The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-02-21


rive at the honest and intelligent con-
clusion that any motion made or any
amendment offered by me has had for
its purpose the repeal or impairment
of a single act of congress. II sought
to do that. this is neither the time nor
the place for It.
Upon the other hand, have faith
fully endeavored to have the commit
tee of the whole house confine itself
strictly to the law as Il is now upon
the statute books. During the re-
mainder OF the time this bill is under
consideration | shall continue my ef-
forts In that direction.
II will be infinitely better for both
the United States and the District of
Columbia II strict Interpretation OF
the law Is here adhered to. do not
wish TO criticise adversely the decis-
ions Of the distinguished gentleman
who now occupies the chair; but
trust IL is not at all distasteful even
to him for me to review some of them,
I merely to see how this year too lib
eral construction given to law leads
next year 20 another too liberal con-
struction. until. in few years, the
original law is lost sight of and the
accumulated, unwarranted construc-
lions therefore given become the ac-
cepted law
important Point Raised.
The chair has held that under ex-
listing law an appropriation can be
made from the public treasury for
equipping public school Fairgrounds.
Whether or not the law warrants that
is not at issue, for the reason that no
point was raised as to that. But a
point was raised as to whether or not
the public treasury could be invaded
for the purpose Of equipping other
Fairgrounds. and the chair has held
that an appropriation Of the peoples
money could be put into the hands Of
the district authorities with no limi-
tation upon 1t other than an expressed
belief that upon his part that those
with whom it would be intrusted
would not go beyond proper limits in
expending it.
If this policy should be generally
pursued, there would be no need for
! a single official bond in the entire
Union; in fact, If we are to presume
that only the proper and just act is
always to be done, there would be no
eed for laws, no need for courts,
no need for this legislature. The law
| relative to the schools of the District
| of Columbia not only contemplates,
| but says so in so many words, that
only the public schools are to be
| cared for at public expense. If, as
| the chair has ruled the public money
can legally be spent for Fairgrounds
other than the public school play
| grounds. If the officials into whose
hands the money to be expended has
been put think so, then all limitation
is removed. If the public money can
| he spent by district officials upon any
| Fairgrounds which they select, then
! let us see where it leads. II this
expenditure may legally go beyond
the public school, then it can go to
| tc the private school, next it may go
to the public playground-and just
| here | wish to call attention to the
! playground item. That item does not
limit the public fund to equipping the
public school Fairgrounds; neither
does it limit it even to school
grounds. Under the decisions of the
chair the district officials into whose
hands this money is put, II they wish
to do so, can expend any part or all
of it upon any Fairgrounds. Then, IL
they wish to do so. they can spend
it upon grounds other than those gen.
orally accepted as Fairgrounds for
school children; and, from all ] can
learn, they contemplate expanding 1t
Upon grounds other than public
school grounds.
When the ground upon which the
money is spent is not property legal
ly acquired by the district for the
public school system, then that
ground occupies the same legal status
as a park privately owned. The pub
lie fund may properly be spent upon
| a park public owned; but it can not
pl operly be spent upon a park pri'
vately owned, except under authority
of an act Il congress; and 1t requires
IN act of congress to give that dis
erection to the district officials which
the ruling of the chair gives them.
| There is no act of congress which au-
thorizes the expenditure of public
money upon such private park or prl-
vate grounds as | have mentioned.
And if there is no such act of con-
gIess. then the item in the appropria-
ton bill is clearly subject to a point
Of order, at least until a limitation Of
its use is confined to the public
schools.
Equippins Fairgrounds.
Again, if pubic money can. in the
judgment of district officials, be spent
to equip Fairgrounds, who is to deter
mine what that equipment is to be9
Inasmuch as there is no maximum
school age limit in the district the