The Washington times., 1916-05-18
CONTINUED from First Page)


allowed for the water service. payable
out Of It's revenues. $262. $50.
Although the item n OF relative unim-
portance-except to show that the Dis
trict is to, carry most of the burden Of
its maintenance and mprovement-there
Is included In the bill a provision that
hereafter the Federal Government shall
contribute nothing to the expense OF OPP
Grating the Washington aqueduct.
The Commissioners asked that the con-
troll OF the Washington aqueduct. now
vested In the War Department, should
be transferred to them. Instead OF
granting this request the House commit
ment, but levies against the District
revenues the cost of operating the aque-
duct
Provision Abolishing
Half and Half Plan.
The legislative provision. which. II APP
proved. will abolish the hslf-and-half
principle as carried in the organic act or
Hereafter all appropriations made Tor
the support OF the government OF the
District OF Columbia. including all sums
appropriated In any general appropria-
District OF Columbia revenues and
amounts to pay the interest and sinking
fund OF the funded debt OF said District,
shall be paid out of the revenues OF the
District OF Columbia to the extent that
the remainder out of any money In the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Revealing how the first years opera
ton Of this provision lays against the
Federal Government charge less than
one-third Of the expense OF the District
government because the total OF the
bill is so small that the District revenues
almost meet IT.. the report says:
Nnt "a ~
District Of Columbia for the fiscal year
1911. II is estimated, will amount 10 w.
THE foregoing sum is in amount yS.-
appropriations made by the bill. exclu-
sive of the water service.
Certain appropriations made In the
legislative. executive. and judicial and
the sindry civil acts for past fiscal years
and Court of Appeals OF the District Of
Columbia. and maintenance OF certain
parks and hospitals in Washington,
have heretofore been made payable one
half out Of District of Columbia rev.
For the current fiscal year these ap-
proprjations amount to 1894. 10. and. as
Stunning they will be. no less for the en-:
suing fiscsl year. It is proper to add
one-haif Of that sum. or s247 ,3S5, to the
excess of appropriations In the accom-
panyfng bill over the apparent District
revenues for 1917. in order to determine
the proportion of the general expenses
Of the National Capital that win be
horne by the United States. as well as
the amount that will he paid out of
taxes levied upon the property and
privileges OF taxpnyers In the District
Of Columbia. namely:
Total amount for general ex-
penses In accompanying
bill .S11 631 ,907. "a
one-haif Of amounts in other
acts for current expenses of
the District ................... ri, 1855. 90
Total .....:.,.:............ ISIS, 2ss 3.
Amount of District
of Columbia rev.
enues ......:...... 1925. 5000
Amount payable out
Of the General
Treasury .......... 5,H42I2.4
- II S79. &C.. "a
The amount payable out Of the Dis
trict OF Columbia revenues will be 6s5.H
per cent of the total authorized ex-
payable by the United States"
Budget Noteworthy
Because of Omissions.
The District budget for the next fiscal
year Is more noteworthy because Of the
things II fails to authorize than because
of its provisions. The fact that the
Commissioners estimates were cut
s9.5Oo.Oco Is sufficient alone to tell the
story Of how little the bill contains.
There Is no appropriation in the bill
for the Municipal hospital. plans for
which have been previously authorized.
This Is partly due to the economy" of
the House committee and partly to the
controversy which has arisen over the
Commissioners plans to locate the hos
pital on the Fourteenth and Upshur
streets site.