Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-25
THE DISTRICT BUDGET
Further Consideration of Ap-
preparation Bill.
A QUESTION OF FEES
POINT OF ORDER SUSTAINED ny
REPRESENTATIVE MANN.
Seven Assistant Messengers for Court
House Striker Out Mr.. Bakers
Arraignment-Tke Bill Passed.

After transacting some little routine bust.
ness this morning the House resolved it
sell into committee of the whole and con-
thued consideration of the District of Co.
lumbia appropriation bill. After The Stars
report closed yesterday spirited discus
SION, which had been in progress on the
question of the salaries of school teachers
continued until the point OF order made
By Chairman McCleary against an amend.
Inent to increase the salaries above the
figures named in the BILL was sustained,
The general sentiment appeared to be
greatly in favor of an increase. but the
committee of the whole was powerless to
act in this direction.
This morning the House had evidently
quieted down, after the discussion of yes-
terGay, and the items in the bill making
appropriations for the police, health and
hre departments went through without A
single member interposing an objection or
asking question.
Mr.. Crunlpacker's Point Sustained.
Representative Crumpacker of Indiana
made point of order against the para
graph providing that hereafter the District
OF Columbia shall not be required In t,l-
dicial proceedings to pay fees to the clerk
of the Supreme Court of the District of
Columbia. and authorizing the Commits
SiOiielS " institute JUDICIAL proceedings Ill
that court free of charge.
Chairman McCleary explained to Mr.
Crumpacker that the committee had insert
ed the paragraph in question to right what
he considered a wrong that had continued
for a couple OF years He said that under
the District of Columbia code. passed two
years ago by Congress. the clerk of the
Supreme Court of the District of Columbia
was the only clerk of the several courts TO
whom the District required to pay
fees. Consequently he thought they should
all be placed on the same footing, and the
paragraph in question was inserted in the
present bill for that purpose
Mr.. Crumpaeker eontended, however. that
the duties of the clerk of the supreme
Court Of the District were very responsible,
that he was required to handle large sums
of trust funds at various times. and that
his duties were burdensome and eXacting.
He had been particularly left out of the
provision in the code with regard to this
arrangement for the non pa yment of fees.
and Mr.. Crumpa cker said that on the
ground that this item was new legislati ton
he should make point of order against 1t.
He was sustained by Representative Mann
of Illinois, who was in the chair.
Assistant Messengers Stricken Out.
Representative Cowherd of Missouri a
member of the District committee. moved
to strike out from that paragraph of the
bill making appropriation for the District
court house the item providing for seven
assistant messengers at SsZo Il year eacN.
Mr. Cowherd said there were baiffs and
more marshals and more janitors and more
employees of every kind down at the cour.
house now than were needed and he asked
the committee to join with him in striking
the item from the bill. Mr. McCleary en-
deavored to explain the necessity of the
seven assistant messengers, but Mr.. Cow
herd cut him short with the remark that
he didn't seem to know anything about the
subject. On a viva voce vote there was
some doubt 10 the result and the divi-
sion showed 50 members in favor of striii-
ing the item from the bill and 40 against
it. Mr.. McCleary asked for teliers and
showed 7i members in favor of striking out
the item to "a opposed
In discussing the manner in which Dis
trict appropriations are made in general
Mr.. Lind called attention of the House to
the fact that while some of the school
teachers were paid $500 a year that the
official dog-catcher was paid $1,000 a year.
Mr.. McCleary Immediately protested that
there was no official dog-catcher and that
salary for any similar purpose high
as $1,000 was contained in the BILL
We'll, the only difference is replied Mr.
Lind that in Washington you call him n
poundmaster and in my state we call him
dog-catcher.
MI. Bakers Arraignment
When the paragraph covering the appro-
priation for the care of the INDECENT poor
was reached Representative Baker OF
Brooklyn secured the floor and asked unani-
nous consent to extend his remarks from
the five-minute period allowed in general
debate.
This was accorded him, and after mem
tioning that 475 out of every 1000 ndigents
born in the sums of Washington died be-
fore they reached the age of one year. he
launched out into a general and bitter ar
raignment of social conditions and in
equalties in Washington and elsewhere
which, he said were fostered by the re-
publican party and its protective principles.
Every few moments during his speech MIR.
Baker would stop and with uplfted arms
beg some one of the republican members to
get up the floor and defend his party.
Finally. after Mr. Baker had continued his
harangue for half an hour, Mr.. McCleary
lumbia bill in charge, raised the point of
order that Mr.. Baker discussion was not
germane to the subject under considera-
ton by the committee of the whole. The
chair sustained the point of order and Mr..
Baker promised to adhere TO the subject.
Board of Charities.
Those items carrying appropriations for
the board of charities, the Washington
Asylum, the reform school for boys, the
reform school for girls. the medical chari
ties of the District the board of children's
guardians, the industrial home school, the
hospital for the insane and the relief of
the poor and the transportation of paupers
were passed over without objection The
VARIOUS items providing appropriations for
the maintenance OF the District militia
were then taken up
District Bill Passed.
The District bill was reported out of COM
mittee of the whole and passed. The House
then took UP the army appropriation BILL