Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-24
HAVE TO PAY POSTAGE
Difficulties Encountered BY
Commissioners.
THE QUESTIONS RAISED
OVER 5000 REQUIRED TO PUR-
CHASE STAMPS.
Operation Of All Branches Of District
Government Greatly Hampered by
Departments Decision.
THE QUESTIONS RAISED

A copy Of the opinion by the assistant at
torney general for the Post Office Depart
ment. taking from the Commissioners the
right to use the franking privilege reached
the District building shortly after noon to
day. Commissioner Mcfarland who is the
only member of the District board In the
city, had received notice earlier in the day
that the opinion would be forwarded to him
in short while. The ruling called forth a
great deal of comment and caused some
rapid figuring as to the approximate cost Of
District correspondence during the remain
der of the present fiscal year.
According to an understanding reached
with the post Office authorities the District
government will begin to pay postage to-
morrow morning. Much of the official mail
of the day had gone out before the opinion
was received by the Commissioners. Mr..
Mcfarland at once notified the various
beads of departments of the department s
ruling and notified them to govern their
correspondence accordingly.
Commissioner Mcfarland also sent at
once for the auditor. Mr.. John R. Garrison,
and directed him to look into the matter
of drawing upon the emergency fund for
the postage expenses until Congress meets
land adjusts the matter. The Commission
ers are certainly confronted with an TN
1ooked-for emergency. No such condition
as the present was anticipated either by
the Commissioners or by Congress.
Relations Of District Government.
One OF the effects of the ruling at the
District building was to open up line OF
thought involving the relation of the Dis
trist governmental the various branches OF
the national government. One Of the eues-
tons that arose was as to whether or not
the District, not being part Of the national
government, should be bound by the deci-
sions of the controller Of the treasury, who
has always held the local government down
to strict compliance with all United
States statutes relating to the national de-
partments, in so far as they related to the
expenditure Of money. There Is no appeal
from the rulings of the controller. but there
Is belief that he will possibly revise some
Of his findings in view of the explicit stand
taken by the Department Of Justice.
Only a few days ago, in the matter Of
renting quarantine station for the health
department. the controller treated the Dis
trfct government as a part of the national
government by applying to 1t the law that
no buildings should be rented in this city
by the government without express provis-
ion for the same.
There are innumerable collateral questions
which arise in connection with the ruling
received today. They seem to call for con-
sideration and settlement at date as early
as possible. The streets of the District of
Columbia and the parking spaces in front
Of dwellings belong exclusively to the
United States. Yet the Commissioners are
given authority over these spaces to a GER
tain extent. Now the question arises as to
whether or not correspondence relating to
the streets is not strictly a United States
matter
Another question comes up in connection
with the supervision Of the wharf prop
erty along the river front. This property
has been held by the Supreme Court to be-
long to the United States. The Commission
ers are invested with the power to rent the
same and care for it. The money, however,
goes one-half to the District of Columbia
and one-half to the United States The
District was also required to pay one-half
OF the award to the former holders of the
property. -
Difficulties Encountered.
1t is believed that If the District were
treated by the accounting officers of the
treasury as a municipal corporation solely
the matter of administration would be
made much less dinicuit The matter Of
the rental OF quarantine station for the
health department brought this to mind.
In this instance the District was held to
laws enacted for the national government
alone, and not for municipal corporation
in which the United States might be a
partner. 1t is not matter of relaxing the
safeguards thrown about the money of
of allowing the Commissioners, who are
bonded officers, a greater latitude OF dis
erection and authority.
The matter of the construction OF the new
itself for consideration at this time. This
building is to be constructed by law un-
der the supervision of commission com
posed Of the Secretary Of the Treasury and
the Commissioners of the District of Co
lurnbia. Before the commission undertook
any correspondence the matter of using
franked envelopes was referred to the Post
master General. He referred 1t to the third
assistant who in letter to the commls-
sion held that the right existed for the
use of the Commissioners penalty envel-
opes with the words Municipal building"
added.
Under the new ruling of the Post Office
Department the point Is raised as to
whether or not the Treasury Department
should bear one-half the expense of the pos
tage place on the correspondence of the
building commission and the superintendent
of construction.
In the matter of sending proposed projec-
tions OF building beyond the building lines
of the city to the Secretary of War another
interesting question Is involved. The law
requires that no projections shall be made
without approval of the Secretary of War
The Commissioners will have to send
these projections to the war Department
postage paid. Do the applications be-
come United States business exclusively"
when they reach the War Department or
must they be returned In envelopes bearing
postage stamps?
Affects Health Office Department.
The new ruling AFFECTS the health de-
partment perhaps more seriously than any
other branch Of the District service. for II
is there that the correspondents Is heaviest.
1t is estimated that from between $40 and
81 600 a year will be necessary for this
department II the efficiency Of the office
is to be maintained at the present standard.
The law requires all physicians in the Dis
trict to make official returns OF all con-
tagious disease cases and also of typhoid
fever. The health department has been
supplying the physicians with ofiicial postal
cards for the purpose. Under the Post
Office Department ruling the doctors will
have to bear this expense themselves the
burden being placed upon them by United
States laws In the matter of birth re-
turns the department has also been fur
nishing ranked" cards. as 1t is very de-
sirable that the records OF vital statistics
should be maintained. 1t win be difficult
to have returns of births made IL the
the matter.
In forwarding acquisitions and the like