Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-20

In the course of the discussion of Dis
trict expenditures on the floor of the Sen
ate yesterday afternoon, Senator Burket,
declared that he had become convinced
that there should be a separation Of the
expenditures for current expenses and
for permanent improvements, as has been
urged by the Commissioners for a num-
Der of years.
We must somewhere, somehow and at
some time. separate these items. like the
water supply. the sewerage system. the
school system and matters In the nature
Of permanent improvements, from those
items intended to provide only for the
running expenses of the District govern
ment so that when we begin to cut down
We shall cut down expenses and not
equipment for managing the affairs of the
District government, said Senator Bur-
kett in the course of his remarks.
Senator Burkett's Remarks.
The amendment Of Senator Overman
providing for the extension Of water and
sewer mains was under discussion, and
Senator Gallinger had remarked that
there were undoubtedly many works of
permanent Improvement which ought to
be made. when Senator Burkett said:
Il should like to say few words
which are suggested by what the senator
from New Hampshire (Mr. Gallinger) has
said. Here are items not estimated for;
but it is fair to the Commissioners to
say that the items were probably not
estimated for. or some of them at least.
because Of the law that we ourselves
pas ed last year.
I'VE put a provision in the last Dis
trtct of Columbia appropriation bill that
the estimates must be kept within the
estimated revenue. That sounded good,
and I thought it was good, and l yet
think perhaps it is a good thing; but.
as l have observed, the Commissioners
did not cut down the running expenses
OF the government in their estimate, but,
in order to keep within the requirement
for such things as the schools, sewers.
the drinking supply, and matters of that
sort. when 1t was the intention of Con-
gress. or at least l presume 1t was. to
encourage the reduction OF the running
expenses Of the District government-to
eliminate unnecessary clerks here and
there, to cut out horses, carriages and
automobiles. and such temporary ex-
penses. So far as ] can learn, however
this bill is an increase in every one of
those particulars over the bill of last
year. but the estimates were cut in the
permanent improvements. the essential
things. like the matter suggested in the
amendment Of the senator from North
Carolina (Mr. Overman), and in the re-
duction of legitimate propositions for the
increase of the appropriation for public
school buildings.
Should be Separated.
when the senator in charge of the bill
called my attention to the fact that the
amendment I presented was not esti-
mated for, I realized, of course. that it
was subject to a point Of order. and l
realized there was no use of insisting on
putting 1t in the bill. with the senator
who will no doubt be member of the
conference committee-unfriendly to it or
not thinking it advisable. Perhaps that
is why the matter of which the senator
from North Carolina has just spoken
was not in this bill, because, in order
to keep the estimates within and make
them comply with the law which we
passed last year to keep the estimated
expenses within the estimated revenue,
the Commissioners failed to recommend
these very essential and very important
matters.
TT only demonstrates the fact, which
has become clearer and clearer to my
mind during all the years that have been
on the District committeeman that has
been practically ever since l have been
in Congressional we must somewhere,
somehow, and at some time separate
these items, like the water supply, the
sewerage system, the school system, and
matters in the nature OF permanent i'm
provements, from those items intended to
provide only for the running expenses OF
the District government, SO that when
we begin to cut down we shall cut down
expenses and not equipment for managing
the affairs Of the District government.
Cut on Current Expenses.
"If we are going to cut anywhere we
ought to cut on current expenses for
managing affairs, and not on essentials
like public schoo! buildings, sewers, wa
ter pipes and things of that sort.
"As 1 said a moment ago. as the years
so on l am more impressed with the fact
that we must separate permanent i'm
provements from temporary expenses
and perhaps. If 1t be found necessary,
have two bills, SO that we will know
where we are increasing expenses and
how much is really appropriated for run
ming expenses as distinguished from per-
manent improvements.
Il want to say that If we permit the
running expenses to be increased wear
by year at the cost of necessary perma-
nent improvements, and then refuse to
provide otherwise for them. we are doing
wrong; we are perpetrating a wrong on
this community: and we ought to give IT
attention enough to separate Those items
In order to know what we are doing and
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