The Washington herald., 1907-10-20
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.


penditures must be cut, and the progress
Of the District halted. The reason why
our schools. health, police, FIRE. street
Improvement and cleaning. street light
ing, and other municipal services have not
had adequate appropriation. and so have
been crippled is because the appropria-
tons for current expenditures have been
cut in order 10 attempt TO pay for ex-
traordinary improvements out OF current
expenses.
No New Taxation.
This is not done anywhere else in the
world in the case Of a large city. and
cannot be done here without either con
lscatory taxation or crippling reduction
in current expenses. II cannot be too
strongly emphasized that the natural in
crease in taxation, due 70 the natural in
crease in property and values gives US
all We need 10 meet our obligations for
both extraordinary and current expenses.
No new taxation will be necessary. But
Congress must understand the difference
between the current and extraordinary
appropriations. in order TO prevent the
cutting Of both and 70 insure the prompt
payment Of both. The extraordinary ap-
preparation must be kept separate in the
estimates, IN the District appropriation bill
and on the books Of the Treasury Depart
ment, and the Commissioners will ask
again for the necessary legislation to take
the place Of the temporary provision for
advances from the Treasury 20 the Dis
trict, renewed annually since 1901. We
cannot issue bonds, as is done everywhere
else, for extraordinary Improvements.
The United States is able to advance US
the money, to be repaid gradually, with
interest at . per cent What we need is
to have these loans made on account 0f
extraordinary improvements. calling for
large sums and benefiting the future.
kept on a separate account on the Treas
ury books, and repaid at a stated mini
mum from the District revenues. What
we now owe can be repaid ar the rate
Of $4,000 a year without requiring the
cutting Of any estimate for current ex-
penditures.
THE item of extraordinary improve
ments. amounting 70 s.. .291 $50. cannot pos
sibly be taken out of the appropriation
fund for the next fiscal year. except by
cutting the appropriations for all the
municipal services. In the remainder of
the estimates, which amount 10 Sl0375,9l6.
we have not only the items for the mu-
nicipal services, but 500, ,4gS required by
law for interest and sinking fund for the
so-calIed Shepherd bonded debt.
The commissioners are recommending
net only some much-needed Increase in
the personnel. but equally needed in
L. I -Fs-T-
made more recommendations Of this sort.
for many Of the District public servants
are still underpaid, compared with the
government employees
The estimates, together with the recon-
mendations Of the commissioners will go
forward to Congress and the appropria-
ton cammittees as soon as the coming
session is opened.
Some of the Items.
Following are a number of the items
included in the recommendations:
Police department, s., ,3gS. .S3S, an increase
Of S155.ooO and $4,000 more than recon-
mended by Maj. sylvester.
Fire department, $3.50, 900; increase. S120.-
600; 100000 less than asked for by Chief
Belt.
Sueet-Cleanlng department, Sl6S,340 eX-
elusive of salaries; same as present ap-
propriation.
Electrical department, S4sS,000
Public schools. s4125. 600; $1,9Ss, 600 for
new buildings and grounds, and S2iSs.00o
for salaries and all other expenses; is
$4,000 less than asked for. and is an in
crease of $500, 900.
District property clerk. increase, 1880;
total, S36,000.
Plumbing Inspector. increase. $3.Soa; to-
tai, sl6,4o0.
Assessors Office. increase. $500; total.
$4,000.
Collector of taxes. increase, $3.50: total
$26. 100.
Auditors office. total. s26.s70.
Distributing officer. increase, 8, 1900; to-
tai $3.50.
Corporation coursel's office, increase
8, 400; tesaI, s1S,740.
Sinking fund Office, increase. s2eO; total.
$500.
Coroner's Office. increase. $s65; total.
1886.
sealer Of weights and measures, In
crease, $3.50; total. $4,000.