The Washington herald., 1909-11-04

An extended report submitted by the
committee OF finances Of the District OF
Columbia and routine business occupied
the attention of the directors of the
! Chamber Of Commerce at the regular
monthly meeting yesterday afternoon.
The report from the committee on Dis
! trict finances was read by Joseph 1. Well
er. 1t went in detail into the indebted
ness Of the District, made a presentation
/ OF the amount Of revenues expected for
the coming fiscal year. and discussed
very thoroughly the relation existing be-
tween current and extraordinary eX-
/ penses, suggesting a plan for the payment
of the latter by installments over period
of years At the close Of the reading OF
/ the report, 1t was adopted unanimously,
and will be submitted TO the Chamber
for its consideration probably next Tues
/ day evening.
Estimates Are 81, 73O,995.
According to the report, the estimates
OF the District Commissioners for the
| fiscal year of 1911 amount 10 SIS. .995. or
this amount 81, 1872 $40 is for current ex-
penditures, leaving an excess Of $4.53S, 055,
which might be devoted 10 the payment
OF interest and principal upon the Dis
trlcts floating debt. II Congress would
so decree.
The report went into a statement OF
/ the Indebtedness 0f the District which
/ is represented in the amounts advanced
! by the United States Treasury IN pay
ment for extraordinary expenditures since
/ 1901 The aggregate amount is put at
| 81, 959, 1851, OF which the Districts share
! is $7,479, 593.O6. The report also shows that
the District has paid on the account of
I extraordinary expenses, s., $500.
The report suggested that a good way
/ TO meet the situation would be for the
/ estimates 70 carry the sum Of S5G7 s04
each year 10 be paid into the Treasury
/ in the form Of a sinking fund TO pay the
| District debt in a period Of. say twenty
/ I'VE years. The report sets forth that
! the taxpayers OF the District ought TO
/ agree upon some such plan as that pro-
posed, and urge its passage upon Con-
] gress.
Plan for Admitting Members.
When Secretary Grant reported for the
membership committee. several names Of
new members Of the Chamber. the pc
rennial discussion arose over the duties OF
the committee on membership. 1t appears
that the committee had not acted upon
! the names submitted yesterday. They
! were elected To membership subject 20
! the examination OF the committee, as
/ has been done on former occasions. As
! a result Of the discussion yesterday, in
which many of the directors took part.
/ a motion prevailed that a committee
should be appointed by the president TO
! devise a better plan for the recommended
/ ton and election Of members 10 the
/ Chamber and report It at the next meet
\ ing Of the directors.
! The directors authorized the committee
I having charge Of the proposed recep-
\ ton TO Mai. Sylvester by the citizens Of
/ Washington 10 serve luncheon at the
( rooms Of the Chamber on the evening OF
/ the reception. The committee on this re-
/ ception will hold a meeting Friday to
/ complete arrangements for the event
] Another interesting meeting will be held
at the headquarters Of the Chamber next
/ Friday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. The
building committee has been called for
that time to consider the subject re-
ferred TO It relative to taking part in
4 raising a portion OF the money required
/ for the construction Of the Southern
building in this city, which will become
/ the home OF the Southern Commercial
II Congress. At that time representatives
! Of the building corporation will appear
before the committee. and present their
/ side of the question
\ The following were elected TO member
ship:
Richard Felix Armstrong. J. George Auth. Arthur
! l. Bliss. r. l. Chichester. William \. Cromwell
} Walter +. Dodd George J. Easterday Burr A. I'd
wards James s. Former Allen S. johnson. Charles
A. Jones Myron JcTnain Jones. Arthur L. Marsh.
n p c. Patterson james Milford Place. Alien H.
Rogers. Ambrose l. shafier. Francis II. Weller.
Guy s Zepp Robert Page Burns. Harry L. Grub5.
Julian Grubb Richard u. Harlan. Alfred Higbie,
and Robert II. Martin.