The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-12-10
Subject an Old One.


1T is an old soldier" said member
today. and has been brought before
us a number OF times. There is nothing
10 it,"
What she Commissioners want is three
and half millions for extraordinary
improvements. and they have taken the
ground that the District current Teve-
nues are not. and cannot be. sufficient
20 meet such demand IN short time.
They argue that a longtime loan would
enable the local government to pay for
its Improvements by degrees, as would
be consistent
Otherwise. they say. the District viii
be crowded by attempting 20 pay inn
mediately for such gigantic undertake
ings as the new municipal building and
the filtration plant.
To this argument members Of Congress
replied today by saying the District cur
rent revenues are, 10 all intents and
purposes, sufficient for current expenses
and for making payments on the eX-
penses caused by the extraordinary inn
provements. They said they hardly
thought It possible that the District
would suffer appreciable inconvenience
or curtailment II things are allowed 10
run on as in the past
Attitude Of Commissioners.
, The faIlacy Of the Commissioners ar
guments for the proposed loan is de-
clared TO be their contention that, be-
| cause all other large cities meet extra
ordinary expenses by a bond issue,
Washington should also have such a
measure of relief. AS a matter OF fact.
| il is argued, there is not another city in
| the United States Ike Washington, In
asmuch as Washington IS the only one
directly backed up and looked after By
Uncle Sam
The plain inference from such asser-
tious is that. as long as Uncle Sam is
sponsor for the District. the local gov
ernmeut will not come 10 financial grief.
A REPRESENTATIVE said today that all
requirements Of the case are met by the
present financial arrangement between
The United States and the District
whereby all necessary funds are ad-
vanced TO the local government for
term Of fve years, with the understand
ing that such term can be renewed when
PERHAPS. the only power able 20 turn
the minds of the committee and mem
hers Of Congress 10 favorable cOnsldera-
fiol OF the long term loan proposition
h. fha influence OF the Speaker Of the
House But, when Mr. cannon was
chairman of the Committee on AppTO-
DriatiOns. he Vehemently opposed a bond
Issue. and devised the temporary eE-
pedient of a shOrt-time loan and. il IS
said that nothing has happened or been
adduced 10 change his mind since theh'
Citizens Want It.
The bond issue has been strongly
championed OF late, especially by the
citizens associations. They say that
such measure IS necessary In order 10
keep the local government from being
deprived OF much OF its effectiveness.
Their claims, however, have not moved
Congress 10 their way OF thinking.
only the intervention Of a miracle can
give the District a bond issue or a long
time loan from the Treasury. It's
chances are dead. and the District will
have 20 go on a while longer under the
old financial system.
But IL appears in measure that the
request Of the Commissioners In their
last annual report that the extraOrdi-
nary improvements be financed sepa-
rately' from the ordinary expenses will
be granted. as the opinion has been ex-
pressed that the nVf-year loan will be
made. as has been done IN some in
stances IN the past. IL has also been
said that II the loan could not be re-
paid In FIVE years II would be renewed
for a similar period,
There f., however a great difference
between a nVc-year loan and twenty
year loan, but this objection as already
explained. Is met by the opinion that the
five-year term can be renewed II neces-
snry.