The New York herald., 1871-01-21

Ceuoress Xostorday-A Territorial G0vorn-
mcnt for Washinston-Wonan Suffrage
Deieated-Ths Ku Klux Comnittee-Ths
Iscone Tax.
The House Of Representatives was engaged
yesterday in the consideration Of business re-
lating to the District of Columbia. The only
very important measure was bill, which had
already passed the Senate, to organize sort
Of Territorial government for the District.
rations Of Washington and Georgetown and
substitutes for them Governor and Legisla-
tive Assembly. The Governor is to be ap-
pointed by the President and to hold his Office
for four years. The Legislative Assembly is
to be composed of q council, consisting Of
eleven members, to be also appointed by the
President, and House of Delegates, consist
ing Of twenty -four members, to be elected by
the voters. The District is also to have dele
gate in Congress. The great objection made
to the bill was-and, strangely enough, 1t
came from the republican side Of the house
that 1t was an attack upon the great American
principle of popular representation, and
that the Governor and members of the Council
should be elective officers and, still more
strangely, 1t was democratic member from
this city, Mr.. Fernando Wood, who defended
the principle Of the bin, and contended that it
was for the interests of the District that the
selection of It's Governor should not be left In
the hands of the voters, but should be entrusted
to the President, who would be responsible to
the whole people of the United States for the
proper exercise Of that power. Mr.. Woods
position, however correct 1t may be In prac-
tical, common sense view Of the matter, does
not exactly square with the democratic princi-
pies expounded in Tammany Hail. and we
must congratulate him on the progress he has
made in the problem Of municipal reform. To
be sure he does not admit that the same prin-
ciple should apply to this city. He thinks
there is no analogy between the two cases.
We are not so sure, however, that 1t might not
be applied with advantage even here. A sys-
tenn Of municipal government which practi-
cally takes the control of affairs out of the
hands of the taxpayers and gives it to those
who, owning no property, have really no
interest in the financial affairs of the
city, is one which cannot be defended. The
Prussian system in operation in Berlin appears
to be one that reconciles the interests Of the
taxpayers with the political rights Of the
general public. There the municipal body is
divided into three equal parts. One-third is
elected by taxpayers paying more than GER
tain amount of yearly tax on their city pro-
perty; another third is chosen by the tax
payers paying the next highest amount of
taxes, and the other third is chosen by all the
small taxpayers and voters generally. The
body thus constituted, and thus representing
all classes of the population, chooses the
Mayor and his deputy, the School Commits
sioners, the Commissioners Of Public Works,
the law officers and all the other officers of the
municipality. Such plan as that might be
introduced with great advantage in our afro
ciously misgsverned cities, that are now plum
deEcd under our much vaunted democratic
system.
In connection with the bill for the new gov
ernment of Washington the question of
woman's suffrage came up, and had square
vote, on a proposition offered by Mr.. Julian,
Of Indiana, to strike out the word ''male" in
connection with the qualification of voters.
Mrs. Victoria Woodruff was in the Capitol,
encouraging and urging on the supporters of
woman suffrage, and almost irrepressible in
her efforts to get on the floor bodily but this
time, at least, the movement was defeated
The woman suffrage amendment was defeated
by III against SO, and thus the city of Wash
ington is saved from this experimental abomi-
nation. 1t should be said, to the credit of the
democratic members that not single one of
them voted for the proposition. The bill for
the new government of Washington was then
passed.
In the Senate there was discussion on the
subject of the Sutro Tunnel bill, which pro-
poses to pay out Of the Treasury fifty thousand
dollars for every five hundred feet completed,
and on the bill to refund to the States the
interest and discount paid by them on money
borrowed for the purpose Of raising, equip
ping and forwarding troops during the war !;
but both bills were laid aside without action
Another aspirant to represent Georgia in the
Senate-Mr Foster Blodgett-had his Gre
dentials presented and referred. A resolu-
tion for the appointment Of select COM
mittee on telegraph legislation was introduced,
and is to be voted on next Monday. The new
Ku Klux committee was appointed, in the
persons of Senators Scott, of Pennsylvania !;
Wilson, Of Massachusetts, Rice, of Arkan-
sas; Chandler, of Michigan, and Bayard,
of Delaware. Finally, bill for the
repeal Of the income tax was made, by the
encouraging vote Of thirty-two to twelve, the
special order for Tuesday next. After that
sensible vote the Senate adjourned till Mon
day, but few members of the House will go
up to the Capitol to-day and 60 through the
5.oory "a ROO of readinU essaya tn ono another