The Washington times., 1911-03-30

Mr.. Gardner-Mr. Chairman. that .'3s'
Is simply a total of specific ofhces
and salaries attached thereto in the
preceding part of the paragraph. The
gentleman might just as well make
twenty, or ten, or five. II would be In
just as much order. The parties are
named. the salaries are fixed, and the
money must be provided.
Mr.. Johnson-Mr. Chairman, II the
amount of money Is limited, then the
Commissioners can not go beyond that
amount. ard they Fill reduce the num-
Mr.. Stafford-The gentleman does not
mean to contend for one moment that II
We appropriate specifically TO various
positions and designate the salary by
co." that would AFFECT all the salaries
that have been voted or granted to these
respective officials before and
Mr.. Johnson-It would limit the appro-
priation TO them. and IL had time to
pick out the number of employees that
would amount 10 that sum, would ask
TO change the amendment and ask for
their elimination.
Mr.. Taylor-Does not the gentleman
know that there Is a statute which pro-
cihcally appropriated they shall govern
and not the sum total?
Mr.. Johnson-There would be no ap-
preparation to pay them. and, there.
fore, the Commissioners would not EN-.
plov them.
Mfr. Johnson's amendment was ther
put to a vote and defeated
Mr.. Johnson made a point Of order
when the House reached the item an.
propristing 5000 for connecting Bel.
He opposed this on the ground that II
was new legislation, and was sustained
Asphalt Plant Opposition.
The next day. January q, Mr.. John.
son succeeded in knocking out of tn;
District Appropriation bill the item o:
$4,000 for a municipal asphalt plant
Mr.. Tawney described to the House as
follows the necessity OF such an in.
stitulon:
Mr., Chairman, trust no member oil
against this paragraph. We appropri
ate almost $4,000 in this bill for re.
pair of asphalt pavements and for new
construction. There Is no competition
The city has no opportunity TO secure
that work at a reasonable cost unles:
1t can by this provision construct 4
plant OF its own: when it can ther
either make the pavements or repair
the pavements itself, or accept pro,
posals that are reasonable and just
These two asphalt companies before
the combination were competing, am
as a result Of that competition the citi
was having its asphalt laid at s1.4o 3
square yard.
The moment these two asphalt com
panies combined. thereby wiping ou
laying Its asphalt Jumped from SIS G
square yard to H.T a square yard
Now, that being the situation, we pro
pose to meet IT by putting II In thu
power Of the Commissioners OF tins
District to either accept reasonable
lo "a hA L. - =,
to lay the concrete under the super
vision Of the Commissioners them
selves. 1t Is measure that Is absc'
lutely in the interest of economy"
In spite Of this explanation by Mr.
Tawney. Mr. Johnson insisted upon hi.
point Of order, and was sustained. Tht
asphalt plant item went out.
The same day that Mr.. johnson
knocked out the municipal asphalt plant
he attempted to knock out the appro'
priation for public Fairgrounds. The
item under consideration was as fol
lows: ...........-.....
Fairgrounds: For maintenance. re
pairs, including labor. equipment. sup
plies, and necessary incidental and con
tingent expenses, 5000
As soon as this was read, Mr.. John
son said:
Mr.. Chairman, reserve a point o.
order to that paragraph for the reason
that II Is entirely new matter not au
thoriZed by existing law.
Defended by Mann.
Mr. Mann defended the item, as fol
lows: Mr.. Chairman. we own tn,
Fairgrounds and when the question wa
presented before Qast year, the Chai
held that, owning them, We had righ
to maintain them. 1t would be a quee
proposition to say that we might pur
chase property under a provision Of Law
q nd nNof fhA V11rp
erty."
Mr.. Johnsons point Of order was over
ruled.
The next paragraph in the bill pro
vided an appropriation of S15,SI0 70
| salaries Of playground employees. Mr.
this. After a debate lasting to tn
hour of adjournment the Chair sus
tained his point of order. Afterward /
was agreed that the. item should e
oyer to the next day without prejudice
The next day 1t was proposed by Nj
Mann, and agreed to without objection
| Whether MF. johnson was present a
the time is not recorded. --
II Mr.. johnson had had his way ther
would have been no appropriation a
the last session for the conversion o
Willow Tree alley into an Interior parl
When this item was read in the Hous
during the consideration Of the Distric
appropriation bill. on January q, Nj
johnson made point of order agains
| II on the ground tlat II was new lesis
lation. He was, sustained, and but =
the action of the Senate in inserting IN
item In the District bill 1t could no
have been passed
On January IS Mr. johnson oppose
The appropriation of sa,1O0 for tf1re
truancy onicers for the public sshool
| of the District
Mr.. johnson said on this subject:
| 81 would like to know whether or M
/ attention has been called to the fact, q
reported by the Board of Education
that a large number Of these chiIdre
(public school pupils) are as old a
sixty-six years Of age, and IN ths
way this large number of school chi
/ dren is made up. would like to kno'
j whether this truant officer can go afte
! and compel these pupils to come
who range between twenty-five an
/ sixty-SiX years of age"
| Mr.. Cox of Indiana-Does the gentle
man mean to say that people as Old a
| sixty-six years are being educated heI
! at public expense