Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-14
DISTRICTS BUDGET
| PASSED BY SENATE
Only $4,000 Cut From Bill as
L. Reported Out of
m Committee.
NO INCREASE OF SALARY
FOR THE COMMISSIONERS
Closing Debate Enlivened by Tilt
Between Vice President and
i Senator Bristow.

The District appropriation bill was sent
to conference by the Senate Immediately
after its passage late yesterday after.
noon. The conferees on the part of the
Senate named by the Vice President in
accordance with a resolution offered by
Senator John Walter Smith of Mary
land. who has had charge of the bill,
are Senators Smith of Maryland. Lea of
Tennessee and Gallinger of New Hamp-
shire.
The bill as it passed the Senate carries
approximately S13,131. s2o.49. or about
$4,000 less than as reported to the SEN
ate from the committee.
In the closing hour of the debate two
amendments were adopted over the OPP
position OF the members of the appro-
priations committee One, offered by
Senator Williams of Mississippi provides
that no money appropriated under this
bill shall be expended for the purchase
or maintenance of passenger automo-
biles or carriages drawn by horses. eX-
cept for the fire department, the police
department and the emergency health
service" The other, offered by Senator
Thomas of Colorado. keeps the salaries
of the District Commissioners at 5000
each instead of giving the Commission
ers an increase to Sc ooo. as recommend
ed by the Senate committee. Both OF
these amendments were adopted when a
bare quorum of the Senate was present.
Cut in Price of Gas.
Bv a vote of 30 to II the Senate also
adopted an amendment offered by Sena-
tor Norris of Nebraska providing that
hereafter the price of gas furnished for
use in buildings owned or leased by the
District government and by the federal
government in Washington shall not eX-
coed 20 cents per 1000 cubic feet
Just before the adoption of this amend
rnent, Senator Norris had offered an
amendment providing that hereafter the
Washington Gas Light Company should
not charge in excess of 20 cents for 1,uo
cubic feet for gas in Washington. A
point of order was made against this
amendment by Senator Smith of Mary
land, on the ground that it was new
legislation in an appropriation bin The
Vice President sustained the point OF
order Had the Senate been permitted
to vote. 1t appears likely that the amend
rnent would have carried for 75-cent gas
here.
The Senate upheld in every instance the
half-and-half priciple of providing Tor
the District expenses, knocking out the
various attacks upon that principle con-
In this the Senate followed the lead OF
the Senate appropriations committee The
committees amendments to the bill We're
accepted In practically every instance.
only four being rejected those relating
to the Commissioners salaries. the
merger Of the Washington and George-
town gas companies to the expen-
diture for automobiles and to the
name of the Avenue OF the Presidents
which will go back to 18th street 1t
Is believed that in conference the matter
Of automobiles for the District Commits
sioners and for other officials will be ad-
iusted, for the House made provision for
these machines, and added one additional
machine for the Commissioners.
Plans War on Automobiles.
Senator Williams has given notice
that he intends to make a fight against
the custom Of furnishing officers of the
District and federal governments n
Washington with automobiles or car
riages. II he is successful. it will mean
that cabinet officers, assistant secre-
taries OF departments, heads of bureaus.
army officers and others will have to
find some other means of conveyance
than the automobiles and carriages now
furnished by the government. Senator
Williams insists that these public
vehicles are used far more for social
purposes than for attending to public
matters.
The debate over the price of gas to
be charged in the District caused verbal
dreworks in the Senate and several Bit