Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-18


satisfactory discharge by Congress of its
functions as the Districts legislature dur
ing the present session. For one reason
and another bills of the first Importance
TO the local community have been check
ed or numbered with undesirable features
or have been sidetracked to permit at
tention TO political measures until the
District calendar is congested. and the
prospect Is that the session will close
without appreciate results to meet the
municipal requirements. This is not an
extraordinary condition, but il is especial
ly distressing at this time. when things
are in shape to call for a considerable
activity on the part of the House and
Senate sitting as the local lawmaking
body
OF the numerous bills that await final
action and are now caught in the dead
lock of local legislation three are of con-
spicuous Importance. These are the bill
10 create a public utilities commission
the bill amending the excise law of the
District and the bill providing a new
method of maintaining the police and fire.
mems pension fund. 1t is urgently i'm
portant that all of them should be passed
before adjournment, and especially i'm
portant that they should be passed
IN such shape as TO effect the results
sought without trespassing upon the or
gaRic act or lowering the standard of
municipal efficiency.
The utilities bill. passed in good shape
by the Senate, is checked in the House.
District day is filched away on one pre-
text and another. and as the session
draws 10 an end it is becoming increas-
insly possible that the time may pass
without action. or with action at so late
day as 10 render it impossible to reach
conference adjustment before adjourn
ment- The session should not be per-
mitted to close without the passage OF
satisfactory utilities bill.
From a number of propositions for the
amendment of the excise law the Senate
has selected one that is now before the
House District committee and affords an
opportunity for legislation this spring
along this line of local requirement. The
most highly essential object of all the
pending excise bills is to separate the
excise board from the board of assessors
and to place the administration of the
law regulating the liquor traffic under a
body of officials especially selected for
this responsible duty. The i'll effects
of combining the duties of property as
sessment and excise administration have
been clearly demonstrated. and none of
the pending legislation is of more impor-
lance to the District than this, whatever
changes may be made in the excise law
itself. The District hopes for an enact
Tnent that will make for the stringent
regulation of the liquor traffic, for IL
censes high enough to lessen the volume
of business and every possible provision
10 minimize the ill effects of this trade.
But If there can be no agreement upon
a bill which moves radically in this direc-
ton there should be at any rate a con-
centrated effort TO enact a statute which
Will separate the excise board from the
board Of assessors. Administration of the
excise Law IS not solely a question of
taxation.
Each house has now passed a bill to
provide revenues for the payment of pen
sions 10 fremen and policemen, but
neither OF them is satisfactory. The
House bill is based upon an absolutely
unacceptable proposition of special tax
for which there is no warrant whatever
in the organic act. and which would
doubtless be rejected overwhelmingly at
the polls if submitted 10 a referendum
vote as the House provides. The Sem
ton. ignores the special tax suggestion
of the House and provides for the main
tenance OF fund from miscellaneous reve-
nues. but netting prospectively smaller
amount than is now scraped together
and making no provisions for the def
ciencies that have been incurred The
two houses more nearly at the point
OF concurrent action upon this subject
than upon others. and il is to be hoped
that there will surely be legislation that
will provide pension fund of sufficient
amount and in no degree infringing upon
the principles of the organic act
There are numerous other matters on
the local calendars. some in the form of
immediate legislation and others look
ing TO later results. An inquiry is in
progress in the House committee relative
10 District taxation and assessment
which may eventually work out TO good
effect in insuring a uniform range of
taxation and more satisfactory stand
dard of valuations and, what is particu-
larry essential a larger force of property
appraisers. This. however is not TO be
expected at the present session. but IL is
trusted that the foundations will be laid
now for action next winter that will
relieve the District from such INEQUALITIES
may be found to exist.