Evening star., 1927-11-27
SENATORS STUDY
DISTRICT AFFAIRS
Local Problems Interest
Lawmakers on Eve of
Congress Opening.

With the opening of Congress only
week off. there were signs at the
Capitol yesterday that members of the
Senate District committee are getting
ready for the consideration of local
rrohlems that are likely to he under
discussion during the session.
Senator Capper chairman OF the
committee. told of Il conference ne
had with Commissioners Doug "
and Taliafcrro. at which they dis
cus$cd briefly and informally ne
status of fiscal relations between the
United States and District Govern
ments. the relocation of the Farm
crs Market and "a bill presented by
the city heads in the last Congress 10
authorize settlement of certain claims
growing out of the building of the
railroad tunnel under First street
northeast some years ago.
At the same time Senator KING OF
Utah. ranking Democrat on the DIS
trict committee. announced that he
would get IN touch With the Commls-
siune"s tomorrow to find out what
they have in mind on the question Of
street railway merger
King Believes in Merger.
Senator King said he intends to
analyZe the details of the three sep
arate plans for consolidation that have
been completed. and indicated that ne
had some ideas of his own concerning
merger leg station. He was no: ready
10 express his opinions. beyond saving
that he thought the time had arrived
when merger should be brought
about" senator King indicated he
might discuss the merger question in
hn ha tiI
the local officials.
Senator Capper in his talk with
the Commissioners told them of his
desire to see the transportation faclli-
ties of the city consolidated. Com
mssioners Dougherty and Taliaferro
are not members of the new Public
Utilities Commission created by the
last Congress. but they advised Sena'
tor Capper that they understood the
utilities beard was giving careful at
tention to the merger question.
Senator Capper said that when
Commissioners Dougherty and Talla-
ferro visited him they made known
their interest in the movement TO
obtain a more equitable basis for
sharing the cost of maintaining the
National Capital between the Federal
and District Governments. They IN
that a burden was being placed upon
local taxpayers by the present ar
and that the requirements
of the city during the next year or
two would be heavy.
Farmers Market.
For four years Congress has been
departing from the 60-40 law by ap-
propriatinc a lump sum of $9,O00,0O0
annually as the Federal Government
share of the local appropriation bill.
As the total of the appropriation bill
has gone up. the $9,000,000 lump sum
has come to represent much smaller
proportion than 40 per cent. Upon
his return to the city last Monday
Senator Capper made known his will
ingness to see Congress adopt more
liberal basis of meeting the cost OF
maintaining the Capital.
The Commissioners told Senator
Capper that with regard to the
Farmers Market which must vacata
the present location as soon as pos
sible TO make way for the new In
ternal Revenue Building. they would
he ready by December Is to make a
report to Congress. They have taken
voluminous testimony on the merits
of the various new locations sug.
gested, and this data is being studied
by Assistant Engineer Commissioner
Covell.
They called his attention, Senator
Capper said. to the bill to authorize
a settlement of the claims relating TO
the railroad tunnel under First street,
which passed the Senate last March.
but did not get through all stages
of enactment. 1t would have to be
reintroduced in the new Congress.
The claims of the District involve the
repairing of the street above the
tunnel, and are pending in the Dis
trict Supreme Court.
Vacancies on Committee.
The Senate District committee is
not expected to hold any meetings
until after Congress convenes and
definite proposed measures have been
introduced. There are two vacant
seats on the committee to be filled
when the Senate convenes, the terms
of Senators Weller of Maryland and
Harreld of Oklahoma having expired
last March.