Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-06-09
The Proposed New District Govern
Henf.

Elsewhere in TIE STAR will be found the
full text Of the bill reported to-day by the Joint
Committee Of Investigation for a new govern
ment for the District, or rather for An cd in
teriH government until Congress shall provide
permanent form. II wipes out the Governor
ship, Board of Public Works, Legislative As
sembly, and Delegate to Congress, but excerpts
the term Of Office of the present delegate. Ii
authorizes the President to appoint three CON-
miseiOners ito be confirmed by the Senate) TO
perform the duties now performed by the Gov
ernOT and Board OF Public Works; but they are
restricted from making contracts or mourning
any obligation other than may be necessary TO
the execution Of existing legal obligations and
contracts, and the protection or preservation OF
improvements existing or commenced. The
commissioners are authorized to abolish any Of
fee, TedCce the number OF employees, or make
appointments; and the compensation of all en-
plOyes. except school teachers, ere reduced
twenty Ter cent. An army engineer officer ap-
pointed BY the President is to perform the du-
ties heretofore CevOlved upon the engineer OF
the Board o. Public Works. The rate of t,xa-
ton EpoE real estate in Washington is Fixed ut
IS on the hundred; in Georgetown, $3.50; in
the county, 50.
A joint committee Of two Senators and two
Representatives, appointed by the presiding
officers Of the two Houses, are 70 prepare suit
able permanent frame of government for the
District, and report on the first day of the next
session CT Congress. They are also to prepare
ard submit 70 Congress a statement of the
proper proportion OF the expenses of said gov
eminent, including interest on its funded debt.
which should be borne by said District and the
United States respectively. The First and Sec
end COmPtrollers Of the Treasury are cOnstitu-
ted board OF audit, to examine and aulit tie
debt OF the District. The Sinking Fund Com
missiOners Of the District are authorized u
issue bonds in sums OF $50 and $500, parable
hfty years after date, and bearing interest at
the rate VI o65-i0O, payable semi-annually, ex-
empt from taxation, and guaranteed by the
United States TO the extent specified in the bill;
and the Sinking Fund Commissioners are au-
thorized TO exchange these bonds at par for
like sums of any class OF Indebtedness named In
the preceding section of the act, including
sewer taxes or assessments paid. No further
certificates of indebtedness under the sewer act
are 20 he issued. The preceding act of the
Legislative Assembly, OF June 10th, 1872, is
ratified, but none OF the bonds authorized By
the act, remaining uEsold, shall be negotiated
Ct less than par.
The Tin shows marks Of haste in preparation
and viii need considerable revision by Con-
gTess, Int the features in the main will, we
think, lie acceptable 70 the people OF the Dis
uict. The rate of taxation for Washington
. Per EunCred-seems unreasOnably high es-
pecialiy If government is 70 assume its fair pro-
portion CT expenses, and further in view of the
fact that II is proposed to fund the District in
tebtedneSs in fifty years bonds at a low rate of
interest. As there is, however, no provision
enforcing payment of taxes, or encouraging
prompt ay mert by the premium usually given
IN the way OF per centsge deducted, 1t would
seem to b left optional with the Taxpayers to
pay CT Lot.
The reduction Of twenty per cent. on salaries
VIII strike the victims a. rather hard but they
viii have the prospect of being paid in some
thing more valuable than certificates.
Other POINTS claim attention, but we have not
space 70 ceal with them 20 DAY.