Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-22
Board of Trade Members Re-
ject Committee Report.
REGARDED AS. Indefinite
Consider Legislation Proposed by
Representative Gardner.
WILLIAM TINDALL EXPLAINS
Thanks for the Jail Commission.
Present Water System Meets
the Requirements.

BY vote of 81 to 80 the Board of
Trade last night rejected the report of
the committee favoring the repeal of the
existing bread law in the District of
Columbia number of other reports
were read and discussed, and announce
ment was made of the Lincoln celebration
February l., under the auspices of the
District Commissioners, the Board of
Trade and the Chamber of Commerce.
The bread report recommended that the
Commissioners withdraw their appeal in
the case involving the bread question re-
Gently passed on by Judge Kimball. who
decided that the present law is uncon-
stitutional and void, and send to Con-
gress recommendations for the repeal of
the law, which was described in the re-
port as ambiguous and out of date. The
effect of the law, in the opinion of the
committee on manufacturers, is to pre-
vent proper competition and to restrain
trade. The report sets forth that the
commissioners should do all in their pow
er to have Congress legislate TO cover the
bread question in a manner fair to both
the baker and the consumer.
Relic of Olden Days.
That the law was winked at by the au-
thorities, that it was relic Of olden days,
that the pure food law covered all it's nee
essary provisions and that much better
law covering the situation could easily be
passed were among the arguments pre-
sented by Messrs. Galliher and Moses and
others who urged the adoption of the re-
port.
Those who opposed it, among them Dr.
William c. Woodward and W. II. Single
ton expressed the opinion that the report
was too indefinite in that it proposed the
abolition of the existing law without rec
onmendlng anything specific in the way
of substitute legislation. On the final vote
the resolution to adopt the report was de-
feated.
Next to the bread law report in point
OF interest was the report of the special
committee appointed to consider legisla-
ton on District matters proposed by
Representative Washington Gardner of
Michigan. This report was presented by
John L. Weaver, chairman of the special
committee. The report was adverse to
the proposed legislation, which has for
ITS object the assessment and taxation
of new subjects to raise revenues to
meet extraordinary expenses of the mu-
nlcipal government of the District. The
discussion following the presentation of
the report, which was led by Mr.. Weaver
and NJ. l. Weller. showed the sense of
the board to. be that the District was
already taxed high enough and that it
would be improper and unfair to levy
dudlllpfldl taxes on the present genera
ton for improvements by which only
future generations would benefit. Mr..
Weller went fully into the question of
taxes, and showed by figures that Dis
trict property. being taxed DIT twolthirds
of It's appraised value, really pays a
larger percentage of tax than other mu-
inequalities having Il higher tax rate
and Il lower basis of assessment.
Board Should Watch Closely.
Back of the Gardner bills, Mr.. Weller
declared there might be an attempt on
the part of Congress to get out of paying
its half of the expense of running the
be well for the Board Of Trade to watch
closely. Adds B. Browne and F. l..
Siddons supported the report. An objec-
ton to their views was interposed by DIR.
Woodward. who called attention to the
fact that the revenues are not equal to
the demands for improvements, and that
the budget of the Commissioners is al
ways scaled down by Congress.
Mr.. Browne favored the issue of bonds
to pay for extraordinary expenditures as
the solution of the problem, since by this
method succeeding generations, which
would profit by the improvements, would
be compelled to pay their share of the
cost. At the close of discussion the report
was unanimously adopted.
During the discussion of the resolution
in regard to taxation, DR.. William Tindall
while complimenting Chairman Gardner
of the subcommittee on appropriations for
his knowledge of present financial condi-
tons, stated that If Congress had been
more careful to protect the taxpayers
when it provided for the 365 bond issue
in 1874, and later when it paid for the
balance due on the Lydecker tunnel out
of the general revenue, instead of out of
the water fund, there would be no deficit
now. Notwithstanding the cost of the ex-
traordinary improvements That no pro-
vision made in the law issuing these
bonds for their compulsory retirement by
the treasurer of the United States, and
they now could only be retired by pur-
chase at any premium the owner might
ask, which had already cost the District
in the neighbOrhood of S2,O0O,OOO. This,
with the S1,GO00O0 of surplus general reve-
nues used to pay the water supply and
tunnel debt. which was then payable out
of the revenues of the water department
in several installments. would pay up the
debt to the United States. 1t is not too
late TO do the District justice in that re-
Spect. it was added.
Change in Form of Government.
Gen. George II. Harries, chairman of
the special committee appointed at the
preceding meeting to consider certain
propositions suggestive of material
changes in the form of government of the
District of Columbia, reported that pres
ent consideration of any of the plans is
not in the opinion of the committee,
either necessary OF advisable. The report
was adopted.
Thamas c. Moves, chairman of the spe-
cial committee charities and correc-
tons, submitted report thanking the
committee on jails. recently appointed by
President Roosevelt. for the work it did
without remuneration. indorsing the find
ings of that committee. and hoping that
the immediate appropriations asked for
be granted by Congress at this session. |
The report was adopted.
The committee water supply, of
which Edgar d. Shaw is chairman, re-
ported that, in its opinion. the water sys-
tenn now in operation in the District fully |
covers the requirements and that no eX-
tension of it is at this time necessary. |
The report was adopted with an amend |
ment containing the recommendation that |
Congress make appropriation for a new
auueduct and the continuation of the |
present one, as recommended by Com |
missioner Cosby.
Rock Creek Valley Treatment.
A. NJ. Lothrop, chairman of the com
mittee on bridges. reported that the COM
InI hn