Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-17
District Appropriation Bill Be-
fore the House.
DISCUSSION is ANIMATED
Item for Fairgrounds Increased,
But Sum Charged to District.
TOTAL OF 500, 1000 ALLOWED
Measure Debated by Representatives
of the subcommittee, Who
Answer Objections.

The hot fight that was expected today
over the Fairgrounds item in the Distric
of Columbia appropriation bill did not ma
terialize. AS result of compromise
suggested by Representative Tawney OF
Minnesota. the appropriation for mainte
nance and general administration of play
grounds is increased from $4,000, the
amount recommended by the appropria
tons committee, to $1,000. the amount
suggested by Representative Foster o
Vermont, who led the playground force:
on the floor. This sum. with the S2,5O'
Cor the Rosedale Fairgrounds and 81. so
Cor the Georgetown Fairgrounds. makes
The total appropriation $4,000, the full
amount recommended by the Commits
sioners.
But this appropriation has a string
to it. for the Tawney compromise
amendment provides that the entire
amount shall be payable out of tho
revenues of the District of Columbia
and specially exempts the federal govern
ment from paying one-half of the
amount, as is the case with other items
In the bill.
Although the Fairgrounds advocates
on the floor of the House are pleased
over the fact that they managd to Sc
cure an appropriation of $17,00o-only
$1,000 less than the amount recon-
mended by the Commissioners-they
are not particularly pleased over the
way in which they secured the 1ncreas
ed sum.
They feel that they have established
a bad precedent in accepting compro-
mise which especially exempted the
federal government from paying it,
no cd hx, IA NJ q
appropri ations for the District 1t Is
the precedent and the principle rather
than the. amount involved that appeals
to them as vicious.
Opponents Are Happy.
On the other hand the opponents Of
Fairgrounds are we'll pleased Represent
alive Tawney of Minnesota. leader OF
this opposition, meeting Representative
Parsons Of New York. always cham
pion Of Fairgrounds. outside Of the cham
Der after the incident was over, remarked:
'sWeIl, you can have all the money you
want for Fairgrounds under the same
conditions" And Mr.. Parsons just gr1nneo
representative Samuel w. Smith Of
Michigan, chairman of the House Dis
trict committee. told a reporter for The
Star this afternoon, after the Playground
appropriation had been voted. that ne
was very sorry the House had accepted
eminent of the necessity of paying Is
fair share in this one particular instance
Il have no criticism to make of any
body" said Mr.. Smith. But / consider Il
very regrettable that this precedent wa!
established. Hereafter when there is any
opposition to any item rof expenditure
contained in this appropriation bill. sup
pose the suggestion will he made by some
body, oh. let 1t go through with an
Amendment requiring the District OF
~ q k&o yhrI0
Representative Macon Objects.
Soon after the House met this morning
Representative Gardner of Michigan
chairman of the District subcommittee Of
District bill in charge, moved that the
House resolve itself into a committee OF
the whole to consider that measure.
This having been done. Representative
Foster OF Vermont took the floor.
Last night" he said Il offered q play.
grounds amendment, which was read fol
the Information of members, and a point
of order was raised upon the paragraph
I now understand that the point of order
will not be insisted upon"
that Mr.. Foster did not understand
Alright. for Representative Macon Of Ar
kansas jumped to his feet and renewed
the point OF order.
my point of order is" said he, that
there is no law authorizing a proposition
OF this kind to be carried on a regular
appropriation bill"
An opposite view of the case was takeI
by Representative Gillette of Massachu
sets, one of the Fairgrounds champions
preparation had been specifically made by
the House to purchase land for play
grounds.
After that act was passed." said he
every year there has been an appro-
priation for these Fairgrounds, anG
therefore 1t seems to me that under
exception of the rule which says ar
appropriation is out of order unless 81
Is for continuation or progress of some
work already undertaken, that the
ooint Of order will not lie"
Chair Overrules Point.
representative Olmstead, in the chair
Sverruled Mr.. Macon's suggestion, and
Mr.. Foster proceeded to explain hill
amendment.
I'VE came here this morning before tn
committee" he said. with a plea 10
the children OF the District. Every on
knows. who understands conditions a
all, that the people of the Uniled State
as O whole are Interested in every deta!
of their Capital city. They are not salts
fed that II Shall be a good city: the.
want II to be the best city. They wan
II 10 be the city beautiful, and they wan
II to be q we'll governed city, because !
Ia governed by the representatives of tn
people themselves. They are not salts
ned that the schools of the Dtstric
should be simply good schools.
They are not satisfied that the school
should be better schools: they want
them TO be the best schools.
II believe I am not stating the case Ii
an exaggerated way when l say tina
the people of the United States ar,
earnestly in favor Of our taking suci
action regarding the protection, educa
ton and training that physical as wei
as the mental development of the chill
dren OF the city as we would with ou
own children in our little communities
And 20 we are here today to ask tina
this committee recommend an appropri
alton OF $4,000 for the maintenance ant
equipment of Fairgrounds for the chill
dren Of this city.
After brief discussion by various mem
bers as to what the word maintenance
meant as applied to Fairgrounds In IN
bill Representative SulZer of New Yorl
asked Mr.. Fister IL he thought the SIT,
ON In question was sufficient to maintain
the Fairgrounds for the children In tn
District
Il believe" replied Mr. Fister. .tha
II would do so in very satisfactor.
manner. although it is not as much a
we would like"
Another question: said Mr.. Sulxer
Does this amendment contemplate tn
purchase Of new Fairgrounds"
1T does not" said Mr.. Foster.
Il just wanted to say" remarked MI
Sulxer. that / am very much in favor o
these Fairgrounds. and think they ough
TO be maintained. In fact. I think W
ought 60 acquire more Fairgrounds for tn
children In the District"