Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-20
Pass the Union Station Bill.

The union station bill should not be al
lowed to fail at this session of Congress for
the lack of agreement between the houses
as to the amount the District and the gov
eminent should pay to the railroads as
bonus for their improvements. The issue Is
distinct. Shall the House insist upon re-
ducing the payment to each road from
s., 100000 to S1.OOO,0Go; shall it recede from
it's amendment and allow the larger sum to
be paid. or shall it accept the compromise
which. If report be accurate. has been pro-
posed by the Senate conferees, to split the
difference?
The District wants this improvement so
does the government and so do the rail-
roads. The corporations cannot persuade
Congress or the public that they are being
forced against their desires into this enter
prise of a union station. By it they will
gain materially in convenience save in ulti-
mate expense and equip themselves in &C
cordance with the modern standard. Even
with the bonus reduced as proposed they
will be vastly the gamers by union of the
terminals
The time Is now short before adjournment,
only ten days remaining of the session.
The bill as II rests in conference represents
the work of many years, painfully brought
to its present state. A difference of $7oO,OO0
on the part of the general government and
of S2jO.O00 on that of the District stands
between the present state of case and final
enactment. There seems to be very little
apprehension on the part of the constituted
guardians of the public treasury relative to
the threatened drain upon the federal
funds. The District can ill afford further
burdens, while it is staggering along under
heavy load of taxation and cash pay
ments for great permanent works. But If
in the last analysis it were a question be-
tween the union station bill failing at this
session and the acceptance of the Senates
extreme terms there would probably be but
little local demur to taking the latter alter
native, however just may be the reasons
for reducing the bonus.
The House has once voted emphatically
to insist upon it's amendment. 1t is whis-
pered that the railroad interests are conf
dent that second appeal to the House will
result differently. owing to active mission
airy work which has lately been in progress.
Such a vote should be taken Immediately.
This is no time for delay. The District has
never agreed that the terms of the B. and o.
act of 1901 are equitable. and it hailed with
delight the action of the House in reducing
the bonus stroke of justice 1t has no
interest in the proposed payments to the
Pennsylvania, that being a concern only of
the federal government. If an offer has
been actually made in conference to split
the difference it would seem incredible that
the railroad companies can be confident
now of a receding vote. Such a vote would,
iHthe face of possible compromise, reflect
seriously upon the majority.
Rather should the House, when the con-
ference report is presented, ascertain clearly
what IL can do toward carrying at least half
of its reduction. A vote to stand by the
amendment would enable the conferees
with the better grace and the greater as
surance of success to demand that the Sen
ate recede, or. if the Senate still refuses,
that the differences be compromised.
A square recession from the amendment
on the part of the House would be excus-
able only if the Senate, by a direct vote,
emphatically instructed its confereeS to re-
ject the House amendment, and then only
il every possibility of compromise were to
fail. But these maneuvers should be
promptly executed. The matter in hand
10 one of the most important before
Congress at this time short of the pending
treaties on the Senates table. 1t affects
the whole country. and should not be con-
sidered as merely a routine item of local
legislation. Failure to enact this bill this
year would lessen public confidence in the
ability of Congress to transact the coun-
try's business.