Evening star., 1925-02-28
Rate by Nail-Payable III Advance.
Maryland and Virginia.
All Other States.
District Legislation.


As the session draws to close 1t is
in order to express the grateful APP
probation of the people of the District
FOR the thoroughneSs of consideration
given by Congress, their local legisla-
ture, to measures affecting the welfare
of the Capital community. and not
only for the consideration given to
those measures. but for the action
taken upon them. Indeed, it will be
difficult TO find in all the records OF
congressional-Di District service so large
"a response to the requirements of the
District by the legislative body as that
which has been made during the past
few weeks.
The list of the accomplishments and
the earaccomplishments which it is
confidently expected will be completed
before the gavel falls on the 4th of
March is long and impressive. Some
Of them are: An appropriation bill
which literally provides for District
needs for the next fiscal year, with the
largest allotment of funds ever made
FOR this purpose; definition of the Dis
triCts right to the use, presumably
upon equitable terms Of Federal-dolIar
accompaniment, of the surplus ac-
cumulated in the Treasury through
District taxation not used for appro-
prlations; a measure providing for a
five-year building program designed to
bring the District approximately up
to-date in the matter of public school
equipment; traffic regulation law
which will alleviate, if not cure, the
evils of undue traffic congestion and
Of recklessness in the use Of the
streets: bill permitting the voluntary
merger of the street railway corpora
tions bill to correct one of the most
dangerous of the few remaining grade
crossings within the District: meas
ures and appropriations providing
with wisest foresight for further park
development in the District.
In the appropriation bill. which will
soon reach the point of enactment, are
generous provisions for schools and
park improvements. and in the de-
ficiency bill are important items for
school constructions along the line of
the five-year building plan: provision
il also made for library development
and for street Improvements. In fact,
in respect to the municipal equipment
for educational, recreational and pro-
tective purposes this session has
scored an exceptional record of accom-
plishments that will make for better.
safer and more progressive commu-
nifty.
One item of the sessions work.
though not strictly local in character
is subject of particular qualification,
the Memorial Bridge. This is a ma
uonal work in which, however, the
District is directly and keenly inter
ested. The inspiration for it came from
Washlngtonians many years ago. In
the final framing of the measure the
District IS to share in the expense in a
degree that remains to be determined.
In addition TO these matters Of larger
moment the Districts Legislature has
attended to many others of a helpful
character. While some bills for which
nope was expressed at the outset Of
the session have not yet and may not
reach the point Of enactment before
the gavel falls. the roster Of local Iegis.
lation is long and impressive. 1t is in
deed, in respect to ACCOMPLISHMENTS
model session of the Capitals com
mon council.
These results have been due to the
dligent labors of members Of the four
committees which have to do with Dis
trict matters, those on appropriations
and those on the District of Columbia.
in the framing Of the appropriation
Dill consideration has been given as
rarely before to the real needs of the
community, whose affairs are intr1lst
ed to Congress by the Constitution.
1 ne District committees have pursued
constructive policy of cooperation
ana consultation to secure a maximum
Of results. An earnest desire to clear
lhe calendars as far as possible of
merltorlous measures for which need
has been demonstrated has prevailed,
and for the results achieved, and those
which are still to come. the District is
profoundly grateful.
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