The Washington times., 1912-02-27
DISTRICT ORGANIC
ACT IS VIOLATED
BY BUDGET ITEM
House Provision Credits
Half of District Fees to-
.t.. Uncle Sam.

Included in the District appropriation
bill as passed by the House il a pro-
vision, which, Commissioner Rudolph
declares, Is n violation of the organic
act by which the District will lose ap-
proximatcly $4,000 in revenues. The
Commissioner has informed the Senate
committee of this violation
The provision is as follows: On and
after July 1, 1912, the fees collected by
the District Of Columbia shall be paid
into the Treasury Of the United States
TO the credit of the United States ard
the District of Columbia in equal parts
as follows: namely, fees of the Super
inteudent of Weights and Measures and
Markets; fees of the Surveyors Office;
Health Department fees; pound fees;
fees for railing permits; fees for build
ing permits; fees for electrical permits;
bathing beach fees; fees for public con-
Venience stations; fees for tax certiti-
cHtes; fees for motor and horse-drawn
vehicle tags; fees of the Municipal
Court; and the surplus fees of the Re-
corder of Deeds and Regiser of Wills,
together with the tuition of non-resl-'
dent pupils In public schools. and the
tax of one-half of per cent paid by
any street or other railroad company
foE each passenger carried across the
Highway bridge, and the annual wheel
tax on automobiles or ether motor
vehicles.
Will Fight Provision.
While the Commissioners decline to
discuss the proposed amendment until
it Is acted upon by the Senate, and the
Senate hearings are made public, II is
known they regard the attempt to de-
part from the principles of the organic
act with alarm, and are prepared to
fight to the last ditch.
The total sum collected last wear from
the sources enumerated in the amend
ment was $141,510.S1. II was deposited to
the credit of the District. as has been
the custom for years. 1t will be shown.
1t is understood, when the record of the
hearing before the Senate committee is
made public, that Commissioner Ru-
dolph declared that to adopt the pro-
posed amendment providing for the de-
the District and half to the credit of
the United States, would be a clear yio-
iation of the organic act of 1878.
congress has repeatedly gone on rec
Tor the credlting of these fees to tho
District. This applies to all of the fees
mentioned, with the exception of the
tuition fees Of nonresident Pupils IT,
act of April IA. 1906 provides that re-
ceipts from this source shall be de-
posted on the half and half principle.
To Districts Credit.
Existing law provides that all the
fees mentioned in the House bill, with
this single exception, shall be deposited
to the credit of the District.
The enactment of the proposed
amendment would also result in a de-
crease in the annual appropriations. as
the law provides that the total appro-
prtation shall not exceed double the
revenues of the District. To subtract
from the revenues the sum of $40. 900
which now is placed to the credit OF
the District would mean that the Com
missioners would be forced to econ
o:nize greatly.
The question, officials of the District
say, is one of vital interest, and the
Commissioners will use their best EFFORT
i'll having the amendment stricken out.