The Washington times., 1910-03-09
CONFEREES HAVE
PLAYGROUND BILL
Senate a Second Time Sends
Appropriation Back
for Compromise.
SENATOR EXPLAINS
PRESENT SITUATION
Will Insist Government and Dis
trict Bear Expense
Jointly. -

Senator GaIIinEer today explained 10
the Senate why the $1,000 playground
appropriation had been stricken from
the District appropriation bin.
He said no provision had been made
for the supervision OF this expenditure
In the first place. and in the second that
the sum was appropriated entirely out
OF the Treasury Of the District
He said that under the organic law,
anc by ali precedent, this money should
have been taken equaly from the Gov
ernment and District funds.
II was upon the consideration OF the
House repor, rejecting the conference
report on account OF the playground
clause that Senator GaIlluger made his
statement.
Says Principle Was Violated.
when this bill came to the Senate
from the House" he said lit contained
a provision apuropriauns $l7.00O 10 b.
paid wholly from the District fund
There was no item providing for the
supervision OF this expenditure. Under
our organic law an equal division or
this money should have come from the
Treasury and from the District During
my long service ia The Senate there mas
been no violation os this principle
THE Senate originally embodied this
provision making the appropriation Of
$1,000 payment 10 be made equally bv
the Treasury and the District How
ever. when the matter went 10 confer
euce the cOnferees settled the whole
proposition hy striking out the provision
entirely.
Now the House has rejected the con-
ferees' report because the Fairgrounds
appropriation is not included. The
point was made That the Couferees had
exceeded their authority I'm striking out
the whole clause. the House maintain
ing that the question Of an apprOpria-
lon or no appropriation was not at
issue
Back to Conference.
Il move that the Senate further in
sist upon its amendment. and thar the
matter he sent 10 conference again. L
hope we viii be able 10 adjust this salts
faCtOrily."
The motion OF Senator GaUinger pre-
vailed. The president appointed the
Senator from New Hampshire and Sen
ato-s Elkins and Foster as managers
OF the conference
The members OF the Playground ASso-
citation have temporarily suspended
their work OF urging members Of Con
DhNF0 ~ fNhts.lA q hf.NAI0l AAFLLlTLll DL lLIC
playground item in the duaI draft OF
the District appropriation bill. that
they might correct what they call the
misinformation OF certain members OF
Congress eRarding the method OF ad-
ministering the funds appropriated by
Congress and subscribed by the people
of the District
This Information is contained in the
Commissioners OF the District the MEM
bers declare, and copy OF this report
was mailed TO every member OF the
House and Senate az the same time it
was sent 90 the Commissioner.
Expenditures Scrutinized.
This report shows, they state further
that the expenditure Of every penny OF
the funds at the disposal Of the Asso-
citation was scrutinized by a committee
Of professional expert accountants hired
for the purpose and that the dIsbu~se-
ments Of the money appropriated bv
Congress were under the additional su-
pervision OF the Auditor Of the District
Of Columbia, the Auditor for the State
and other departments, and the Comm
troller Of the Treasury.
They declare further that the present
secretary Of the association. James E
West, Is serving without salary and
that he has no financial interest of anv
sort in the various appropriations or
funds Of the organization. Il is also
stated that Dr. Curtis. the organizer Of
the Fairgrounds movement in the Dis
trict, has not been connected with the
association for almost a year and has
had nothing 10 Go with the raising o.
funds in Congress or before the public
since 1905.
This attitude has been adopted by
the members Of the association In view
Continued on Sixth Page)