allison Says.
Senator Allison, when seen by Star re-
porter after the conference with the Com
missioners. said he had formed no opinion
| as 10 what should be done in regard to re-
heving the financial embarrassment OF the
District. The matter will not come before
the appropriations committee until the ap
preparation bill for the District of Colum-
bia is considered by that committee, and
then the question of meeting the emergen-
cy will be fully considered in view of ap-
preparations to be made for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1901
The shortage of the District has brought
very prominently before Congress the sub
ject of the division of the expenses of the
capital between the general government
and the District itself The fact that the
District has encountered this shortage of
Ss0o,0o0 has caused an emphatic local de-
mand that Congress adhere to the policy of
dividing the expense equally between the
District and the general government. The
Senate committee on the District of CO.
lumbia has favored the half-and-half plan
for all projects, but was only forced to de-
part from 1T because Of the difficulties of
securing legislation on that basis, members
of the District committee believing that it
was better to compromise even to the dis
advantage of the District than to tie up any
important improvements of which the capi-
tai was badly in need.
1t is likely that the request of the Com
missioners for financial aid to tide over the
present difficulty will cause an agitation of
this whole subject which will eventually be
an advantage to the District.
District Appropriation Bill.
Commissioner Ross called upon Chairman
Cannon of the House committee on appro-
prations today to ascertain when the COM
mittee is going ahead with the District ap-
propriation bill.
Mr.. Grout, chairman OF the subcommit
tee having charge of the BILL is out of the
city, but is expected home tomorrow. 1t Is
doubtful, however, whether the subcommit
tee can proceed before the latter part of
next week, ii is desired to get the forti-
fication bill out of the way first.
The subject of the deficit in the District
revenues was touched upon incidentally
and Mr.. Ross said he would send the COM
mittee a statement.