National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-09-19

who have noreal estate at all. and who are
therefore supposed to be Indifferent to the
interests Of the property holding class.
Another portion Of our people Is opposed to
the suffrage because they do not want the
negroes to vote; and a third division op;
poses the Suffrage upon what they call con-
sntutional g1onnds-that It was never il
tended that there should be voting IN the
District of Columbia. Home-rule men, to
use 4 phrase Of the day. would like to 60
back to the old municipal form, because, IN
their opinion, it viii give the citizens Of the
Capital an opportunity to manage their own
affairs in their own way. The objection to
ii, however, was and is that it is difficult
under il to provide for the performances OF
those duties which the General Govern
ment owes the city. and must Of necessity
create a sort Of double.headed government
-ons responsible 70 the citizens and the
other to. Congress or the Administra-
ton. The late territorial form had
the merit of providing for that very oontin-
geney, and came nearer to meeting the re
lquirements Of the situation than anything
we have had since the foundation of the
city. But the trouble was that Il was un
wieldy and Too expensive Under It power
was unequally distributed, and too much
latitude was allowed the Executive. But
that It was total failure, as its enemies as
sert, is by no means true. It accomplished
more in two years than had been done in
all the seventy years Of the city's existence.
It made Washington the best-payed and
drained city in the Union, if not in the
world. We have paid, or shall be com
PEELED to pay, pretty dearly for it, but after
all not more 50 than other cities where sim
liar stupendOus improvements have been
made. Besides when the accounts between
the city and the General Government are
adjusted it will be found that we are very
far from being the ruined and bankrupt
community that we are represented to be,
and that many of our own citizens are sed-
ulously endeavoring to represent to the
outside world.
The plan of the committee of Congress
to give the different Departments of the
Federal Government entire charge Of the
city does not seem to meet with much
favor. The objection is urged against it
that it would place in the hands of gentle
men who have no interest in the city, who
vote and have their residences elsewhere,
the sole Jurisdiction over our affairs. Il is
contended that the District is too large, and
its interests too vast and complicated TO be
entrusted to the keeping Of subordinate
officials from Pennsylvania, South Caro-
lima or Massachusetts, as would inevitably
be the case. The theory is an excellent
one, but in practice it would be found in
efficient, complicated and unsatisfactory.
Running to the engineer bureau for per-
NIT to tap water main, and to the Interior
Department for license, and so forth,
would in the end lead to more dissatisAc-
ton and disgust than have ever existed
here, and create universal demand for
another change before twelvemonth-
Government officials-we mean the Cen
eral Government-are not remarkable for
either politeness or afability. OF course
there are exceptions, but the former is the
rule. Again, work In the Departments is
more frequently behind than ahead Of time,
owing to the fits and starts Of Congress
sional economy, and it is only natural to
expect thatwhat is true of the general bust
ness of the country would be also true Of
the special business Of the city.
InWhstever form of government Is framed
for the city now, the future growth and i'm
pOTtancs of the city should be taken into
consideration. In less than twenty years we
have more than doubled our population
grown from mere hamlet, dignihed with
the name of the capital, to be one Of the
handsomest cities in the country, and en-
tirely worthy Of our position in the Union.
We are, in point Of population, the twelfth
city in the Union, Of no insignificant trade,
and growing more and more every year.
Any form Of government in which the pos
sibilities of the future are not considered
viii, in the very nature Of things, be q
failure, and require another modification in
a short time. But the principal danger Of
all is that we shall be leff in the present
condition of affairs much longer than we
think The next session of Congress viii
not last longer than six or eight weeks,
and it viii be in the power of any one Of
the factions to defeatany scheme Of govern
ment which does not meet their appreciation.
The result will be continuance of the
doubt and uncertainty to which we have
been subjected during thepa nine months,
the arrest of immigration and Of the work
Of improvement. 1t seems to US that those
directly interested in the prosperity Of the
city should, before Congress meets, en-
deavor to come to some understanding upon
the subject. and work together to secure
the passage before the 4th Of next March
of whatever measure may be deemed most
advisable and best calculated to secure the
ends in view. Jetus have united counsels,
peace and reconstruction.