Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-17

speech In the House on February IL Rep
resentative Morrells statement attracted
considerable attention at the time and has
since been discussed at some length in The
Star with the idea of pointing out various
Inconsistencies and the like in the COM
parison of the District and outside munich
palities.
Mr.. Macfarlands Statement.
Mr.. mcfarland was requested by Chair
man Gillette of the subcommittee to an
swer Representative Morreus statement,
and said, in part:
I'm anticipation of such request, 1 have
prepared a statement containing the general
considerations which should always be kept
In mind in making comparisons of munich
pal statistics between the District of Co
lumbia and municipalities elsewhere, and
also in making appropriations. The state
ment deals with the tables and deductions
presented to the House in Mr. Morrelrs
speech. My appeal from all such statistical
comparisons is to the standard on that sub
ject. the latest edition of the Census Bulle-
tin, containing statistics of cities
Although it does not explain the unique
character of the District of Columbia, with
its threefold functions-state, county, and
city-or the fact that it's expenditures are
also threefold and distributed elsewhere be-
TWEEN state, county, and city, 1t yet shows
the District of Columbia to be as econorn-
with which it could properly be compared
1t must always be remembered that 1t Is
the national capital, with a territory or
seventy square miles, hilly in character,
and with 10000 people living outside of the
city of Washington In fifteen or twenty
towns and villages, and that it is the Off
cial home of the President, Congress, the
Supreme Court, the seat of the national
government. and the official residence of
the ambassadors and ministers OF foreign
powers. / have suggested to the director
of the census that because of It's unique
character 1t should be set apart in future
census office publications on municipal sta
tistics in class by itself. 1t supports a
militia, a department of insurance, COM
plete judiciary. and other things which are
not supported elsewhere by cities, but by
state or county. including charities and cor
rections, especially the care of the insane.
AS to its streets, avenues, and parks. 1t
must be remembered that they are on
national capital scale, and also that the
title to them in the city of Washington Is
in the United States and the abutting prop
erty owners have no title in them and pay
no part of the expenditures for their i'm
provement.
It's Threefold Functions.
1.-THE speaker does not give consideration
to the unexampled character of the govern
ment of the District of Columbia. Under
the organic act of 1878 it corresponds not
to the ordinary municipal government, but
has the threefold functions of state or
territorial, a county, and a city govern
ment, with the burdens and responsibilities,
as well as the functions. of all three. The
Commissioners are constantly performing
all these functions of a triple government.
Moreover instead of having simply the
receipts and expenditures of city, the
District of Columbia has also the receipts
and expenditures which are represented IN
other municipalities by receipts and ex-
,penditures Of the state and Of the county.
THE fact Is overlooked that the District
Of Columbia Is much more than the city or
Washington and the physical character OF
the territory. Outside of the city Of Wash
ington live 1900 people, In nearly score
of different towns and villages. The ma
tional capital. taking in all the settlements
outside of Washington, can not properly be
compared with compactly built up munich
palities
Nevertheless, a careful examination of
the facts VIII show that the deduction that
the expenditures for the same things hero
are higher or more extravagant than the
expenditures for the same things in the
cities compared is incorrect
zone striking statement is that the en-
tire cost. for instance, of the executive
Office in Washington In 1904 was STA, 4O3.'
Now, the fact is that counting everybody
who can possibly be charged to the execu-
tive office of the District government, in
Guiding the three Commissioners (whose
united salaries amount to only S1O,924, so
concerned, since the Engineer Commission
er receives only 1924 on the District
count, the secretary. the secretaries of the
Commissioners, and ali clerks, messengers,
laborers, and drivers, the salaries amount
to So, S1o. The amount of S74, 4O3 can only
be reached by counting up all the items APP
pearing in the District appropriation bill
under the heading Executive office in
Guiding those for the District veterinarian
and veterinary hospital. the building in
spector's Office. the janitor engineer, fire.
men, and other caretakers of the District
building, the property clerks office and in
spectors. the plumbing inspectors Office.
and the plumbing board, which have
nothing to do with the executive office, but
belong to other departments, and were put
under the heading by appropriation COM
mittees without regard to their relation to
1t. probably for the sake of convenience
Even the actual expenditures on account
of the executive Office must be compared,
in fairness. not only with those of mayors
offices in other places. but In addition, the
expenditures on account of the governor
the county commissioners, the city clerk,
the official supervtAory boards. and the
councils. in far IS the functions of the
executive office correspond; and it Is the
general correspondence, record. and public
information bureau or the District govern
ment with respect to its threefold function.
1T would be well II the District of CO.
iumbla We're treated separately In the CEN
sus report, because of It's unique character
and not ciassed with other municipalities
How, for example, can It be properly
compared in its expenditures with cities
which benefit by state and county expen-
ditures which are not carried either in the
census statistics or in those OF Mr. Nor
rell?
First Definite Statement.
'one of the first definite statements In
the speech is that The entire cost, for in
stance. of the executive Office in Washing
ton in 1904 was S74.4o3; for Baltimore,
$4,000; Boston. $4,000; Buffalo. lfO00
Apparently. from these figures. the execu-
tive Office In Washington is rather an ex-
pensive luxury
THE census bulletin states that the ex-
penses of the executive offices of the fol-
lowing named cities are: Washington,
S25.005; Baltimore. $69, 4OS: Pittsburg, $23,-