Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-15
The Federal Advance.

PROMPT action by the House District
committee on the Commissioners bill for
federal advance of so 100000 to the Dis
trict to meet extraordinary expenses puts
that measure in a fair way Of passage be-
fore the regular appropriation bill Is re-
ported. II is highly desirable that this
measure be FASTENED through both houses.
so that the appropriations can be made
upor a substantial basis of assured income.
Had such a bill been enacted into law early
last session much Of the difficulty over the
local revenues which was caused IN the
House would doubtless have been avoided.
and the District would have been spared IN
part the onerous burden of an unneces-
sarily increased taxation.
The hill which received the unanimous
approval of the House committee this morn
ing meets precisely the needs OF the capitai.
For a few years. owing In large measure
TO the unwarranted drafts made by Con-
press upon the local resources without
EQUIVALENTS from the federal treasury. the
local tax money has been insufficient to
meet both the ordinary and extraordinary
expenditures Yet during this period the
District has been entering upon a stage or
exceptional development. Many large prof.
ects of permanent improvement have been
planned. and some actually started IN
yolving very heavy OUTLAWS. Despite rep
resent atoms made IN season to Congress
regarding the necessity of a provision OF
emergency funds for these works covering
the entire period of improvement. that BODY
persisted in requiring the District TO pay
cash for all Of It's betterments, and, wnen
the funds ran out. 1t grudg!ngly permitted
time-serving loans by the federal treasury
to the local account on such short-term
basis that the District remained constantly
cramped for funds to meet current expenses.
The rational solution Of this d1flculty
was proposed at the outset OF the SITUATION.
The District was anxious for either pono
issue or for federal advance. covering
a sufficient period to enable the local treas
ury to meet all current expenses and 10
retire the debt by degrees by means OF
sinking fsnd. Last session with the ap-
proprlations committees waiting on the
District committee for the framing anu
passage of some such measure, ana with
the District committee waiting on the ap-
preparations committee to prepare the bud
get before moving in the matter OF extra
revenue provision. a deadlock was created
which resulted disastronsiy for the Dis
trict. Happily this situation is now avoid
ed and the District committee Is proceeding
with its item of general legislation indie
pendent Of the appropriations committee.
but working in the knowledge Of the large
projects for which the District budget must
necessarily provide. This is the rational
method of procedure and its success will
permit the writing of appropriations to
meet both the current needs and the capt.
tails development enterprises
The District can pay all Of its proper
municipal current expenses out Of its tax
moneys. assessed on a fair basis without
extortion. and can have surplus efficient
to provide a sinking fund for the retire
ment of it's federal advance. This is COM
nonsense municipal f1nanciering. In other
cities when extraordinary projects for per-
manent betterment are preached they are
financed upon a long-payment basis. 10
city ever undertakes to pay for Its great
railroad terminals. its large parks. its pub
lie buildings. its sewer plant, It's filtration
equipment. it's street extensions out of its
current income. No city could Withstand
the strain of so heavy q demand upon Its
taxpayers. The District confronted at
once with all Of these improvements. mus.
be permitte ed to pay for them gradually.