Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-02
Solve the Whole Problem Now.

Now is the time for every earnest citizen
CT the District to stand stanchly by the
Commissioners proposition that the present
and impending financial problems be solved
by federal advance of limited sum for
definite purpose and for a definite period.
In no other terms can the needs of the sit
uation be met. Only by making the ad-
vance large enough to cover all the great
works now or soon to be under way can
the annual budget be given it's proper pro-
portions as to current needs Only thus
can the capital makers build with conf
dence. Only by permitting the District
thus to raise its half of the extraordinary
expenditure can the taxpayers look with
any degree of confidence into the future
and plan accordingly.
Any proposition which falls short of this
requirement of necessary sum for definite
purposes and repayabe in a definite long
term period is certain to cause an annual
recurrence of this trouble. 1t will not suf-
flee for the Senate to increase the current
appropriations and then to strike balance
between the total carried and the esti
mated revenues, and finally provide for the
deficiency by means of a federal advance,
TO be repaid in a short term. Already the
District owes very nearly 100000. ad-
vision of revenue to meet a deficiency. If
now Congress provides for another advance
the account becomes still further compli-
Gated There will then be no guarantee
that another year will not find still another
compa ratively small advance extended to
aid the insufficient local revenues, until
with three or four five or maybe six, of
these annual instruments of federal money
advanced each with it's own short term,
and each standing for it's own specific de-
fciency, the bookkeeping of the local and
federal partnership will be something to
addle the brain of the most expert account
ant. r.- s.-
Leaving the bookkeepers to their own
fate in the premises, what Of the admins
trative officers who must under such COM
plicated circumstances proceed to estimate
annually for the local needs and to press
for appropriations of fair size for current
maintenance? Their task becomes difficult
beyond calculation. No official can know
confidently where the District stands finan-
Cially. No one can reckon future obliga-
tons with any degree of precision. Nor
can the administrative officers foretell with
any measure of assurance what Congress is
likely TO do from session to session. Any
year the District may find it's revenues for
extraordinary needs shut of even In the
midst of the progress of the works them
selves. Then which will be sacrificed? The
current needs the great works awaiting
the finishing stroke? Will not Congress be
likely to order that the works go on, while
the District, skimped already to the limit
of endurance, Is forced into even more dis
astrous economies?
When what of the taxpayer who already
Is heavily burdened with the demand for
public cash, and knows not what next
I years requisition will be in addition? Is
he not entitled to consideration? Should he
period of twenty years the District must
take care of its gradually increasing mu-.
nicipal needs and meanwhile repay a fed
eral loan of, say, $10,000OOO? 1t is abso-
lutely certain that on this basis the tax
revenues, not forced beyond their natural
proportions by unusual and severe exac-
tions, will suffice not only for the current
needs but for the sinking fund. and that
the steady increase in population and
wealth of the city will provide for the
growth of the budget With this fact
clearly set before it, Congress must surely
see the justice, indeed the very necessity,
of making this readjnstment of income to
next two decades go, instead of leaving it
as an annual charge upon the attention of
committees and burden upon the time
and thought Of the District people and
their governors. a-.-- -rs.