National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-24
HOW SHALL WE BE GoHERNEDG

HOR SHALL VIZ 6h OO FAuA1DF
Friday morning last we printed On in
teresting interview with ex-Mayor Wallach
upon the subject of the best form Of the
government for the District and this morn
ing we give tbs ideas, in the same shape, Of
Mr.. John B Norris upon the same subject.
The Question Of the best method of gov
eminent for the District is just now attract
ing the attention of many of the outside
Journals, and q the most thoughtful men
In the country, and Is of course Of special
and vital importance to our own citizens
and to every one who meditates making
his home at TIC National Capital For the
information Of those who are not acquainted
with our local politics and history, we de-
sire to say that Mr.. Wallach was mayor of
the city from 1862 to 1868. He is an old
Wing, and has been in no way connected
with the hate government Mr.. Norris,
whose views are given this morning, Is an
old DemocrUt and an opponent Of the late
government He Is g member of the Tax
payers Association, as it is called. and q
member Of the Judiciary committee of that
body.
Mr.. Waliach clings to the past, its tradi-
tons and associations. he is decidedly what
the New York World, in the shibboleth Of
the day, would call 'home-rule man."
Washingtonians should govern Washing
ton is his watchword, and he would go
back to the old municipal system Of gov
ernment throwing certain restrictions
around the suffrage, which he believes
would obviabc some of the difficulties and
remove some Of the dangers to which the
late government was liable. Mr.. Walhch's
plan is q decided improvement upon the
old form, and perhaps upon the late govern
ment; but we doubt that 1t will commend
itself to the approval Of the majority Of our
citizens So far as we have been able to
learn, it is acceptable to q large number;
but the old corporation, whether Justly or
unjustly, is so much associated with decay
and lethargy and inactivity, with cobble-
stones and general pre-Adamite notions and
ideas, that the larger number of our citizens
would be opposed to its restoration. Mr..
Wallach's alusiOn to the halcyon days of
the old mAyorslty, when fraud and corrup-
ton were unknown, when our rulers were
pure as our Potomac water and their reign
the golden age Of the Capital, will provoke
at least smile.
The views of Mr.. Norris herewith pre-
scented, are Of special value at the present
time. Although he does not speak for the
Taxpayers Association, and does not claim
to represent that body in any way, we have
reason TO believe that his ideas upon this
question are pretty generally shared by the
association. II will be seen that he differs
entirely from Mr.. Wallach. He favors a
commission, 70 be appointed by the Presi-
dent and to hold Office for a definite mum
Der of years. He is opposed to all suffrage,
and would ~itle to see the Police Court
abolished, which Is, however, a minor mat
ter. 1t is very doubtful that'the machinery
he would introduce to supply its place
would be an improvement upon the present
system. We have no disposition to criti-
else the plan suggested by Mr.. Norris.
Our main object in printing these inter.
views is to endeGvor to get at the senti-
ments of our representative men upon the
question, pOstpOning criticism and sugges-
ton on our part to another time, and allow
ing our readers to draw their own deduc-
tons. Thus far two plans have been
offered, the one Numerically opposite to the
other. Whatever communications may be
sent US suggestive Of other methods, or dis
cusslng those presented, we shall be happy
to print provided they are of moderate
length. During the coming week we shall
give the views Of other leading citizens upon