Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-03
The District and Congress.

Members of Congress who are coming
to town ahead of the converting might
prohta bly, spend these few days in a study
of their federal constituency, the District
OF Columbia, the interests of which are
placed in their care by the Constitution of
the United States. Judging from the de
bates on District days in the House the
average legislators understanding of the
local needs is in need of correction or
stimulation. Yet the Capital city is i'm
mediately In view. Members tread it's
streets daily. are in the atmosphere of
the community, so to speak Yet they
do not seem to grasp the idea of just
what Washington requires. 1t may not
be doubted that practically every MEM
Der of both houses desires to see this city
developed as a great capital, with a model
municipal administration. but somehow
matters do not move speedily toward this
point of accomplishment. There is
hitch somewhere and most District citi-
zens are satisfied that it lies in the
negotiable manner of making appropria-
tons.
The congressman who does not appre-
ciate the real, practical effects of the
present policy of alloting money for the
iOCdl HccoS, WIio VIEWS the question DIS d
mere matter of bookkeeping, should be
taken by some enterprising citizen upon
high place and shown the city in it's re-
markable growth outward. With maps it
should be made plain to him that Wash
ington' now extends virtually to the Dis
trict line and that the business and old
residential city is surrounded by closely
linked suburban colonies of home-makers.
In a few years the urban conditions will
be almost continuous to the boundary.
Sewers, pavementS, sidewalks. schools.
fire engines and police stations are now
needed in the suburbs. In decade they
will be urgently required to insure the
peace, safety. health and education of
the jewellers on the outer circle
Under the present system of appropriate
ing the District revenues these needs,
classed generally items of current
maintenance, as distinguished from such
projects as the filtration plant, the Dis
trict building the municipal hospital, the
bridges, the station plaza and the still
neglected high-pressure fire service, can
not be provided for mil the District has
paid, practically on cash basis. for the
large works of betterment which nave
been undertaken during the past few
years. By the time this obligation is dis
charged, under the present mode of APP
preparation, the current needs of the Capt.
tai will have grown to permanent-projec
size and costlness. There will, perhaps.
then be another series of Semi-cash- pay
ment appropriations to give the Dis ,rict
it's large arrears of schools, sewers, pave
ments, sidewalks, police stations and fire
engine houses to render the outlying area
comfortable, safe and well equipped with
the necessities of modern city existence.
Much better and fairer would be Il sys-
.em Of appropriations frankly recognizing
the inadequacy of the available funds To
care for botn permanent improvements
and current needs, and providing a means
of drawing on future revenues on a basis
Of long-term repayment. The leglsla or
who views the District broadly, VINO sees
its growth, who understands the perma-
nent, homemaklng character OF the popu-
W aSnington can never become a great
Ca plIal, a SYMBOL OF American capacity
and progress, II IT is cramped N its mu-
mclpai equipment, should be readily con-
verted to the PROPOSE ion to separate tie
Dlstrict appropriations into two general
classes by the arguments OF any well in
formed citizen VINO constitutes himself
missionary IN TINS good cause.