The Washington times., 1915-01-06
THE .SENATE'S BILL

1t is unnecessary to quarrel with
the friends and the men who it is
hoped may become the friends of
the District, in saying that the
Senate committees revision Of the
District Of Columbia appropriation
bill is a matter of great satisfaction
to all the people of the Capital.
What is more important in some
ways, it will not fail to receive the
approval of the country.
The Senate committees bill DEM
onstrates that despite the ham,
stringing methods attempted by
few men who are doubtless as sim
cere as they are mistaken in their
efforts to be the real friends of this
town, there will be no program of
hara-kiri. Washington is not to
have it's hands tied and its eyes
blindfolded by the Federal Govern
ment and then be tossed overheard
without a chance to swim for its
life. That is just what would have
happened if the House rider, abol-
ishing the half-and-half arrange
ment, had become law. The town
would have been left with all the
extraordinary expenses incident to
it's status as National Capital, with
no chance to readjust it's administra-
ton to it's fiscal abilities, with no
voice in its government; only with
the poor privilege of paying bills in
Cured by other people. Congress
would have been cutting the gar
ment, Washington paying for the
cloth. It's a dangerous way. The
screwing of taxes out of subject
provinces by the proconsular agents
of an imperial Rome would have
been paralleled right here.
The Senate committee has stricken
out the provision that would have
brought about such condition. The
half-and-half division of expenses
will continue.
More than this, the Senate bill
gives testimony that Congress has
not lost vision Of the bigness and
insistence of Washington's munici.
pal problems. It was discourag.
ing thing to see such measures a
that providing for a great new
wholesale market plant ruthlessly
and contemptuously carved out Of
the city's budget when it was per
fectly plain that it's retention
would have been in line with intelli
gent, present-day policy of cities
It was disheartening to feel thai
while New York, Chicago, Cleve
land, Detroit, Des Moines, and man,
other progressive cities are vieine
with each other in providing these
facilities for moderating the cost.
and the wastes of living, Washing
ton was to be denied the privileg,
even of making a beginning in tn,
right direction. That was the yer
dict of the House bill; and the yer
dict is reversed by the Senat'
measure.
For years the pressing need of :
new municipal hospital has beer
well recognized in and out of Con
gress. Yet the House bill cut ou
the provision of money for thi
project, with no apparent reason
save a desire to shut eyes to tn
necessities of an expanding cit
trying to get into step with moderl
practice. The Senate restores thi
provision.
The municipal authorities ha
planned great model penal re
formatory for District criminal.
with the purpose of reclaiming in
stead of furnishing men; of reform
ing them, rather than wreaking tn
vengeance of society upon then
That provision likewise was cor
temptuously thrown out by tn
House committee. 1t is restored b
the Senate committee.
The House bill did not even max
provision for the equipment of tn
Western High School, when restore
after the fire few months ago. TIL
oversight was difficult of explans
ton, for the school could not possibl
. be of use unless furnished. The Ser
, ate provides for this.
These are few of the change
that the Senate committee hs
made for the better in the legisI;
, tion. The Senate committees mea'