Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-24
Saving for a Poor Purpose.

r,o,e can be no economy In the
district financial administrator as io"e &c
tho present policy of forcing the p's'i'''
~ nav on a short term basis Tor It's PEI
manent improvements is pursued os W" !.
I-,.i, the more equitable method
of having for these works ny means vi
a Iiouidation extending over cohsiuei
able period. thus dividing the burden oe-
tween the taxpayers of TO-DAY anu 'n's'
of the next generation. is adopteo '".i
can he no annual savings on the cui CIV
maintenance account. For years tue LIS
trict has been trying to eaten up Win a
cumulated requirements. handicaPpeu ~
the insistence of Congress on CASH
tenn method of financing the large wor Nc
II has been in arrears to tse1 anu Us
.t... Tor over decade in sewers. In
lights. in public schools. in ponce ana i.ie
,.,,,o,, in street surfaces, In side
walks in practically every department.
ocialv in the forces of inspection
saforuarding the public health ana Sc
curity all,
7, those circumstances II is idle 10 ta'h
about saving money by cutting down cur
rent expenses To cut them down means
RI nile I'D the arrearages instead oi re-
- ,ren, m accumulate still further
the items of things left unoone oi
remaining only half done. 10 N
crease the claims of the citizeis
for protection and education anu
good administration in all departments.
Tho Star has taken occasion IN co''neN-
zion with the announced curtaii'iieh' u
the estimates on the score Oh ce' IAN
Economics 10 point out Tor an instance
,ba, There can be no such thing as genu-
inc saving of the local revenues III 'He
street lighting department SO long a.
miles of the city and SUBURBAN 'hoious
fares remain badly illuminated OF ho'
robted at all IT has shown now 'iie
saving of money in street cieahihs =
offset hy the increased cost OF sewer
o,oo,;np II has indicated the unreason-
ableness of cutting down the street sur
face renair allotment as long as the CITY 5
nare,nents are in their present uhsd.iS
factory condition.
=. ,bo p;s.rict were running along on the
has,e of an adequate equipment Win
enough schools. and policemen, ana hre-
an With enough food and health III
-nac.ators with sufficient sewerage s!s-
IAN and with the streets we'll lighted, Wen
n.yed and we'll cleaned, in accordance
Itch tho high standard already adopted
bera and suitable to he1character OF the
National Capital. it would be possible Win
equity to save sufficiently from the cur
rent maintenance funds to reduce the DIS
trict.s debt more rapidly. But with the
situation as 1t is. with more money
needed for current maintenance every
YEAR. and with equity demanding smaller
rather than larger annual payment on
the unfundetf debt, it is fntoleraple 10 ma
the Commissioners engaging upon
course which can only result in smaller
appropriations for the upkeep of the ad-
illustrative activities and larger allot-
nents of District tax money on the per-
manent Improvement account With such
an initiative at the District building what
can be expected from the House and Sem
ate. already disposed to look askance at
the District as in the enjoyment of rare
privileges and the need of repression?