The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-01-06

be appointed, consisting OF two sena.
tors, to be appointed by the presiding
officer Of the Senate, and two pembers
10 be appointed by the Speaker
Of the House Of Representatives, whose
duty II shall be to prepare a suitable
franc OF government for the District
statutes TO be enacted by Congress for
carrying the same into effect, and re-
port the same to the two Houses, re-.
spectively, on the FIRST day Of the next
prepare and submit 70 Congress a state
inent OF the proper proportion OF the
expenses OF said government, or any
branch thereof. including interest on the
funded debt, which should be borne Dy
said District and the United States. re-
spectively. together with the reasons
upon, which their conclusions may %
On the sd Of June. 1914, the sundry
civil act Of that date makes reference
to interest on the funded debt a. fol-
lows:
IAN the above sums. except so much
thereof as may be paid Tor interest, rs
aforesaid, to be considered and adjust
ed hereafter as n part o. the proper
proportional sum to DO paid by the
United States toward the expenses OF
the government Of the District OF Co
The messSge of President Grant in
December. 1874, contains the follow
ing:
"The act OF Congress OF June 20,
1874 contemplates an apportionment
/ between the United States Govern
ment and the District OF Columbia In
respect to the payment Of the princt-
pal and interest OF the $50 bonds.
Therefore in computing with precision
| the bonded debt of the District the
I aggregate sums above stated, as re-
spects 1855 bonds now issued, the out
standing certificates of the board OF
| audit aud the unadjusted claims pend
ing before that board should be re-
duced to the extent of the amount TO
be apportioned 70 the United states
in the act of Congress Of June 20.
1874" II
The appropriation act OF February
/, 1875 contains the following pro-
vision:
THAT the sum of S1s2,5OO in cur
rency, or so much thereof as may be
necessary, be, and is hereby, appro-
priated for the payment Of the inter-
Columbia, known as 3.S6 bonds. due
on February 1, 1875, issued under
the act entitled An act for the gov
eminent OF the District of Columbia,
June 20. 1870; said interest to be paid
by the Treasurer OF the United States.
! or the Assistant Treasurer OF the
| United States in New York on Sur
vIDBD. THAT SAID SUN HEREBY
APPROPRIATED SHALL BE con-
| SIDERED AND ADJUSTED AS A
| PART OF THE PROPER PROPOR-
| TIONAL SUM TO BE PAID BY THE
| UNITED STATES TOWARD THE Elk
| PENsES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF
| THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND
| TOWARD THE PAYMENT OF THE
| INTEREST on THE FUNDED DEBT
OF THE DISTRICT"
The act of March 3. 1875, 18th Stat
ute. 343, is as follows:
\ ITO pay on behalf of. the United
States, as a portion of the general ex-
penses OF the District of Columbia. to
be expended by the Commissioners OF
said District, 81 .06O, 000 only to be drawn
as needed for immediate use and 800
of this sum shall be available from the
passage of this act, no salaries to De
/ changed from the standard fixed under
the act of June 20. 1874.
ITO pay the interest on the three.
1 sixty-five bonds issued under the act
y entitled An act for the government OF
4the District of Columbia, and for other
purposes 31S5, 900; and the salary of the
commissioned OF the sinking fund. acting
as treasurer thereof, shall be $1,000 pei
annum."
Tho debates in the Senate and in the
House OF Representatives OF the United
States during the years 1874, 1870 and
1876 substantiate the theory that the In
lterest on the funded debt was then I'M
derstood by Congress as being paid one
half through District of Columbia rev.
enues and one-half through the General
Government.
On January Is, 1875 (Vol. >, Cong. Rec
p 7l9) the following dialogue took place
in the House prior to the passage oil
H. r. 44S3, which later became the ac'
of February /. 1916, from which we have
just quoted:
"Mr GARFIELD. am instructed by the
COMMITTEE on Appropriations to report
back with an amendment the bill I'd. X
1889 for the payment Of interest on thu
$3.50 bonds of the District of Columbia
The amendment Of the committee strikes
out the words I'm coin after the words
'$ls2,
IMr. Randall. Is there any report &C
companying this bill?"
mir. GARFIELD | send to the desk L
be read communication from the Com
niissioners of the District OF Columbia.
Mr.. Randall. ! wish to reserve I
point OF order on this BILL
Mr.. Garfield-Let the report be read
Mr.. Holman-1t should be understood
that the point Of order on this bill Il
The speaker-The point Of order will
be reserved till the communication ma
been read
The clerk read rs follows:
II "Ofhce of the Commissioner
of the District of Columbia.
January II, 1870.
ITO the Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives: ..
The Commissioners of the District re
specially request that the attention o
Congress may be called TO the necessit,
OF legislative provisions for the paymen
! of the interest on The bonds authorize
! to be issued by the act of Congress ap
| proved June 20, 1874, entitled An &C
for the government of the District 0
Columbia, and for other purposes
These bonds are generally known a
80. Les bonds" The act of Congress aboV
, cited pledged the faith of the Unite
| States to the payment (by proper Pre-
poTtional appropriation and by taNatio
, | on property within the DistricO of tn
interest on said bonds as we'll as TO tn
! creation OF a sinking fund for paymen
, | of the principal thereof at maturity.
''The same act Of Congress conten
! plates the ascertainment, through ~
, ture legislation, of the proper proper
! ton OF the expense of the government
, Of the District Of Columbia, includin
, interest on it's funded debt, which shoul
be borne by the District and by tn
United States, respectively. This pre-
, norton has not vet been determined b
the requisite legislation. Upon the fund
ed debt of the District Of Columbii
7 other than the 1865 bonds, tho interes
> including that due January ], 1915, ha
l. t. rNT a