The Washington herald., 1913-11-30
DISTRICT BUDGET
MAY PASS HOUSE
BEFORE HOLIDAYS
Representative Page Hopes to
Conclude Hearings on the
Measure at Early Date.
CONFERENCES ARE HELD
Appropriation of $4,000 for Public
Utilities Investigations Probably
VIII Be Included.
Nv JOSEPH p. AMIN.

Inc District aVpropriatlon Dill VIII DC
on the calendar of the House by one
week from tomorrow, and Immediately
viii be taken up for consideration.
This Is the expectation of Chairman
Page, of the subcommittee on District
appropriations. Mr.. Page expects to con-
ciude hearings on the bill Tuesday and
TO whip the big budget measure into
shape within four or five days time, plac-
ing it before the full appropriations COM
mittee for report Immediately. Mr.. Page
hopes to pass the bill before the Christ
mas holidays.
While many of the new District pro-
jects estimated for by the Commissioners
will not be provided for in the bill, 1t
is expected that there will be some mat
ter which might come under the head
of new LEGISLATION Chairman Page
does not approve the legislation on ap-
preparation bills, as a rule, and he will
not be a party to this procedure except
in what he considers exceptional in
stances While Mr.. Page does not say
so. it is understood that he believes sew
eral items in the estimates to be worthy
of exceptional consideration. Just which
items Mr.. Page feels this way about is
not known. They will be few, however.
Chairmen Hold Conferences.
while there has been nothing in the
way of a formal agreement between Mr..
Page and Representative johnson, chair
man Of the House District Committee,
conferences between the two men ana
discussions of various phases of District
affairs has led TO better understanding
of each other, which 1t Is hoped VIII De
reflected in a degree OF friendliness and
cooperation between the two commit
tees. A marked lack of sympathy De-
tween these two. committees in the past,
ii in he
made the District appropriation bill one
OF the difficult measures to get through
the House in any shape at all.
While Chairman Page personally is
of the opinion that the item calling for
an immediate expenditure of 10000 by
the Public Utilities Commission in the
physical valuation of public service prop
critics here, will be subject to point
Of order in the House, the item probably
will be permitted to stand in the Dill
and take its chances. The Commits
sfoners, after a study Of precedents, are
confident that the expenditure is author
lied specifically by the law creating the
Public Utilities Commission. The rules
of the House prohibit the carrying in
app-opriation bills OF items not author
lied By existing law. The Commission
ers AID several House parliamentarlans
declare that this expenditure is author
in part) from the public utilities law:
THAT the commission shall ascertain,
as soon and as nearly practicable, the
amount of money expended in the con-
struction and equipment Of every pubic
utility also the amount OF
money il would require to secure the
right of way =" and any other prop
erty CT instrument not included in the
foregoing enumeration used in or useful
ffa md
to replace all the physical properties be-
longing to the public utilities.
whenever the information required by
this paragraph is obtained ii shall be
printed i'm the annual report of the COM
nissiCn."
Valuation Is Authorized.
The paragraph Immediately following
is even more definite. 1t reads:
That the commission shall value the
property of every public utility within the
District of Columbia actually used and
useful for the convenience of the public
at the fair value thereof at the time OF
said valuation
These two paragraphs, separately and
in conjunction with other paragraphs
show plainly that the intent of the franz
ers of the bill was to provide for an
immediate physical valuation of all prop
critics. the information SO gained to serve
as a groundwork for all matters per-
tanning to rates and revenues upon which
the commission should be called upon TO
deal with
To the assurance that he will support
little, If any new legislation in the Dis
trict bill, Mr.. Page yesterday added
statement that should go far to prevent
a continuation of the friction between
his committee and the House District
Committee Mr.. Page pointed out that
while the District appropriation bill will
he passed before the District legislative
committee has been given an opportun-
fty TO pass new legislation for which ap-
propriations subsequently may be needed.
the bill will have to go through the SEN
ate mill, where, these new items, If merit
orious, will be tackled on. The Senate
rules make Iegislating on appropriation
bills comparatively easy. If, before the
bin returns from the Senate, the House
or its District committee. has approved
Of these items, Mr.. Page pointed out that
his subcommittee would be strongly in
clined to urge the House to accept the
Senate amendments.
Friction May Occur.
OF course this is all cumbersome and
clumsy method of beating the devil
around the stump" It could easily be
avoided by either of two changes in the
House rules AS long as one committee
is given the task, theoretically, of legis-
lating for the District and another COM
mittee, theoretically permitted only to
report appropriations for objects already
authorised, is permitted to encroach upon
the progressives OF the first committee, !
there is bound to be friction.
In the Senate this friction is obviated
by placing the chairman and several
members Of the District committee on the |
Appropriations Committee, and by maxi |
ing the chairman OF the District COM
mittee chairman of the subcommittee of |
the Appropriations Committee having |
charge of the annual District bill. There |
is one rule of the House which preventst
this at present This rule prohibits any |
member of the Appropriations Committed
from serving on another committed, or
any member OF the District committee
from taking a second assignment.
Another way of preventing this friction /
and increasing the efficiency of the |
House Organization would be to make 1
the District committee and appropriating
body on a par with the military affairs,
l-ostof1ice, and other committees which
have the power both TO legislate and ap
in their jurisdiction. OF course
erfu, opposition of Chsirman Fitzgerald,
CT the Appropriations Committee, who
desires to see all appropriating power
resist any attempt further to. spread IL
out As much extravaganza. and abso
lute waste is due now to the delegation
Al a. IL II