The Washington times., 1910-12-07
SOCIAL PROGRESS URGED BY
THE COMMISSIONERS.


the annual report of the District Com
missioners fer the year just closed and
their estimates of expenditures for the
year to come are documents many fea-
lures OF which are calculated to in
spire the confidence OF every person
who gives them close attention
It Is apparent that the Commission
ers are devoting their best energies to
the task Of giving the District a bust
nessIike administration and to pro-
noting the material, physical welfare
Of the community. The actual detailed
work Of running the city is being care
fully looked after. Economies consist
emf. with good service have been OBJ
served, and legislation to permit fur
Their economies Is recommended. Such
municipal problems as parks, paving,
streets, police and fire departments,
accounting, and taxation are receiving
the closest attention from the Com
missioners.
It is gratifying to note that the
Commissioners are also deeply inter
ested in what might be termed social
progress. Their annual report and
their estimates of expenditures for
1912 show that they are anyious to
have the Improvement of external
physical condit- ons under whirh the
people of the District live advance Co
incidentally with the Improvement Of
conditions affecting the social life of
the community
To this end the Commissioners have
included in their estimates an item Of
sI25.0OO for the conversion OF Willow
Tree alley into an interior park, con
tanning a building to be used as a
social center and TO be equipped with
baths The particularly satisfying
phase of this recommendation Is that
the Commissioners announce it is their
intention to continue the elimination
Of evil features of alley slums and the
gradual improvement of living stan
dards in these hidden places
Other projects for the advancement
of human happiness are urged by the
Commissioners in their recommenda-
tions for the passage of the Joan
shark bill, the extension of branch
libraries, the construction OF public
bathing pools, the maintenance Of the
public Fairgrounds with public funds,
a hospital for inebriates, more rigid
censorship Of moving picture theaters,
medical inspection IN the public
schools, the extension OF the park sys-
tenn, and an increased appropriation
for planting trees
With the Commissioners report and
estimates as a basis, the District Of
Columbia goes before its legislature
the Congress of the United States
particularly well equipped t.;;s winter.
The fact that total estimated expendi-
lures come within the total estimated
revenues should appeal to the members
of Congress, as it viii spare them
much of the work Of cutting down
appropriations, a dfsagreeable duty
they have frequently had to perform
in the past.
The word of the Commissioners IS
not final, and it is not to be expected
that it viii be accepted by the COM
munity or by Congress without ques-
ton. Differences will arise-quite
properly-over the size of the Com
missioners' estimates for various
purposes, and VIII be threshed out be-
fore the committees OF Congress Hsv-
! ing no voice in local government, II Is
the right of people affected BY Dis
triet legislation to make their wants
known in this manner. With a few
important exceptions, however, it is
likely the Commissioners recommen-