The Washington times., 1903-08-25
POSTOFFICE REFUSES
ALL DISTRICT LETTERS

gency not otherwise sufficiently pro-
vided for;
''It is ordered that the necessary ex-
penses for postage for the official bust
ness of the District of Columbia shall be
paid from said emergency fund until
otherwise provided for by Congress; that
the stamps shall be obtained on monthly
acquisitions by the heads of the several
departments and offices. who shall rem
der monthly account of the same"
Annual Cost of Stamps.
Commissioner Macfarland said this
morning that the postage item would
probably amount to $4,000 during fiscal
year. the Health Department alone using
about 81 900 worth. The Engineer De-
partment sends out about 10000 letters
in twelve months. which would amount
to $1.400. The Secretary's Office can
probably keep within $1,000. and the
other departments use much less.
There never has been time when Dis
trict officials have been more perturbed
over the status of the local government
than now. The heads of all the depart
ments are asking themselves. and every
body else, the question, What are we,
municipal or Federal?" Commissioner
mcfarland seemed 10 be the only one
who was really satisfied as to what may
be inferred from all the conflicting opin-
lens which have been directed at the
District within the past few weeks.
THE situation is clear" he said this
morning. The status of the District OF
Columbia was fixed by Congress in the
organic law which created the local gov
eminent. The District of Columbia was
then declared to be. and to continue to
be, a municipal corporation The opin-
ions of the Attorney General and the
Assistant Attorney General are support
ed by decisions of the Supreme Court of
the United States, which is the highest
| legal authority. There seems to be no
ground for dispute as to the status of the
local government"
The Commissioner had some difficulty,
! however, in reconciling the opinions OF
the Attorney General with that of the
/ Comptroller of the Treasury. In this
regard, Mr. mcfarland said:
THE Comptroller of the Treasury oc-
cupies a unique position. He is the
highest authority In the United States
| in the matter of expenditures of the
branches of the Federal Government.
His decisions are not renewable by the
/ Attorney General or the Supreme
Court, and he is at liberty to submit
arbitrary opinions without giving any
pretense at the reasons influencing him.
His rulings are on the basis that the
United States pays a portion of the ex-
penses of the District of Columbia in
lieu of taxes. because it is impossible
| for tax to be collected from the
/ Federal Government"
Hits Police Hardest.
| The decision of Assistant Attorney
General c. H Robb. relative to the use
| by the District authorities of the frank
| ing privilege. whereby the District IS
estopped from the use of the penalty en-
velopes, will bear more heavily. perhaps.
upon the Police Department than upon
any other branch OF the District govern
ment. unless certain prior rulings Of the
Attorney Generals Office should work 10
free this department from the opera
ton of the last decision.
So great will be the expense, under the
application OF the new ruling 10 the
Police Department. that it would
seem necessary to so curtas the send
ing out OF these circulars mat the
method will practically have TO be
| abandoned The Police Department
| will call attention TO its peculiar status
! under the former rulings OF the Attorney
General which makes the members are
! virtually United States officers.
To this end IL is understood that Major
| Sylvester will prepare . respectful re-
| port to the Commissioners, citing these
! rulings, and the attitude hitherto uni
! formly maintained 10 the Police Depart
| ment by the General Government What
/ action, If any the Commissioners Will
| take on such a report is at present a
| matter of conjecture. Certain II is
that If there be no relief from the work
ings of the last decision the Police De-
partment will be greatly hampered in
its efforts to make the District what
the National Capital should be.