Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-18
The New District Government.

viding for form OF government tor the Dis
trict OF Columbia. 1t will be RENE mbered that
near the close OF the last session JOINT special
committee, consisting OF Senators Morrill,, OF
Maine, and Hamilton, OF Mar yland, on the part
of the Senate. and Mr.. Geo r. Hosr, OF MaSsa-
chusetts, and Nh. Alexander Mitchell, OF Wi-cou-
sin, on the part of the House, was appointed 20
take the matter under consideration. This com
mittee have had two or three meetings during
the summer, and Will have full mtetIDg tJt
hnal a0yisement and report prior 10 the Goa
venipg OF Congress less than three weeks Aencs.
AZ INC meetings previously held it was de l;eJ
10 not only pres lat we'll mstuFsd bill fer TIE
government OF the District, but ia RdIiGoa de
tine tie
TRUE RELATIONS OF THE GENERAL GOVERN
MEHT TO TEE DISTRICT.
Both this duty and that of preparing the bill
have been entrusted TO Senator Morrill,, " hO /,
now here, snd has teeu for several dsys en-
gagged in the work. Mr. Morrill,, In bis lahars
has secured the cooperative services OF DoTman
b. Eaton, OF the Civil service commission, said
to be al expert, aud 20 whom is delegated the
task OF drawing the minute details OF the bill,
but upon the general recommendations sug-
gesttd by MIR. Morrill,. 1t is expected that MI.
Eaton Will finish Lis labOTs in this respect
AS EARLV AS MKT FRIDAY.
When this shall have been accomplished cali
will he made for a full meeting of the commit
tee to consider, amend revise and adopt. 1t
highly probable that within the next ten days
ali the members OF the joint special committee
Several statements have been printed iu various
newspapers purporting to fOTeshadow the forth
coming bill. MIR. Morrill, yesterday informed
representative Of The STAR that he had read
these several paragraphs, but at the same time
lie would neither affirm or deny their truthIui-
ness. In reply TO an interrogatOry upon
TRE SUBJECT OF sUFFRAGE,
he also declined to give any information as to
whether or not the bill will provide for its ex-
ercise.
Z &c can
mi tDGt he does not favor an elective govern
Eent tor the District, aud takes tie ground
mat congress has no constitutional rig ut To
delegate its legislative functions over the Dis
uIct, and that he seriously doubts whether the
acts OF either the legislature the councils pre-
Cedirg 1t would hold good il an issue was rae "a
mere I Ghder and appealed to the supreme Court
FOR THIS reason II would appear that il * safe
10 pfedict that tae District government pro
posed by the new bin VIII not be elective
Mr.. Morrill, stated TO the representative or
1HE STAR that his views with reference to q
goverLment ter this District ante-dated as Tar
back as 1867, aud thst with the past experience
LIE saW no reason st the present time TO make
any cuahge IN respect Thereto. In view OF iAis
iact, We present the essential features OF the
plIl introduced IN tie Senate by him at that
time:
THR REECUTIvE BRANCH.
II provides ter the appointment by the Presi-
dent, by and with the consent of the Senate, OF
three commissioners, private secretary TO tic
President for the District Of Columbia q zsIic-
itor, an assessor Of taxes, collector of taxes
treasurer, controller Of the tre asury, an engi-
neeT or surveyor, superintendent of police, ~.
leIlntenoent OF weights and measures, A super
lnteDdent OF streets and highways, the chiet
engineer or the tire department and saperia-
tendent OF the water department. All Jhess
of1ceTs TO hold for the term Of four year, Al
the other executive officers are to be appointed
by the commissioners, to hold their office dur
ing the FleGsure or the commissioners. II l.
required that the commissioners shall be over
- years OF age and citizens of the United
States, domiciled in the District OF Columbia:
the solicitor must be q member of the bar al
the SuIItme Court and OF the Supreme Couri
OF the District The assessor, collector, treas
urer, controller, and eng neer or surveyor uu-.
De ciilZens or the United States, dOmicilef ~
ihe District. TIE medical members OF th-
bosfd OF health nust be physicians, who nav.
ErhCjIseu at lo asst one year in the District In,
snpe1lhi endent of weights and measures mus
be citizen OF the United States az !es.t -
yeafs OF age, aid must, before he can he ar
pom ed, produce certificate Of his ca1I-,a
tency from the superintendent OF the Cajtea
States coast survey. The board of police is Z,
CONSIST Of the three commissioners. OF three c;t-
iZens OF the city of Washington, one citizen ~
Ine cry OF U eoI getoWn, and citizen of t',e
10 DC aIIolEted to, or hold Office IN, the pol c-
force, or be superintendent OF police, who can
n0t tad ana write the English language, or
who Is not citizen of the United States o. who
thali ever have been indicted and convicted o.
crime, and who shall not have tie Gua1ieca-
tIops nTescribed or adopted by the commission
ways must be citizen of the United States
dOmclled in the District. The chief enpinpe-
OF the IRE department and the ire engine foe
men ana engineers must be domIciled in tie
District ana be practical and skiliful engineers
THE SALARIES OF OFFICERS.
The following salaries are provided:-COm
missioDers, =, 500 each; private secretary = 600.
attorney and marshal, each Sc COO; assessor OF
taxes . ,O10; collector, one-half OF one per cent
upon the amount collected; treasurer, Sis y.
~.~as. a
OF weights and measures, 81 500; officers aud
me nbers of the police force, the compensation
low allowed by existing laws superintendent oi
streets snd highways, 81 900; officers and men OF
tbe hre department, the compensation now a
lowed by existing laws. The bill details with
mlnutia the several duties and powers Of the
several appolntiye officers, and iXes their Jnis.
THE REVENUES AND TAXES.
For the purpose of creating q revenue, il pro-
vides for the taxation of both real and persona
property, Losses in action, successious and leg
acies from licenses, exhibitions, &c, and ex-
empts government property and ali property
oThtd by the District, churches and houses OF
religious worship.
OF course, While many OF the features of the
spoNe Dill may DC incorporated in the one to be
pesehiea 10 Congress at this session, there are
lso7l which will have 10 be provided for.
FUTURE TAXATION.
1t is understood that ou the question of tax
alton the committee will recommend au sssess-
ment of one and one half per cent. on all reai
properly, and that Congress, each year is 70
appropriate sum equal to the amount thus
raised for the governments proportion of ths
expenses. This, II is deemed, will create a suf-
fclent revenue to meet Bll the current obIig2-
tions OF the District, and, in addition. pay it,
outstanding Indebtedness and interest thereon /
TIE SUNKEN STEAMER LoUIsIANA-The
wreckers have commenced their operations IN
eDdeavoring TO raise the wreck of the steamer L
Louisiana, and should the weather prove favor
able, gu ccess is anticipated very soon. The Il
board OF United States inspectors of steam yes
sells for Baltimore, Messrs. VIM. Q. Sayiile and L
y as. ID. Lowry, are investigating the causes of 4
the dis aster, and yesterday a number of Wit
nesses were examined who were on the steam Il
ers Falcon and Louisiana at the time OF the Il
collision.
u