Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-18

port of two large interesting volumes
but no remedy for the annually recur-
ring malady OF dissatisfaction and dis
content"
Repeal Borland Amendment
The second item in the councils re-
port recommends the repeal of the
Borland amendment. which 1t de-
scribed as ''manifestly unfair to the
owners Of abutting property"
1.-THE theory of the Borland pro-
vision" said the report, "is that a
highway is so per cent for the benefit
of abutting property. The fact is that
any highway is for the use Of the
entire public. The construction and
maintenance of any highway should
be borne equally by all the taxpayers. :"
Early elimination of all remaining
grade crossings within the District is
urged in the next item, which also
contained an Endorsement of the pro-
posed bill for opening, widening and
straig htening of streets where benefits
equal TO the damages cannot be found.
and the bill to yacate certain streets
In the Walter Reed Hospital area
and the extension and widening of
Fourteenth street.
Recorder of Deeds Office.
The fourth item urges the erection
of suitable fireproof building costing
approximately $S0, 900 for the office of
the Recorder of Deeds. The present
building, the report declared. although
reputedly fireproof, Is so situated that
an adjacent fire undoubtedly would
seriously damage, if not destroy. the
thousands of record books and deeds
which have been recorded, but not
delivered to the owners.
The proposed bill to enlarge the
powers of the Commissioners Is made
the item of a supplementary report
which also includes a suggested modi-
fication of the budget law so as to rer
lieve the Bureau Of the Budget of
jurisdiction over estimates and ap-
preparations for the District and an
adverse report on the so-called blue
sky law" In reference to the pro-
posed bill to broaden the powers OF
the Commissioners the supplemental
report says: The council believes it
would be most desirable that a mum.
Der Of powers, purely municipal in
character, but now exercised by others
should be lodged in the Commission.
ers. 1t is the opinion of the council
however, that some of the powers sug.
gested in the proposed bill do not
come within the number
Change in Budget Law.
In suggesting a modification of the
| budget law, the council said: al
Congress is to continue its practice
| of appropriating from the Fedora
Treasury gross lump sum for the
| expenses of the District of Columbia
then in the opinion of the council, leg
| islation should be strongly urged to
bring about such relief. On the other
| hand. If Congress Is to return to q
| proportional or ratio plan of appro-
priating from the Federal Treasury
| for the expenses of the District OF
| Columbia, then it seems that the
same reasoning applies in support OF
! the Bureau of the Budgets exercis
| ing jurisdiction over estimates 70,
appropriation, as applies to estimates
for appropriation from the Fedora
| Treasury for any other purpose, be.
| cause then the Federal Government
is interested definitely in the amount
| of appropriations because 1t would
pay a certain percentage of the
amount"
| The report pointed out that all Of
the councils conclusions and recon
mendations are based on careful
| and systematic study of the various
items, and that it believes they "ars
| fairly representative of the opinion
and desire Of the people Of the Dis.
trict Of Columbia generally"