Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-20
WELCOME ACTION OF CHAMBER
COURSE OF COMMERCIAL BODY
APPROVED BY COMMISSIONERS.
Think Study Of Finances Of the Dis
trict Will Be Helpful-Plan
Suggested.

Commissioner Mcfarland, president Of
the board OF District Commissioners to-
day said he is glad a committee Of the
Chamber OF Commerce has begun a care
full study Of the finances Of the District
with q view to cooperation with the
Commissioners.
The Commissioners, he added. have al
ready been much helped by the action
Of the Chamber of Commerce In support
Of their recommendation for proper ar
rangement of the District finances. He
has sent to each member a copy of the
last annual report of the Commissioners.
calling attention to the paragraph re-
specting the Commissioners plan for ar
ranging the finances, already Endorsed by
the Chamber Of Commerce
This paragraph Is as follows:
Congress. 1t is hoped, will adopt the
recommendation Of the Commissioners.
now earnestly renewed, that distinction
be made In the appropriation acts between
extraordinary and current expenditures,
with special provision for the District $
one-half Of extraordinary appropriations.
The principle of such q distinction has
been observed in estimates by the Com
missioners for the next fiscal year, which
were prepared, as heretofore. with due re-
gard for economy. but also due considera
ton OF all the needs Of the present and
the future. so as to provide for extraordi-
nary projects Of improvement calling for
large amounts Of money and benetiting
posterity, and for items Of current ex-
penditure necessary to maintain and i'm
prove the municipal services.
Recommendation by Commissioners.
The Commissioners recommend that
Congress finance the Districts share Of
the cost of extraordinary improvements
by providing for advances from the United
States Treasury to the District govern
ment account. to be repaid gradually with
interest In reasonable annual payments.
They do not recommend the issue of
bonds for this purpose. the method which
Is followed elsewhere, because the ma
ti"nal government is able to loan the Dis
trict government what 1t needs and has
done so during the progress of the ex-
seven years. But while recognizing that
advances should be made to the District,
Congress has only made provision for
them from year to year, and they have
been charged not to the extraordinary ex-
penditures account, for which they were
required. but to the general account.
combining both extraordinary and cur
rent expenditures. although the latter can
be more than met by the Districts reve-
nues.
THE practical result has been the
deduction Of the estimates for current
expenditures as well as the postpone
ment OF needed extraordinary improve
ments. II the two classes of expendf :
lures had been kept separate In all
respects and advances made from the
United States Treasury. only for trs
extraordinary expenditures, no cutting
OF the estimates for the current expen-
ditures would have been necessary and
the municipal services would have been
much better equipped in every way.
Cite an Example.
For example, there is q large arrears
on account Of public school buildings,
because the estimates were cut from
year to year, In all about $4,000, 900 1T
the last ten years, so that now
II can no. longer be treated as
coming under the head OF current
expenditures. because the amount esfi-
mated by the board Of education as neces-
sary is 2,ciS. 500, which amount the Com
missiOners have recommended. knowing
that the Districts half cannot be paid
currently out OF the revenues. The Dis
trict taxpayers. who support the Com
missioners' plan with substs initial unanim-
estimates to the injury of all their in
sentation OF their situation.
Paying fair and adequate taxes, the
revenues Of the District for the next rs
cal year exceeding $6,0O0O00, the tax
payers are made TO seem unable or I'm
willing to provide their share of the
necessary current expenses and proper
payment on the extraordinary improve
ment account