The Washington times., 1903-01-29
Feasible Plan Presented to
Defray Extraordinary EX-
pense Incident to PerHa-
nent Improvements With
out Trenching Upon Cur
rent Revenues.
Needs of the City Set Forth
ImpressVely in a Report
From George Truesdell
to the Committee of One
Hundred.

! Representative business men and
| property owners OF the District. con
stituting a committee OF 100 met at
the New Willard yesterday afternoon TO
| discuss pending legislation for the
municipality formal statement Of
| the Districts Eeeds was presented, and
| steps we're taken to urge members OF
! Congress 10 vote in favor OF the SO
coo 600 loan for extraordinary improve
| ments.
Charles J. Bell presided. and stated
| that the chief purpose in calling the
/ committee together was TO hear The re-
| port Of the subcommittee. Of which
| George TruesdeII was chairman. Mr..
| Bell said the District government was
| face to face with a crisis which it re-
| quired the Efforts Of public spirited
| citizens 10 meet Unless special means
are used to furnish money for needed
public Improvement, the city must, retro
grade, as it was impossible under the
Existing ordt.r of things TO create a
| 1oating debt. Mr.. Bell thought it was
ime for every business man in Wash
ngton to become active in promoting
he public welfare by securing the
financial relief sought from Congress.
Brief Statement Of the Whole Matter
The proposition can be explained
briefly.
During the past three or four years
Congress has authorized the beginning
Of several municipal Improvements Of
a permanent and extensive character,
including a filtration plant, a highway
bridge across the Potomac near the site
Of the Long Bridge, a sewage disposal
system, union railroad station, mu-
nicipal hospital. and municipal build
ing. To pay for these vast projects ont
OF the current revenues Of the District
would naturally cripple the development
Of the National Capital in the matter
OF schools, police, protection from FIRE,
street improvements. etc.
The District appropriation bill as It
passed the House provides that 300,
600 shall be taken out OF the current
revenues for the next fiscal year and
be applied to the construction OF these
improvements. in addition to which
1888 900 shall be paid as one-third Of the
amount already advanced from the Fed
eraI Treasury, making a total Of over
s3, 600 600 in all.
Paying the Debt in InstaIlments.
The legislation desired by local
business men proposes that this large
amount snail he divided into annual in
staIIments Of 100000 each, and at the
same time an advance Of additional
money be authorized, so that other
improvements, including the recIama-
ton Of the Anacostia Flats, may be-
undertaken.
The case is analogous 10 that Of =
man with a salary Of $4,000 a year who
might want TO make an addition to his
house costing $1,000. If compelled 10
pay for the Improvement in one year. he
could do IL only by deyoting ali his
income TO that project. but leaving
nothing for the purchase Of food. cloth
ing. etc. whereas II he arranged 70
pay the SO. .0e0 in three annual install
ments of $1,000 each he would then
still have two-thirds of his income to
meet his living expenses. and in three
years would wipe out the debt without
Inconvenience or discomfort TO himself
No Serious Opposition IN House.
In spite Of many rumors TO the con-
trary. it is not thought the Babcock bill
will encounter stubborn or serious op-
position in the House. AS soon as ths
Speaker through the Committee on
Rules. gives the bill a day 1t can bs
known somewhat definitely what are the
chances Of the measure in the House.
Representative J W Babcock. chair
man OF the House Committee on the
District OF Columbia. said today that he
hoped to be able to get a day for 3
hearing OF his bill in the House within
the next two weeks and while he ia
aware that there IS now some opposi-
tion 20 il among House members be-
cause OF their misunderstanding of The
provisions and intent of the proposed
he believes the clear state
ment embraced in Mr.. TruesdaIIs ad-
dress will materially aid him il obtain
ing favorable action on his bill at au
early date.
Vague Disapproval IN Senate.
But he situation is somewhat different
in the Senate. In tact. the outlook
there is, al present. not so encouraging
as in the House. The Senate District
Committee seems. on the whole. agree
able u the proposition. but some mem
bers of the Senate Committee on Ap-
notably Mr. Allison. appear
TO be disposed TO block the passage OF
the Babcock bill
Just on what grounds Senator Allison
and those who side with him base their
opposition is not yet clear. since it is
stated by them that they are not hostile