Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-09
OF LOCAL INTEREST
Bills Considered by House District
Committee.
BILL AUTHORIZING ADVANCES
! Reasons for Its Passage Given by
Mr.. MacfarIand.
ESTIM ATED DEFICIENCY

The resolution, which has passed the Sem
ate, providing for arrangements for the In
augural ceremonies was called up, and MIR.
A. B. Browne of the inaugural committee
appeared.
Mr.. Browne said the resolution had passed
the Senate with two minor amendments
which, he said, were not Objectionable 10
the inaugural committee. Mr.. Browne said
the arrangements authorized by the resO-
luton were entirely of a temporary char
acter. He explained that early action upon
the resolution was desired The Secretary
Of War could not procure the flags for
decoration until authorized by Congress,
and would need time, because he would
have to send to different posts to get them.
Mr.. Browne stated to the committee that
the proposition is now under consideration
by the inaugural committee that the COM
mittee itself shall build the reviewing
stands and keep control of them. This
matter will be acted upon this week. If
that course is followed the inaugural COM
mittee will see to it that the prices of seats
on the reviewing stands are reasonable.
Mr.. Simms suggested inserting amend
ment prohibiting the sale of seats to specu-
lators and fixing low rate.
Mr.. Browne begged that this would not
be done He said the inaugural committee
would see to it that there was no eXtortion.
TIE resolution as it passed the Senate was
House.
Bill for Advances.
Chairman Babcock then laid before the
committee the bill recommended by the
District Commissioners yesterday author
iZing the Secretary of the Treasury to aG
vance to the District such money as may
be needed to carry on the District govern
ment, and stipuiating that the District
shall bear the whole of the cost of street
eXte nsions.
MIR. Babcock read the letter of the Dis
trict Commissioners setting forth the
cessity for this legislation, which has been
explained in The Star heretofore.
Commissioners Macfarland and Ross We're
sent for to answer some nterrcgatcrics.
Mr.. Babcock called Mr. Macfa-lands at
tention to suggestion which had been
made in committee that there should be
limitation upon the authorization for an
advance. Mr.. Macfarland said that of
course there would be a limitation through
the appropriations, as there could be no
greater advances than the congressional
appropriations stipulated.
Mr.. Macfarland explained that the reve-
nues of the District would be ample to meet
the expenses if it were not for the street
extension charges In fact, but for this
liability there would be a surplus Of $4G1,-
GA.
This BILL suggested Mr.. Sims. "prac-
tically amounts to the United States loan
ing the District money without INTEREST,""
True" said Mr.. Macfarland, but it is
as loan between partners. You don't go
outside the partnership with the money"
What Had Caused the Trouble.
Mr.. MacfarIand said the Commissioners
had not approved the appropriation of the
District tax fund for street extensions,
which had caused all the trouble.
Mr.. Babcock asked if it would not be
advisable to provide that the advances,
instead Of being for the general expenses
OF the District the bill says, should be
lin tied to the amounts needed for street
extensions.
Mr.. Macfarland demurred at this, ,ast
1t might be construed as an excuse for
further street extensions. He did not wart
anything which might stimulate efforts for
the purchase of private land for more a,reet
extensions.
Mr.. Sims required to the idea of leman J.
ing interest for the advance.
Mr.. Macfarland said the District should
not in equity be required to pay interest.
The Commissioners had protested against
the legislation which caused the deficit a',d
Congress should not impose penalty for
carrying out the mandate against whicn the
District had protested.
Mr.. Cowherd wanted the advances limited
to street extension liabilities.
Mr.. Macfarland said that $3.50, $50 had al
ready been expended, really the cause Of
the trouble and Mr.. Cowherd's amend
ment would not help the District to cover
that loss of revenue.
Estimated Deficiency.
Mr.. Macfarland submitted the following
financial statement to the committee, show
ing the amount of the estimated deficiency:
Commissioners estimate of appropriations
for 1902, $3.50, II5U; ona-half of appro-
pr.ations for 1902 payable by the District
of Columbia, 81, AT, 72237; estimated reve-
nues, Dis.r,ct of Columbia, 1902, $3,931,-
s29.s7; deficiency in estimated District rev.
enues as compared with one-half of es,i-
mated appropriations for 1902, $4S5, 500. 10;
add estimated deficiency, July 1. 1901, 81
13;;', ,sJ35S: total estimated deficiency Dis
trict of Columbia revenues, 1901 and 1902,
81 $40, 1868.
The bill was finally ordered to be report
ed to the House favorabiy, with an amend
ment in the first section. The full text of
the bill, as amended. IS as follows:
Bill an Amended.
THAT hereafter the Secretary of the
Treasury is authorized and directed to ad-
vance to the disbursing officer of the Dis
tr;ct Of Columbia, in the manner now pre-
scribed by law, out Of any moneys in the
treasury of the United States not other
wise appropriated such sums as may be
necessary from time to time to meet the
expenses of said District as provided by
Congress, and to reimburse the treasury
for the portion Of said advances payable
by the District Of Columbia out of the
taxes ana revenues cOIlecteG Tor the
port of the government thereof: provided,
that nothing contained herein nor in the
act of June 6, 1890, entitled An act to
regulate the collection of taxes in the Dis
trlct of Columbia shall be SO construed as
to require the United States to bear any
part of the cost of street extensions, and
all advances heretofore or hereafter made
for this purpose by the Secretary of the
Treasury shall be repaid in full from the
revenues of the District of Columbia except
in such cases where the terms of the ap-
preparation under which salch advances are
made shall expressly provide for payment
Jointly by the United States and the Dis
trict of Columbia"
The letter of the Commissioners to the
committee will be found elsewhere in this
issue Of The Star.
Delinquent Children.
Mr.. Pearre called up the bill (I R. 13OB7)
to enlarge the powers Of >the courts of the
District Of Columbia in cases involving de-
linquent children.
Mr.. Pearre explained that under the act
of 1897 the board of children's guardians
was organized who were to have general
supervision over homeless and friendlcSs
children. The pending bill WAs to enlarge
the courts with reference to delinquent
children. The object of the bill was to