Evening star., 1915-01-12
RAILWAY OWNERSHIP
MEASURE MAY GO OVER
Chance of House Acting on Further
District Legislation Is
Reduced.
Seven Bills Pass, One Of These Regu-
lating Marriages Of Races in
Capital.

The failure to bring up in the House
yesterday the Crosser bill for the mu-
nicipal ownership of railways in the
District reduces the chances of hearing
debate on that measure this session al
most to a minimum. Several District
measures passed the House yesterday
on what may be the only District day
In the lower body of Congress until the
next Congress convenes. Representa-
tive Underwood, democratic leader. in
assisting Chairman johnson of the Dis
trict committee to have practically the
entire afternoon for District business
yesterday, said:
Il notice that the chairman of the
rivers and harbors committee gave no.
tice he desired to call up the rivers
and harbors bill today. There are not
many District days left, and although
l am very anxious to see the appropria-
tion bills expedited, I hope the gentle
man will not make that motion this
morning. as there are bills on the Dis
trict calendar that should be disposed
of. Later in the session everything will
have to give way to appropriation bills,
but this may be the last chance that
the District committee has to get its
bills before the House.
Fight Over Marriage Bill.
The District measure which provoke
the most serious opposition was the
bill of Representative Clark of Florida
to prohibit marriages between whites
and negroes in the District, and to null
lify any such existing marriages. An un-
successful attempt was made to amend
it by including intermarriages between
whites and Japanese. The Clark meas
ure passed by roll-call vote of 23O
to so.
The bill to make an annual listing of
taxable property in the District was
passed in a jiffy. The measure pro-
vides simply THAT hereafter all real
estate in the District of Columbia which
IS subject of taxation shall be annually
listed by the assessor for taxable pur-
poses instead of triennially as hereto
fore"
Without discussion, also. the House
passed the Johnson bill to straighten
out the Watson defalcation by direct
ing the Commissioners to pay to the
United States $4,000 entirely out OF
the funds of the District of Columbia.
Representative Mann interposed a
point of order against the bill authoriz-
ing the Commissioners to pay to former
District Auditor James T. Petty the
himself against the suit of the District
arising out of the Watson defalcation
Speaker Clark upheld Representative
Mann's point that the subject matter
in the bill is a claim and that the
District committee has no jurisdiction
over claims.
Drinking Water Bill Passes.
Drinking water at base ball parks
and other amusement places will be
furnished in convenient form, under
the terms of the Howard bill, which
the House also passed. A three coat
standard for plastering done in the
city is established by another bill
which was voted on favorably.
Another bill passed provided for the
abandonment of the old burying
ground known as the cemetery of
Whites Tabernacle, on West 37th
street. These were all House. bills.
The only Senate bill to be acted on
was that permitting King Theological
Hall to transfer some real estate to
Howard University. This received a
favorable vote and will go to the
President for his signature. The other
bills, after being engrossed, will be
sent TO the Senate.