Evening star., 1914-01-22
most of the other departments OF the
District government"
Outlines Transactions.

4
| Then follows an exhaustive outline of
| the financial transactions Of the District
of Columbia Immediately prior to and
| following the years 1877 and 1878. The
municipal finance committee quotes the
remarks of Chairman Johnson concern
| ing the transfer of the 81 .Oo3. .2o1.4 upon
| the books of the Treasury from the DIS
trict of Columbia to the federal govern
ment which are TO be found in the re-
port by the subcommittee, and his recon-
mendation that Congress order that suci
action be taken. and then continues WIN
the following comment, which Is oil inter-
est:
That is strong language from strong
man, WHO is also able lawyer out
your committee respectfully begs icaVe
to take issue with the distinguished
chairman on that proposition. and Ven
lures to suggest that it might be dlfncuit
to find a Secretary of the Treasury VINO
would be willing at this late day With
out further and specific direction by Con-
gress, and in violation of the require
ments of the organic act to assume the
responsibility of executing the feat OF
financial gymnastics proposed in H. j. lO1
The distinguished chairman appears 10
have had some mental reservation upon
the subject himself; hence his joint reso-
luton.
Defense Good and Valid.
The question Of whether Chairman
Johnson is correct in his opinion or not is,
however. comparatively unimportant IN
view of the fact that ii. j. lV1 mas
passed the House of Representatives.
and is now waiting action ps
the Senate 1t is. therefore. very nEe
question. and one which must be de-
feated in the Senate by showing Its
absolute want of merit and the monstrous
injustice that would be done to the TAX
PAYERS of the District should IT become
a law rather than by interposinS teen
nicalities We have perfectiy goea ana
valid defense against this claim. III the
opinion of your committee which there
is every reason to believe the Senate
will recognize.
There are two sides TO this question.
The House of Representatives has hearo
but one side: the committee mas presel.
ed but one side. and seemingly inVestl-
gated but one side. No opportunity has
been given to the people OF the D1strict
TO be heard In the matter. either by lhe
committee for the District OF Columpla
or on the floor of the House. ne Rouse
has been led to act hastily ana without
full knowledge thereby lending its ap-
proval to a measure which your conllnt-
tee believes to be unjust and absolutely
without merit They also believe that the
facts presented in this report Will sus-
tain that view.
Now let your committee present the
other side, the District side or the tax
payers side of this most important ques-
ton
Traces Organic Act.
Then follows a carefully prepared his
tory of the so-called organic act and
detailed statement of facts in defense of
the Districts or taxpayers side of the
question. 1t tells of the early days of
the District under the commission form
of government.
The report concludes as follows:
so all of these statutes, with their
troublesome and entangling proNisos,
which opened the District side of the ac-
count. and constituted the defense of the
District against this unjust claim. We're
ignored and the case against the Dlstflct
allowed to go by default.
Nevertheless, these unrepealed, musty
statutes, enacted for wise. just and
benefcent purpose, will stand as mute
but effective protests against the great
injustice to the District of this ancient
claim which was settled by set-off under
operation of these laws thirty-hve years
ago.
Your committee does not mean to be
overcritical or unjust in any way to these
accountants. They have thankless task
at best and they have been perfectly
frank and aboveboard in stating in their
the 3.65 bonds. They say:
The payment of interest on the 36J
bonds is but one of the many items con-
sidered in this general account; but owing
to the fact that the statement of this
interest account covers certain fiscal
years prior to July l. 1878. which fiscal
years are not covered by the general ac-
count, we deemed it necessary to make
a separate statement thereof.
Indicated Their Bias.
There is exactly where these account
ants. in their zeal in behalf of the cause
in which they had enlisted. indicated
their bias and inability to do justice to the
District of Columbia Why was it neces-
sary to make a separate statement of the
interest on the $50 bonds Why could
not that statement have been deferred
until it could have been made part of
the report of the examination of the gen.
eral account of which it forms a part,
and which the instructions of the COM
mittee to the subcommittee required them
to investigator
What was the situation that confront