Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-29
Conclusive Evidence of Local Opinion.

Yesterday afternoon a thoroughly repre-
sentative gathering of District citizens
adopted a statement for the information of
Congress relative to the proposed federal
advance of s1O.O00OOO to the capital. That
statement may be regarded as final ex-
preston of the Districts view on the sub
ject as far as popular utterance Is con-
Cerned. 1t leaves but little more to be said.
and that in elaboration and illustration.
The facts are set forth with absolute plain
ness, the principle Of the proposed federal
loan Is established in the soundest logic
and continued opposition to the plan Of
financing the great permanent works on a
long-term basis must appear to be the mere
tenacious retention of a personal view re-
CARELESS OF obvious rights and merits and
needs.
1t is shown by this statement that the ex-
traordinary projects now under way or
Immediately impending and likely to be
completed involve a total expenditure of
$l5, a69. JO2 of which the Districts half will
be 81 634. 151. To the latter sum is to be
added the sl.9O1 726.15. which will be due
to the United States next July on account
of advances already made, yielding grand
total of extraordinary demands upon the
local revenues of 50, 536. Az 10 which must be
within the next three or four years. This
sum will be in addition to the ordinary ex-
penditures for the maintenance of the mu-
nicipality.
The Commissioners bill for federal loan,
already adopted by the House District COM
mittee and under consideration by the SEN
ate committee, provides for an advance of
100000 a little more than enough to
cover all of this extraordinary expenditure.
Thus 1t is to be seen that the apparently
round sum named in the bill Is by no
means mere approximation, but is based
upon clearly defined and even already au-
thorized projects requiring financing during
these next few years. The bill simply looks
ahead into the assured future and makes
businesslike provision for it's necessities.
The District appropriation bill is now
under consideration by the Senate appropri-
atoms subcommittee, and it's completion
may be expected within the next fortnight
Meanwhile the Senate District committee
holds under consideration the Dillingham;
bill for underlined federal advances and
the Commissioners substitute naming a
specific amount and term of repayment 1t
Is in the last degree important that the
District committee act at its meeting to-
morrow upon these measures, reporting ia
vorably one or the other of them or a
combination of them. Such action will
enable the advance proposition to be pro-
posed and considered as an amendment to
the District appropriation bill. if the Sen
ate should be disposed to commit itself on
this subject in acting upon that measure.
The District hopes that the Senate COM
mittees and the Senate itself will at the
right time approve the Commissioners bill.
In view of the statement adopted by yester-
days meeting of citizens, following the
action of the Board of Trade and other
local associations, there can be no doubt
OF the local desires.
Whatever is done should be promptly
done, 30 that there need be no misunder-
standing or dangerous delay. An en-
phatic Endorsement of the Commissioners
ate would put that measure on the best
possible footing, it having been already ap-
proved without change by the House Dis
trict committee. 1t cannot make q mate
rial difference to the appropriations and
District committees and to the Senate itself
whether the advances which are inevitable
II the great permanent works are to be
prosecuted and the District is to be prop
erly maintained meanwhile are made at
one stroke for the entire period of ex-
traordinary improvements or are doled out
year by year to the District, involving an
annual reopening Of the case. 1t does,
however. make a material difference to the
District the capitals welfare demanding
that this adjustment be made now q
broad scale and on a. businesslike and equi-
able prfncIple