Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-27
THE DISTRICTS NEEDS
Commissioners Before Appro-
priations Subcommittee.
ESTIMATES EXPLAINED
PROVISION REQUIRED FOR Elk
TRAoRDINARY EXPENSES.
Present Arrangement Expires June ~
Duty of Congress to Take Ac-
ton in the Matter.
ESTIMATES EXPLAINED

June 80 1908. The subcommittee in charge
of the bill is composed of Representatives
j. T. McCleary of Minnesota chairman;
E. J. Burkett of Nebraska, Washington
Gardner of Michigan, R. A. Pierce of Ten
nessee and NJ. E. Benton of Missouri.
The first few days of the consideration
of the District bill are given up to hearing
the Commissioners in regard to the gen.
eral provisions of the measure. The Com
missioners were before the subcommittee
from 1880 o'clock this morning until noon.
when a recess was taken until 30 O'Clock.
At that hour the hearings were resumed
There has been no change since last WIN
ter, either in the personnel of the subcom-
mittee or the board of Commissioners, so II
was an easy matter to settle right down to
business. The men composing the suDcom-
mittee are pretty well acquainted WIN us,
trict affairs and methods, so 1T is expected
that rapid progress will be made in framing
the measure this session. The supcommlt-
tee has gone over the Commissioners eStl-
mates informally, and the members have
become acquainted with the details. Chair
man McCleary spent his Christmas honoays
in the city, and during that time mace a
careful study of the local situation. esps-
cially with respect to contemplated street
and other improvements.
Commissioners 'Macfarland West and
Biddle were heard this morning as items
| relating to the departments under theif
Cost of Permanent Improvements.
The problem before the subcommittee this
year is to either grant or permanently re-
ject the urgent appeal of the Comm ssioners
| that the amounts to be expended on pro-
jects of permanent Improvement shall be
segregated from those for current needs.
| The makeshift legislation of the past three
years reaches a close the first of July next,
ic hat q narmanent,
neSS-like plan is ever to be adopted Tor the
! relief of the present unsatisfactory condi-
| ton of District finances, 1t should De at the
| present session of Congress.
Last year the Commissioners secured the
introduction of bill authorizing loan or
| $40 900 600 from the federal treasury TO the
| District of Columbia to meet the local nan
| of the cost of the permanent improvements
| The bill was favorably reported by the
| House committee on the District of Column
| bia, but met opposition in the appropria-
| lions committee and failed to pass
So far this session the Commissioners
| have recommended no such leglSlatlO ION,
| having evidently determined to place the
| matter fairly and Squarely before the com
mittee on appropriations and leave It's de-
| termination with the members of that
| body.
| commissioner mcfarland. president of
| the District board, made complete state
| ment to the subcommittee this morning
| regarding the state. of the District treas
ury.
| The Commissioners Estimates.
/ The estimates of the Commissioners call
| for an appropriation of $12.SS6,72o. OF this
| amount 49, 261, SO is for current expenses,
and s4,625, 1875 on account Of permanent inn
| proyements. The estimated revenues TOT
| next year amount to $4,73093o.lo, more
| than enough, the Commissioners state. 10
| meet the District half of current expenses
| and make payment to sinking Iuho 10
| cover "a loan on the extraordinary improve
mentS.
| their recommendations that the Secretary
| of the Treasury be authorized to make ad-
| vances from the United States funds to en-
| able the District to meet its share OF the
| cost of the extraordinary improvements,
| the advances to be paid in installments and
| with interest This. it is claimed, can De
| done by the District out of its current
| revenues without hampering current ex-
| penditureS. 1t is submitted that TINS is the
| usual and business-like way of dealing
with such matters, and that if it is not
adopted the District finances will be left
in an uncertain and embarrassed condition,
and the appropriation for current needs
| may have to be unduly cut down. The
Commissioners say that this should not
be done any more than the extraordinary
projects of improvement should be suspend
ed or abandoned.
The Extraordinary Expenses.
AS stated, the aggregate amount of the
estimates submitted by the Commissioners
for the next fiscal year is $12,8S6 ,725. exclu-
sive of those for the water department,
which amount to $13a6156. This unusually
large sum. the Commissioners say, is not
to be set down as annually required, for the
sum of 81. 625, 155 Is chargeabe to the ac-
count of extraordinary improvements which
Congress and circumstances require shall
be appropriated for next year. The items
making up this amount are follows:
Sewers and sewage disposal system. 81 ,9O7,
coo; filtration plant. $156S 155; District
building, 100000 Connecticut Avenue
bridge. 100000 Anacostia bridge, 100000;
municipal hospital. $4,000.
| In the estimates for current expenditures
submitted to the Commissioners through
4 official channels the Commissioners made
| all practicable reductions. amounting to
over a million dollars in the aggregate,
leaving the amount recommended on this
| account 1921 SO
The estimated revenue of the District of
| Columbia for the next fiscal year is 81, 73O,
925.10 Deducting from this reasona BILE
fnstallment amounting to one-fifth of the
| amount of the advances that will probably
have been made by the 1st of July next
which amount is estimated at $1,000. 600
with the interest payment thereon, to-
| gether with a payment of $4,000 on the
Districts contribution to the terminal work
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany there will remain the sum of 81. no.
835. Doubling this amount by adding the
share of the United States under the or
ganic act of June II, 1878. there remains an
appropriation fund of $S,231 $40. or more
| than is required by the estimates for cur
rent expenditures.
The Custom Elsewhere.
The Commissioners prepared their est.
mates for next year upon the principle that
presenting to Congress the actual needs OF
the District of Columbia they should dis.
tingush and ask Congress to distinguish
between current expenditures and those
for extraordinary projects of improvement
demanding large sums of money within 6
short time and extending their benefits int
the future. The Commissioners contend thai
. everywhere else it is recognized that the
!. cost of such improvements cannot be me-
out of current revenues and ought to be
spread over a series of years, and, there
. fore 1t Is customary to meet 1t by an issue
of bonds. with the usual provision for re-
| payment by means of a sinking fund. Tht
United States does not have to borrow
money in any way to met it's share of suci
expenditures in the District of Columbia
. But, II Is pointed out, the District of Colum
bia must borrow money like any other mu
nicipality to meet its share of the cost o.
such improvements. because its current
revenues cannot meet immediately such ex
. traordinary demands without compelling