Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-01-21
The New Government for the Dis
tricf.


our citizens, for a charge in the mode of gov
tiEnent OF the District, seems now about to be
contaminated By the passage of a bill that sha III
EiEe Us greatly enlarged powers and privileges
aud single and effective government in lace OF
the Eslf dozen jarring Jurisdictions now existing
AZ the District.
But, What Is Of the first importance to us the
HI, as it passed the House yesterday, recos-
LIES for the FIRST time the principle that the
government property should be taxed as private
trorerty is here, ard bear its proportion of the
cost o. improvements that are as much for the
benefit Of government as for the people of the
,ity. The 35th section OF the bill provides that
there 81 all be valuation taken in the District of
columbia OF al property, personal and real, in
ciaCiDs ali real property belonging to the L nited
S'a;ese except the public buildings, but not of per
sonal property CT the United States, in separate
schedules. al least once in two years; the assess
H-eBtC the government property to be made IN
cJr the direction OF the Secretary of the Interior
and upon the basis OF valuation that shall be
adopted in making the assessment of the prop
cry O. Private persons for taxation. The next
section Provides that there shall be appropri,
a-eC each year out OF the Treasury of the
Hsted States the same per csntage upon the
a-s,s,ed value OF the property of the United
safes Within the District o. Columbia a. ether
property holders therein are taxed on their real
and PERSONAL property: the money thus appro-
I-.ated b. the United States TO be applied ex
c.a-iveiy IN tie manner specified in tie acts
making such appropriations.
The Importance OF this feature of the bill IN
securing the Cooperation Of the General GOV
erL-rsu; with the PEOPLE Of Washington in max
irs tie seat OF government what il should be-
same. ue over-estimated. Heretofore the GOV
CE1uent has been unwilling to make its proper
c'@-1 button in the shape OF taxes Or its equiya-
i-nt- because IL had no confidence that it,
money woUld lie properly spent, but under this
IL, with the goEernment duly represented in
tie ai1c inistra;ion Of oar Affairs, it has no hest
tstc2 = agreeing to sustain its full proportion
q. tie expenses Of the District
Ire establishment OF a Board OF PgLiic
Nofsss composed OF men OF ability and int gr;-
.. charged with tie duty OF establishing CON
EteEensiye and Systematic plans Tor al general
Improvements, was apparently deem4da de,ld.
rrA;cn b. tie House; and this feature OF tn
hi 50 lave 10 doubt had much 70 do with tn
disposition eftLat body to a gree 70 paw the pro
P-T PORTION CO the expenditure for such work.
called tor hy the tar urop gcv.Snment property
Ee bill, We have no doubt, will pass I'll
senate without serious opposition. a IL is $ r.
S-.tl ally the bill passed bv the Senste l.,t So
on after IaborioCs consideration b. Mess,
{. tn-lln, sumner, and others of the Senate D..
tr-ct Committee. WHO reportedit unaniaoa>!vtl
- Senate. The House amendments 10 not In
Any sense conflict with the main features of the
Senate bill, but Simply serve to supply some
PROVISIONS that further inquiry into the
Workings of our present homogeneous
4 aaTmoniously aud expensive Jurisdictions OF
Ite tvc cities and the county demonstrated
l" be necessary. Senator HamlIn. who
a chairman OF the Senate District Com
htiee. gave 20 much intelligent labor 70
lie Tork q drafting thi- measure, Character
'fed CIR sntiquated and iarring rule here as ga
"-a1tih mosaic Of Maryland law Con-
s-1ss.cnal Law and municipal Law" and
~. Cock, Chairman OF The House District Com
h--i-ee also, after a like pa ient and thorough
t,.-i-- into our system of law and government,
'ta-a teTized il a. the rost defective in the
p-'eG States, and the House, by the manner in
|l-tA = su-tained Mr. Cooks report aud voted
down all amendments by large majority.
SEcTed a thorough concordance of opinion with
.-.
We EaTtiy need say that the eradication
eFFTessed by ali cla>se. Of our citizens having
S-y rserest in tie prosperity of the District, Is
't2osrdsd over the pasSs,e of this measure yes-
t---aE by the House.