Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-09-09
Our Future Government.

Hc bftcr VI TIC gives no
very positive opinion in regard to the reported
project of the Congressional Committee to vest
the whole municipal administration of the Dis
criet OF Columbia in the Cabinet of the United
States. The matter is discussed in rather a cur
sorry way thus far, but the drift of sentiment
seems to be adverse to the plan. The Spring
field Rspnblteda, however, takes quite decided
ground in opposition to il, and fsvors q return
20 local self government here. AS a contribu-
ton to discussion that Is likely to occupy q
good deal OF attention very shortly, we quote
the material points OF the article in question.
The editor says:
"The American principle Is that the people
are competent 10 settle at the polls every issue
OF local government. Ii Is not 8 fancy prInci-
PIE, or an untried one. lie has stood the test in
cases ten times more diff cult tn an this at Wash
tEgtoD, and has always vindicA ted entire
lance upon IL. New York after submitting for
years to open robbery, ard whining over the in
applicability OF popular government TO large
cities, found at length that she had but to 90 70
the polls 70 liberats berself from the bandits. It
Is the constant and vIgilant exercise OF the suf-
frsge that Will keep these great. fostering COM
munities sheetin their government, and nothing
else will To 90 back on this principle in the
capital of the country, the most conspicuous
con mUIity in the eyes OF foreign Ambassadors,
now AT our centennial epoch, when il will be ad-
EeTtised more than ever, is simply a disgrace
and humiliation, all the more bitter that il is
entirely needless and utterly false in the sense
N which 1t nil be taken by the WORLDS a
confession Of the failure Of popular govern
meIt to deal with common problem Of state
craft.
But this plan iiesin the face of all experience
IN municipal constitutions, equally. We have
now arrived st some pretty well established
principles IN municipal government. Chief
among these principles are: ], that ample and
almost desI OtiC powers should be vested in one
compact body Of men, having undivided con-
uel and subject to the stricteSt responsibility;
?, that this authority should return frequently
10 the people, WHO may, II dissatisfied, commit
70 han ha Ia e.
10 other authority snd to interference from no
other source. All three of these principles
directly violated IN the plan proposed for the
District CT Columbia. Instead of erecting
compact, central msgistrscy, this plan vests
the raising of moneys in one person aud the
spending Of them in another. both acting Inds-
pendently and without unity. These prOcOn-
sCls are without responsibility to the people
most Interested, and cannot be reached by
them, either At the polls or through Congress.
We are well aware that the District is Inhao-
it'd BY a peculiar people. But Washington Is
growing rapidly, while let Us hope that the de-
paTtmeLtsi population Is stationary. Washing
ton will always belong 20 the class of cities that
exist TO be capitals, but IL IS becoming so great
aud so respectable Ia other respects that it may
well be treated hencefOrth upon some other
basis than a. a government baby. Prior 10 the
Shepherd empire, the DIS Tict WAS gov rned for
years in q very slow and conservative way,
though not extensively. It's politics were distin-
guisbec by qGarIeis OF 8 schOOl-dstrIct bitter
ness. We suppose II required revolution TO get
II out OF the Old Tuts and set II on the road 70
and that the new regime has gone as much too
far IL that direction, ~ the old did in the other,
II i rot Improbable that simple municipal gov
eminent might be set up which would work as
vel a. anything. Let the government keep its
HANDS or, mike no more promises, assume NO
more Ge5-s and use the same degree of vigilan q
ard seli-intCTeSt IN looking out for itself that
every other resident interest and ahutter does,
and we venture to say that the problem will he
greatly simpliled. The cabinet at all events
are the last gentlemen to govern the District OF
Columbia. The cabinet have enough to do in
their legitimate duties. We pay them large
salaries 20 a,yise and assist the President Of the
United States, not to run fire departments, ST
cuThlrg ard be public chOTe b)ys for maui
Clp6lities that are Just as capable OF governing
We are"
There are plausible points about the aryu-
neIt here presented, Int the Springfield paper
fails TO note land is perhaps not aware of it, the
exceptional position OF the national city AM its
community, which renders the attempt at self
government here through the b4IIOt-box a
roaring farce-or what would be farce it the
burden brought upon the taxpayers were not
tcO heavy TO be looked upon as a joke. The
elective branch OF our late DiStric. leglsla ture
gives about the net result Of popular govern
ment in Washington. And again, it will be
seen that the Springfield paper industri0u,ly
couples the right Of Suffrage here with the right
to pay all the bills Of running the District. II
wants Congress to 90 keep its hands of, make no
more promises, and assume no more debts for
the District, and says We are able TO govern
ourselves and =" pay the bills" This is rich
ness. Our tax payers are invited TO so to the
polls, and for the privilege Of getting immensely
out-vOted there, are to be required to pay the
bills for paving government property, and
keeping tie city severed, cleaned and sslu.
bTious fer the benefit of the national govern
ment. Is it strange that the solid men OF Wash
iDgtOn don't care about taking any suffrage in
heirs?
In any city in the country except Washing
ton-SpriBgfeld, Tor instsnce-the right Of SUI
frage means something. 1t means the right to
vote for governor, congressmel, state AMI
county officers, and municipal officers. In
Washington the ballot is a childish toy, with
which the voters play at elect:ng Officers who
have no real powers. Congress has the supreme
power over the seat OF government, az il should
have, and that power if cannot delegate, if 1t
would.