Evening star., 1920-01-17

salaries, because that matter was be-
ing considered by the joint commits
sion for reclassification of salaries.
and when the total of these reduced
estimates was reached the revenue
needs of the District for the ensuing
fiscal year were s22.S65.6T6, yet. be-
cause of the Limitation of the law
bove referred to. it was found neces-
sary to reduce them to S1S,000,000
plus. ''--
These estimates therefore fall short
of the actual needs of the District by
S4,623.670. although there is at this
time surplus of District revenues,
made up of accumulations over Pc
riod of years, of s4,O63,922.
Limitations Of Estimates.
Now. if the District Commissioners
Rad not been prohibited by the act of
1909 from submitting the actual reve-
nue. needs of the District to the ap-
preparations committee, they would
have submitted estimates of s22,0O0,-
600 plus. and If the present bill is en-
acted into law at this time, and the
appropriations committee was to allow
the actual needs of the District, the
governments share of expenses un-
der these estimated revenues would
be s13,000,000. in round figures. and
the contribution of the District to
the expenses of the government would
only be 100000, SO that under the
present plan proposed by the Mapes
bill the expenses of conducting the
would be s4.000,000 in excess of what
We will contribute because of the
limitation above referred to. -
cThe surplus. upon which so much
stress has been lai9 by the gentleman
from Michigan tMr. Mapes). has
grewn up over a series of years. The
moneygis' not in the District treasury !;
it is in the Treasury of the United
Sta tes. II IL true IT is credited to the
District, but the District Commits
sionerss cannot use this money until
authority is given by Congress to
do so.
Now, there have been no estimat es
made, no figures given. as to the sur
plus for this year. the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1920 I have just talked
appropriations. and he informs me
that owing to numerous deficiency
appro ropriations which must be made
during the balance of the present fis-
| cal year there is hardly possibility
of there being a cent of surplus dur
| ing the present year. And the very
efficient clerk of that committee also
advises me that if the revenues of the
Hfstrict during the coming year are
Q fficient clerk to that committee also
ducting the District government, the
people of the District are going to be
mig hty lucky
Therefore. what reason can be ad-
advanced for the passage of this bill
at this time?
Proposed Plan Once Failed.
The system proposeds under which
Congress can appropriate literally
during one year and meagerly or par
simoniously during another year was
! tried unsuccessfulIy in the District
for more than seventy years.
nd 6n ,t,f
framed the organic act for the Dis
| trict of Columbia, believing that the
| people of the United States wished to
/ contribute literally to the upkeep
and upbuilding and Identification of
their nations capital. decreed by law
that the government should contrib
| ute ne-half or so per cent"
Representative JUL interposeG
questions respecting the District tax
/. rate, which Mr.. Zihlman thus an
4 swered:
/ II will say to the gentleman there
is nothing to prohibit Congress in its
wisdom raising the tax rate which is
fixed by law in the District of Column
I bia at any time without the passage
of the pending bill If the rate is not
SUFFICIENT, let US raise the rate But
: the estimates made by the District
{ Commissioners are in excess of S22.-
! 100000. The actual revenues from all
; property taxed in the District are. in
/ round figures. $4,000. 900 If the gov
ernment contributes 80 per cent. an
! equal amount, the actual revenues of
! the District are going to be during tn,
| coming fiscal year SIS. 900 900 There
/ fore the needs of the District are to-
| day 100000 in excess of the reve-
nues. even taking into consideration
the $4,000, 900 contributed from the
federal. Treasury for the upbui1ding
Identification and maintenance of the
] nations capital.
t School Conditions a Disgrace.
! TT is well known that because OF
this limitation. because the District
| Commissioners are restricted in their
estimates to the actual revenues OF
/ the District. or one-half of the actual
revenues Of the District. they are un-
able to provide In their book of esti-
mates for the very necessary schoo,
| improvements. it has been stated il
the daily press Of this city, and a re-
| NSTt was made by n committee rep.
resenfing the Washington Board OF
| Trade. that the school conditions o,
the District Of Columbia at the pres.
ent time are disgrace to this cit,
and the nation"
i Mr.. IihlTnan proceeded to indics
Il the Districts present urgent needs
as recently set forth by the Com
II mlssioners in their annual report in
Il Guiding highway improvements parJ
developments. modern bridges. refua,
disposal equipment. increased polio,
ana hre forces and more fre house!
and apparatus. completion of the mu
ntcipal hospital, an institution for tn,
b1eeDle-mlnded. an increased wate