Evening star., 1903-12-07

business-like view in making a permanent
arrangement, which we hope will be on the
basis of distinguishing between extraor-
binary projects of improvement and current
expenditures. neither of which should suffer
and both Of which can be provided for so
far as the District is concerned. without
difficulty. If the Commissioners plan is
adopted
Accompanying the estimates for the Dis
trict government. as presented to the House
today. was a letter from Commissioner
Macfarland. president of the board of Com
missioners to the Secretary of the Treas
ury. explaining the attitude of the local
authorities toward the segregation of the
items of permanent improvements from the
amounts needed for current expenses. Mr..
Macfarlands letter to the Secretary of the
Treasury Is as follows:
Sir: The Commissioners of the District Of
Columbia ask your attention to the fact
that the estimates for appropriation for
the District of Columbia for the fiscal year
ending June 80. 1905. presented by them to
you for transmission to the Congress- deal
with two classes of expenditures which they
believe should be distinguished in any con-
sideration of the estimates. They provide.
First-For expenditures on account of ex-
traordinary projects of improvement, au-
thorized by different acts of Congress. and
required by those acts or the necessities of
the case. to be completed in the near future
as Tor example the nltratlOn plant and
the sewage disposal system.
Second-The current expenditures neces-
sary for the maintenance of the District
services.
Under the former head. the Commission
ers class all those items which relate to
unusual projects of Improvement calling for
large amounts Of money in comparatively
short space of time although their benefits
are to be enjoyed for long periods. 1t is
recognized everywhere that the cost Of such
improvements cannot be met out of current
revenues. and ought to be spread over
series of years. and therefore it is custo-
mary elsewhere to provide for them by is
suing bonds and providing a sinking fund
to meet the principal and interest Of the
bonds. 1t is not necessary for the United
States to issue bonds or to borrow money
in any way on account Of its share OF such
expenditures in the District of Columbia. 1t
has ample funds in hand for that purpose.
But 1t Is necessary for the District OF Co
lumbia which is like any other municipality
in this respect. to borrow money to meet Its
share of the cost of such improvements. be-
cause it's current revenues can not bear i'm
mediately such extraordinary demands
without such a reduction in current expen-
ditures would cripple all the District
services.
For example, the estimates for extraordi-
nary improvements submitted by the Com
missioners for next year (Which do not in
clude payments required by act OF Con-
gress from the District, for the railway ter
minal and highway bridge improvements)
amount to "a ,625.1 155. which in itself is near
ly as much as the total estimated revenue
Of the District Of Columbia for the next
fiscal year namely, 81, 730, ,935. TO- or one-half
Of the total amount Of the funds available
for appropriations. On the other hand,
after making all practicable reductions,
amounting in all to over a million dollars,
in the estimates submitted to the Commits
sioners through official channels for cur
rent expenditures the Commissioners feel
obliged to recommend estimates for ,appro-
~
count. The extraordinary projects of i'm
provement cannot be suspended, but must
be pressed to completion. Congress and the
circumstances require this to be done. But
the District services-the schools, charities.
health, police and fire departments, street
and road construction and repair, and all
the other departments of the national cap
ital's municipal work cannot be suspended
and must be increased rather than de-
creased.
Therefore, the Commissioners. presenting
the facts to the Congress. have recommend
ed Cknowing that the Congress was unwill-
ing to authorize the issue Of bonds for the
District of Columbia) that the Secretary Of
the Treasury be authorized to make ad-
vances from the United States funds to en-
able the District to meet Its share of the
cost of the extraordinary improvements
with provision for repayment by the Dis
trict in installments with interest, which
can be done out of it's current revenue.
without interfering with current expendi-
lures. Thus far the Congress has not made
a permanent arrangement of any kind for
this purpose. 1t will be asked at the COM
ing session once more by the Commission
ers to do Congress has made a certain
temporary provision from year to year, in
the acts of February IL, 1901: July 1. 1902
and March 3, 1903. for advances with in
terest from the treasury of the United
States to meet any deficiency in the Dis
trict revenues on the general account, in
cluding both extraordinary and current ex-
penditures Under this legislation, which
expires the 1st of July, 1904. such advances
can be made up at that time. the amount
then due to be repayable within five years.
No provision whatever has been made for
the increasing amounts that will be re-
quired for extraordinary improvements
therefore that the Congress will consider
this matter at the coming session, and
doubtless will then make suitable and per-
manent provision for the Districts necessi-
ties in this respect.
AS has been stated the estimated revenue
OF the District Of Columbia for the next
fiscal year is "a .730 035. 10. After deductng
the interest due the United States on ad-
vances and reasonable installment
amounting to one-f1fth of the amount of the
advances that will probably have been
made by the list of July next, estimated at
81 .000, GOO, together with payment Of $780,,
900 on account of the Districts contribution
Ohio Railroad Company, there will remain
the sum of $4. .140935. Doubling this
amount by adding the share of the United
Sta tes under the organic act of June Ii,
1875 we have an appropriation fund of
IS, 260, $40. or more than is required by the
estimates for curra8 expenditures. While
there is no law requiring the Commission
ers or the Secretary of the Treasury to
bring the estimates for the District of Co.
lumbia within the probable amount OF the