The Washington herald., 1912-03-20
SENATE PASSES
DISTRICT BUDGET
Items for Parks Stricken
Out and Commissioners
Salary Raised.
INCREASE FOR STREETS
Additional $4,000 Allowed for
Cleaning Thoroughfares-Works
and Gallinger in Debate.
INCREASE FOR STREETS

Stripped Of several park appropriations,
but carrying an increase in the item fol-
street cleaning, the District appropri-
ations bill yesterday passed the Senate
The measure as reported from the Ap-
preparations Committee carried s12.07S, 900
As passed in the Senate, II gives the
District slightly less than sl2.oo0.O 600 foI
the fiscal year OF 1913. The amended
measure was unanimously adopted.
Senator Works. Of California, was re-
sponsible for the elimination from the
budget OF $4,000 item for the purchase
of the KlingIe Valley tract of land and
| its Improvement and for the i'm
provement OF Mount Hamilton Park. He
made points of order against both OF
these items.
Works Opposes New Parks.
Besides being out OF place." he said.
both of these items, understand. are
unnecessary. There. is no need for the
purchase of land for this new park"
Senator Works was sustained by Vice
President Sherman.
| The increase OF the fund for street
cleaning wss marked by several changes,
notably the introduction of an amend
ment by Senator Works, which was
agreed to, increasing the salary of
white wings" in the District to 81 per
diem. The street cleaning appropriation
a< passed by the Senate represents an
addition of So, 600 TO the $3.50 allowance
of the House. and $4,000 more than the
amount allowed by the Senate Appropri-
atIons Committee.
In connection Herewith Senator Gall
linger introduced an amendment provid-
ing that the street car companies of this
city be REQUIRED to keep clear the street
crossings along the lines OF their tracks.
This measure provides that the street car
companies shall not allow snow TO col
lect at crossings as a result Of the sweep
ing of their tracks and gives to the Dis
trict the right to remove snow banks,
&c, and charge the cost OF so doing to
the Commissioners the apparent right to
to attend to it themselves.
The original measure introduced gave
the commissioners the apparent right to
insist that street car corporations re-
move all snow distractions along their
rights of way. This ambiguity, which the
corporations asserted inflicted a hardship
on them, was responsible for the amend
ment.
Laborers Poorly Paid.
In connection with the increase of the
street cleaning appropriation. Senator
Works made the assertion that. according
to information he had received. Washing
ton lsborers were more poorly paid than
those OF other cities.
I'm asking that the street cleaners re-
ceive s. a day." said he. Il am attempt
ing to bring the pay OF these men to
the standard OF other cities; have been
told that the employees Of the District
engaged in this line of work are paid
less than those of other cities of the
size of Washington and l can see no rea-
son why this should be true
The large increases allowed by the
District appropriation subcommittee
Of the Senate for the construction of new
schools and the maintenance and con-
struction of new Columbia and Emer-
gency hospitals were allowed to stand.
1t was these items. including $e5O,O 600 to-
ward the fund for the erection Of a new
Central High School, and $4,000 for the
building of a new colored high school
that were largely responsible for the in
crease in the budget over the one adopt
ed by the House subcommittee and pass
ed by the lower chamber.
school OmciaI Loses Auto.
The only increase for school operation
and maintenance that was lost was the
appropriation of S210O for the purchase
Of a new automobile for the superintend-
ent Of schools. This was lost on a
point of order made by Senator Bris-
tow.
The Kansas Senator became sarcastic
when discussing the proposition Of auto
mobiles.
This is another automobile" he said.
It should like to know how many auto
mobiles are owned by the District at the
present time. Since have been in this
city 1t has been my frequent pleasure to
see government officials enjoyings the
cool of the evening in their private au-
tomobiles. Sometimes 1t is hard to get
around the streets because OF the crowd
of government automobiles in the hands
of subordinate government officials who
are presumably on business.'s
The increase IN the Commissioners sal
aries of $780, making the total Sc, 900 in
stead of 5000 per annurn. was passed by
the Senate after the Vice President had
ruled with Senator Gallinger that a point
of order could not be made against the
item. There was spirited debate on this
subject.
Commissioners Get Raise.
Senator Works, at the very outset,
made a point If order against the. change
in salary. Senator GalIinger thereupon
declared that such a point of order could
nOl Do D1dueY dS lliS LIINI ease Was eSll-
mated by the Commissioners. lie was
sustained bye Vice President Sherman
Then Senator Pomcrere asked whether
the general law did not fix the salaries
of Commissioners at $500 per annum.
To this Senator Gallinger replied that
the compensation of the Commissioners
was fixed at $500 from year to year, and
could be changed in the same way the
of Congress recently increased
their own compensation from 5000 to
s, 500 per annum. Senator Bacon took ex-
ception to this construction Of the law,
and contended that the change In salary
general legislation.
Senator Overman, in contending that
the appropriation granting the increase in
salary should be ruled out, stated that
any sum in excess of the IS 900 allowed in
previous budgets was not an estimate,
but a Recommendation. Senator Works
then appealed from the ruling of the Vice
President, and on a division the vote Of
II to II enabled Senator Bacon to raise
a point of no quorum. When the quorum
was finally obta he'd the vote was IS to l3
In favor of granting the increase.
HaIf-and-haIf Tax Argued.
This marked the virtual end Of all |
opposition, although frequently minor
were offered during the re-
mainder OF the reading. Senator Will |
Jams raised discussion Of the half-and- |
half principle of taxation provided in the
organic act by asking the reason for the |
elimination from the House bin of the
p-oviding that one-half Of the |
fees of fhaFaufidfn1 fnSnac4orsS ofF7ra -