Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-28
The Commissioners Estimates.


The Commiss oncrs have pursued a con-
si-feri policy in framing their estimates.
,nich rs noted m The news columns today
ers,eg,te S12Ssas25. This is the largest
sun. ever asked of Congress for the city'S
support. more than oG1o larger than
lust ycrr's estimates. Vet the Commits
s.,uors have set forth the Districts needs
AT %tiI1.a57 less than the amount asked
in aggregate by the various subordinate
bureaus of the municipal government As
Mr. mcfarland states in eNplanatioh' '"e
commissioners passed over a number o'
MOI ftoriuus items of increase IN "rue' ~
Keen the total down to the lowest hsures
,,,.,,';s,.nt with the financial condition OF
the District and the actual necessities me
,.,,..,, REORGANIZATION. it is to be noted, IS
only 81 ~ SSH so that If the fuii sum '''
which tbe commissioners make requ'sil'oh
is granted. the budget VIII 't"'"
breaking proportions.
out :, will he none too high. The District
,sads that much money in order to MAIN
: fan itself on a proper scale OF ef1lciehcN
and rravidc for the great permanent WORKS
now under way SIX items of tn class
ai,or aggregate S4t2J. 1I1 ia the estimates
as follows: Sewers 81 9or GOO; filtration
uiaut. 81 ,,iS 15.l municipal building. S'o''-
Goa. connecticut avenue bridge, $2m,'"o
Nr1coSiil bridge. S1Un,Ono; municipal mes
p.t.I Si!o coo II these items are taken out
nf tine estimates the balance Will be some
what lower than the c-.rrcnt appcopEla-
tons 1t Will represent a normal budget. a
fair representation Of the proper require
meuts or the District for current mainte-
r.rce 1t will. moreover. be approximately
C,ua! to the net revenues of the capital
partnership during the next fiscal year. The
gross revenues of the District from tax
money. il is estimated. will be S4I::h?3'.
HeGuctinC the interest on federal advances
and the payments on the Baltimore and
OH" bonus account. the net local revenue
VIII lie Si,140T t5 which with an equal
amount from the federal treasury will give
Ss2si SO
The congressional economists will prob
ably point To this figure and demand that
the District live within it. There will be
tile usual outCrN about extravaganza and
going beyond the means 1t is fortunate
that the Commissioners have decided to
ignore this prospect and to state their
needs Squarely on the proper basis. They
have strong case. For example, they
have but to point to the item for larger
rates of pay for the policemen to justify
the new salary scale which they have pro-
posed for the police. fire and school depart
mcuts The current appropriation bill made
provision for forty additional prvates in
the police force but the Commissioners
hive thus far been able to secure only
eight. So reluctant are men who are COM
potent to fill this responsible position to
accept the meager pay of S12o year. The
Washington policemen. firemen and school
Al,
age in other cities and are required 10
maintain a higher standard of efficiency
The current needs of the District cannot
safely lie ignored. They must be ade-
uuatcly provided for unless the capital is to
fall into disrepair and its departments are
to BE- congested with work and their eff
cheney lessened by insufficient compensation
for the workers. There is money enough in
sight ia keep up the proper pace of capital
maintenance. BIT there is not enough to
do ills and To conduct a Sh-payment
scheme of permanent Improvements costing
many millions. No other city ever does
this. The District should not be required 10
d. so. The present makeshft arrangement
of iudeterminatc federal advances is fan
from satisfactory. 1t leads to less benehcla
results than would IA definite lons-term fed
etaI loan or advance. properly funded. Al
that rha District asks is to be allowed Il
sperd its money, as do other communities
in cash payments for the needful equip
meut Of Il big city and in credit payments
for the works which are to benefit posteritN
rather than the present generation OF tax
11vrrS