Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-03
1920 total 49,. 17.4oo. 4s7oo .1s. .4oe, s41


lS2u total. ..... 1f.aOO, 1870 ia, 402, 041 90
81. X. bill.
The Commissioners reported in
their estimates for 1910 that the Dis
trict needed, if revenues permitted
an appropriation of more than $15-
730,995. They reported $13,667 ,286 to
be needed in 1909 and $12,SS4.S25 to
be needed in 1905. The Commission
ers, restricted by law and by pressure
from the White House and Congress,
submitted estimates for 1916 of about
$12771 O54. Who believes that the
Districts genuine needs were less in
1916 than in 1910 or in 1909 or in
1905?
The District Commissioners did not
pretend that their estimates for 1915
or 1915 met and satisfied the full
municipal needs OF the District. On
the contrary, in the estimates for
1915, for example. they stated ex-
plicitly that they failed to urge the
cause the local taxes when doubled
failed to provide sufficient revenue.
The House cut down these Inadequate
estimates by $3,000,O00, and the ap-
preparation act provided $2.0S2, ,215
less than the Commissioners original
estimates. For 1916 the Commission
ers, under pressure both from the
White House and the Capitol cut
their estimates to the bone, omitting
even necessary and urgent mainte-
nance appropriations and increases
which they had warmly indorsed the
year before and in respect to which
they had experienced no change of
heart. The House cut from these es-
Inmates. already mangled out of re-
lation to equity and the city's genuine
needs, 81 ,6O6. .3S5.7S.
What reasonable man can pretend
that these appropriations or even these
estimates represent the Districts actual
needs. and that expenditure beyond these
amounts would be extravaganza and
waste of public money?
Yet the argument for the immediate
overthrow of the half-and-half ar
rangement is based upon this very
assumption.
Revenues Insufficient for Needs.
In spite of large and steadily in
creasing local taxes the revenues
availab BILE under the half-and-half ar
rangement were insufficient to meet
the needs of the capital in 1901, 1902,
1905 1906. 1907. 1908 and 1909. and in
those years advances were made by
the United States aggregating about
four million dollars to meet these
deficiencies. These loans have been
since repaid with over half a million
! of interest. During these years great
public improvements, highly econom-
ical in the long run, We're provided
through wise and progressive legis-
lation for the development of the ma
fion's city.
Among the "extraordinarv improve
ments' which these temporary cash
advances by the United States, sun
plementing the current revenues Of
the District, enabled the capitaI TO
push to completion were the sewage
disposal system, the filtration plant
the elimination of grade crossings
and Improvement of railway termi-
nails, municipal building, tuberculosis
hospital, highway bridge across the
Potomac, Anacostia bridge and Con-
necticut Avenue, Massachusetts Ave-
nue. and Piney Branch bridges.
Under the 1915 bill no provision was
proposed by the House for anv new
permanent improvements at the capi-
tai though several important to the
capitals welfare were pressing for
attention. No adequate provision was
made for such projects already begun
Current maintenance was not allowed
to increase with the normal hea lthv
growth of the city. but was scrimped
and squeezed and cut to the bone
And the meager, miserly. "penny-wise
mound foolish" figures which resulteG
we're treated as representing fully the
municipal needs of the expanding cap-
ital.
The same unwfse policy, especially
in regard to outlays for permanent
improvements as distinguished from
maintenance expenditures u n axi.