National Republican., 1876-12-28
The New District Government Bill.

The bill from the Joint select commission to pre-
pare q form of government for the District Of Co.
lumbia was reported to the House Of Representa-
tives by Mr.. Hunton, Of Virginia, and made the
special order for Thursday OF next week, and
from day to day till disposed Of, occupying the
time after the morning hour. The general
features Of the BILL which is quite lengthy, have
heen given to the readers OF THE REPUBLICAN,
in its eT orts from time to time Of the proceedings
of the 20 nmission. The bill is
ACCOMPANIED BY A REPORT,
IN which the commissioners state that, keeping
in view all the experiments which have been
years, they were Of opinion that the best mode Of
exercising that jurisdiction OF Congress over this
Territory which was assumed under the pro.
February 27 1901, is by the creation Of corpora
tion in the nature Of municipality, consisting Of
ths II 20 nnSsr N
laws, and subject to the direct influence and con-
troll Of Congress-
1t has been the purpose Of the committee to
condense in as few words as possible the act be-
slowing these powers, bearing In mind the failure
of the various measures heretofore proposed, and
recognising that the cause Of such failure was
generally owing to the wide range Of alteration
and amendment in detail which the propositions
confne It's suggestions as closely as possible to the
fundamental mode Of local government for the
District, leaving It to the wisdom Of Congress in
the future to devise special remedies for particu
lar defects in the laws now in force here.
THE MODE OF FEH-APPoINTMESr
of the commissioners Is deemed to be the most
certain to secure non partisan selections, and as
most proper in dividing the responsibility Of ap-
pointment between the Legislative and execu-
tive departments, as the corporation is to be the
instrument to execute the will Of these depart
ments In their legislation for the District. Some
objections are made to the mode Of appointing as
conflicting with the I'd section Of article Of the
Constitution but the committee is satisfied that
this mode is not open to such criticism.
The suhiarf dfScusaad f1llv m haha1f
of the citizens by Hon. X. T. Merrick, whose
views the committee approved, and deem it Just
to incorporate herein.
(Mr. Merrick's views, as printed in The Re-
PUBLICAN when delivered, are inserted as Q part
Of the report.)
The report continues: Your committee has
been convinced that It is
THE DUTY OF CONGRESS
70 make regular annual appropriations towards
the expenses OF the District government, and for a
careful examination Of the estimeted value OF the
property owned by the United States and that
belonging to private persons and corporations.
The committee considers the fair proportional
part thereof which the General Government
should bear TO be not less than forty per cent,
and the remaining sixty per cent. should be real.
In the bill reported from the committee are
designed to secure economy In the annual ex-
pense by the abolition Of unnecessary ofhces and
by the reduction of force employed; TO secure the
moneys collected by taxation; to make certain
the prompt payment Of the interest on the 3.65
bonds and 10 bring before Congress annually an
exhibit of the financial affairs Of the District and
estimates of the probable needs Of the local gov
ernment for the ensuing year.