Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-12-02


or the amount of S735, 245.S7 which has al
ready been awarded in the case OF the ex-
tension of 18th street, though not vet adj
vanced, thus making something over 81 1OO.-
600, which Congress has, by the act of Feb
ruary IL, 1901, made debt due the United
States, to be paid in four equal annual in
stallments, beginning with the year 1903,
with interest at the rate of per cent. One
fourth of this latter amount, with interest.
should therefore be added to the estimated
deficit on July 1, 1903. as an item to be
taken care of from the revenues for the
year beginning on that date.
There are also two other items which
should be considered in connection
with these estimates for 1903. The
ing for terminal improvements Balti-
more and Potomac railroad, carries an APP
preparation of s56S,OO0 for a highway bridge
across the Potomac river, one-half of the
cost of which is to be borne by the District.
Of this appropriation only $500 has thus
far been advanced, the half of which sum
is charged against the District in the ac-
count recently stated.
1.-The other item is contained in the act,
also dated February II, 1901, providing for
terminal improvements, Baltimore and Ohio
railroad. This act provides that, begin
ming on July 1 next, after the passage OF
the act, the Commissioners of the District
shall pay into the treasury from the rev.
enues of the District, the sum of $50 900,
and the same sum annually thereafter until
the amount of $750,00O shall have been
paid.
$50 that, allowing for the revenues for
1908 the most liberal sum, say s., 100000 il
there Is to be charged against it on July l.,
1902 the beginning of that fiscal year, the
deficit which will apparently exist at that
time on account of general expenses" e.,
81 100000. together with the several other
items enumerated, which Congress has
specifically directed shall be made charge
which will amount in round numbers to
something over $500. 200, if the award on
account of the extension of 10th street is
paid, and the two railroad terminal i'm:
provements are carried out as provided for,
or total of s2.1OO,OO0 it will be seen that
there will be less than s1,sOO.OOO of rev.
enues which can be applied to the appro-
priations for general expenses for 1903
TT Is at least clear that following the
definite lines which Congress has laid
down as to the expenditures for the Dis
trict government in the act of June IL,
1878, which contemplates that the amount
shall not exceed the sum for which the
revenues are sufficient to pay one-half, and
in the recent special acts permitting it to
get advances in excess of the revenues pro-
vided, the United States is reimbursed in
full within certain prescribed period, if
the appropriations for 1903 are made for
the figures estimated by the Commission
ers, the account between the United States
and the District will show at the close of
that fiscal year larger debt on the part
of the District than it is estimated will eX-
list at the close of the fiscal year 1902.
I'm fact, with so large a debit balance to
start the year with, which, under existing
law, is to be met by the revenues of that
year, even If appropriations should be
made for that year for two and one-half
millions less than the figures presented by
the Commissioners, there would still be an
insufficient amount of available revenue to
pay the Districts portion. thus demon
strating that even under the most favor
able calculations the debt now existing on
the part Of the District is likely to grow
unless Congress comes to it's relief.
ioI Of frnr tha Oh nm
might be afforded by extending the period
for reimbursing the United States for adj
vances made for street extensions from that
prescribed by the act of February IL. 1901.
In the matter of interest which the act
of February II, 1901 ian act to authorize
advances from the treasury of the United
States for the support Of the government
of the District of Columbia), provides shall
be paid from the District revenues, begin
ming with the fiscal year 1903, on such bal
ance as is shown to be due the United
States on that date. 1t is not entirely clear
whether Congress intended that this inter-
of advances after crediting the portion pay
able by the United States, or only such
part of the excess as relates exclusively
to appropriations for street extensions,
which these several acts provide shall be
borne wholly by the District revenues. In
the figures heretofore used the interest
problem has only been reckoned upon this
latter class of appropriations, but 1t will be
seen that the revenues to be credited on
June 30, 1902, will fall far, short even Of
the Districts portion of the appropriat tons
in which the District and United States are
Jointly interested. If. therefore, any ex-
cess in advances on account Of general eX-
penses is to be the subject of interest then
Congress should so state. And again, if
only advances on account Of appropriations
chargeable in their entirety to the District
or the excess thereof over the revenues, are
to bear interest, then the order in which the
two classes of appropriations shall be
charged should be defined. For instance,
if these appropriations for street extern
sions should be charged first. and the order
of charging them heretofore is a matter
of departmental practice and not law, then
there would be excess in this class Of
advances, but it would be entirely on ac-
count Of advances from appropria tons for
general expenses B"