The Washington times., 1915-10-20

cd. There have been two special
committees, joint committees. OF
the two houses, appointed with pow
er to sit In the vacation and prepare
q bill and present 1t as form or
permanent government for the Dis
trict. In each case the report OF
these committees has failed. and
now the regular committee on the
District Of the House has for some
time been considering a bill for that
purpose. and present as result or
their deliberations the measure now
before us"
In explaining the bill to the House or
tAis occasion, Mr.. Hendee said he die
Dot agree with the majority of tho com
n,ittee In regard to certain parts OF thu
bill which did not relate in any way tc
the question of the proportion OF ex
penses of the District that should bt
borne by the United States. on thai
subject he said:
There is another clause In the bill
which / consider very wise. and
oerhaps the most important provi-
sion In 1t. 1t provides that OF the
expenses or burdens of this District
.he United States Government shall
bear so per cent and the people OF
the District SO per cent. Up to the
present time the relations of the
General Government to the District
have never been settled.
Since the seat of the Government
was permanently established In this
District. the entire expenditures Of
the United States for improvements
in the District have been about s9.-
100000. while the amount paid by the
citizens OF the District for the same
purpose exceeded the sum of s4.-
100000. / make these state
ments upon data furnished from the
Treasury Department and other de-
partments of the Government which
give accurately the Items with
dates. Of appropriations and the
character. etc. Hence. /
making the burden of the expenses
and the debt bear equally upon the
United States and the District Is
very wise and fair. To settle all
questions of this kind will save the
time Of Congress in discussing the
done heretofore. People owning
property can then know what Is Its
real value: for today property is al
most worthless here from the fact
that this great debt of s23,0oo.00O
stands as n mortgage upon the prop
erty OF all citizens. and they can
never sell or dispose of 1t or pledge
1t advantageously until the extent OF
that mortgage Is ascertained by
some act of Congress. That is what
this bill does: and think that one
of the wisest provisions that could
he inserted In any organic act by
the government of the District.
Hence. for all time. unless
something new should occur. the
division Of 80 per cent Is wise and
fair one"
The bill was defeated on final passage
but the debate discloses that this was
because of objection made by num-
bcr of members of the House to pro-
visions of the bill as reported by the
committee providing for property
qualification of certain officials. On the
motion of Mr.. Hcndee the House re:
considered the vote and recommitted
the bill to the District Committee. after
Mr.. Hunton had promised that the COM
mittee would strike out the property
qualification referred to. When 1t had
been reported back to the House. with
the Objectionable clauses omitted, Mr.
Blackburn during debate in the House
said that the people of the District
have a right to demand that we shall