Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-02-06

sale of bonds. shall append to my
remarks list of such improvements,
or some of them. as now seem neces-
sary or desirable, and for this emu
meration I am indebted to the able and
efficient auditor of the District.
| TT viii be noted that the items
listed by the auditor total nearly
s55.000,000. Since the list was COM
| piled q bill has been passed which
| VIII take care of small percentage
OF the improvements indicated.
| "Of course, a bonded Indebtedness
| Is not to be encouraged when 1t can
| be dispensed with. 1t is significant
| that since 1878 the District has never
| had bond issue designed for the d.
| rect purpose of applying the proceeds
to permanent improvements. The is
sue of $15,000,0o0 Of 3.65 bonds which
was authorized in 1874 was purely a
funding loan, to take up various
| debts incurred under previous forms
of government. Those bonds have
been recently retired At this time,
with the exception Of Washington, I
understand, there is no city in the
| country with population exceeding
$4,000 which has not bonds outstand-
Ing which in the main have been is
sued for the purpose of making per-
enjoyed not only by the people living
at the time when the indebtedness
was created. but by people of other
generations. Should such a survey
by Congress be made as has been
proposed, in order to decide what au-
thority should be conferred upon the
Commissioners of the District, one Of
| the questions that ought to receive
| consideration is the question just
mentioned.
TT is a question that concerns not
only the maintenance of the city as
1t is, but work that should be carried
on to make the city, which is now
rapidly growing, what 1t should be
and what undoubtedly the people of
the country desire it to be. Should
the conclusion be reached that taxa
ton will meet the requirements and
afford a fair and sufficient substitute
for the creation of a moderate bond
ed Indebtedness, the District will con-
tinue to occupy the fortunate position
which 1t now holds among the almost
countless cities or towns of the
United States, each of which has a
bonded debt"
General debate yesterday was limit
ed to three hours, controlled half and
half by Representative Charles r.
Davis, Republican, of Minnesota, chair
man OF the subcommittee Oh the APP
preparations committee which drafted
the bill, and Representative William
A. Ayres, Democrat, of Kansas, the
ranking Democrat on the subcommit-
tee.
Representative Davis took the floor.
surveying all of the appropriations
carried in the bill, and emphasizing
that while the subcommittee realizes
1t Is for the House to determine
whether the lump-sum policy adopted
last year for one year only shall be
continued or whether q return shall
be made to the old fiscal policy of a
definite proportion, the committee had
in mind a lump sum of 100000 as
the Federal Governments share in
the cost of the national Capital.
1t was because the committee ex-
pected the House to continue the
lump sum of 100000 that unusually
large appropriations were allowed
particularly for schools and streets,
Representative Davis explained.
What is needed more than 800 or
500 additional policemen" as advo-
Gated by the joint legislative committee
on District affairs, lis at least two
additional judges to handle and dispose
Of the cases now on the docket" said
Representative w. A. Ayers, Democrat,
Of Kansas. a member Of the subcom-
mittee which drafted the District ap-