Evening star., 1914-11-29
N0F|NAL DECISION
ON EXCESS REVENUE
House Subcommittee Contin-
ues Discussion of the Dis
trict Surplus.
AGAIN RAISES THE ISSUE
OVER HALF-AND-HALF PLAN
Doubts Whether Federal Government
Shall Duplicate Districts $2,OOo,-
900 in Sinking Fund

| Members of the subcommittee of the
House District appropriations COM
mittee are not sure yet of the recon-
mendation they will make concerning
the manner of treating the excess
| s., 100000 of District revenue which
| may be used in the forthcoming Dis
| trict appropriation act to swell the
| sinking fund provided to take up the
District funded debt in 1924 AS
stated in The Star yesterday the bill
| will carry about s12,5OO,0OO, of which
the Districts share will be $3.50, 900,
, and there will be difference of about
So, 100000 between the amount appro-
priated from the Districts own money
and the amount raised by the Districts $
own citizens.
A member of the committee said last
night that there is doubt as to whether
the $2.000,000 of Districts money
should be placed in the sinking fund
by itself. or whether the United States
should match that sum with an even
amount. If the former course is pur-
sued. it will be the first time that the
half-and-half plan has been violated
in that particular manner.
Question Already Settled.
The question of whether the half
and-half principle of appropriation ap-
plies to the funded debt of the District
has been settled by the controller of
the Treasury, who. in lengthy ruling.
has declared that the act of 1874, au-
thoriZing the bonds. as supplemented
by the act of 1873, also directs that the
principal and interest be paid back
one-half by the District and one-haif
son of the House District committee
stirred up the bond question IN the
House about year ago, taking the
extreme view that the District should
pay the entire principal and interest,
and that the present law permits it.
This view was not upheld by the au-
dinor, is not shared by Chairman Page,
who is writing the District bill. and is
understood to have been disposed OF
in the House.
However, there is just now an effort
being made in the appropriations com
mittee to find way to amend the
present law so that when Congress
takes the Districts money to handle
as it pleases, this big sum can be
turned into the sinking fund to meet
the funded debt and without calling
for an equal appropriation from the
Treasury This has not been decided
upon, but inquiry has developed the
fact that it is being considered.
Fund Increased Annually.
The sinking fund. into which it is
proposed to place this excess $2.O00.0O0.
has been increased yearly by approxi- |
mately $500. 900. appropriated half from
the United States and half from the |
District of Columbia. The bonds ma
ture in 1924. They were authorized in
1874. supplemented by legislation in |
1878 when reorganizat- on of the |
District of Columbia was effected, and |
the United States government, seeing
its National Capital swamped in debt |
through its efforts to perform the ma
tons task of capital making, promised
to pay half these debts 1t is now Of
ficially confirmd by the controller of the.
Treasury that to take the Districts
money for the payment of this ponue.
debt without taking an equal sum from
the United States would be viola tion /
of the law which authorized the bonds. !