New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-30
DISTRICT AFFAIRS.

DlSlkICI AFFAIR
VARIOUS SCHEMES OF GOVERNMENT SUBMITTED TO
CONGREss-TAXATION A SERIOUS QUESTION.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TgIBUSE.l
WASHINGTON JAN 29.-The District of Columbia
has been governed by sort OF ad interim commits
sion since the goth Of June, 1874, the date on
which the territorial government presided over by
Mr.. Shepherd was abolished. The appointment OF
commission of three at that time was considered
simply as a temporary cxpedient and it was
supposed that Congress, at its next ses-
sion, would devise some permanent form OF
government to lake its place In order to facili-
tate this joint select committee was appointed,
consisting Of two Senators and two Representatives
whose duty it to prepare the plan Of suitable
form of government for the District and to report
it 10 Congress at the next session. They were also
required to prepare and submit to Congress state
ment of the proper proportions of the expenses OF
the District, including interest on the funded debt
which should be borne by the District and the
United States respectively together with tho rea-
sons upon which their conclusions were based.
In the discharge of the duty imposed upon this
committee it was authorized to employ such assist
ance as might become necessary. and an appropria-
ton of So 600 to pay for such assistance was also
made In pursuance of this authority the joint
committee employed Mr.. DOrman b. Eaton, of New
York, who prepared a form of government for the
District, which adopted and submitted To Con-
gress ut the next session and has been pending in
both Houses during each subsequent session to the
present time.
The expenses OF the District of Columbia,
especially oil account of interest its public debt
are now so great that il will be impossible 10 meet
them by ordinary taxation upon private property
and an attempt will be made during the present
Winter not only to establish permanent form OF
Government in the District, but also definitely to
fix the proportions which the District and the Uni
ted states Government shall bear of the annual eX
penses.
One proposition, and the one which seems to meet
with the most favor Is that the annual eXpcndi-
lures of the District shall be fixed by Congress in
one of the regular Appropriation bills, ana be
based upon estimates submitted through the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury. OF these expenses If - pro-
posed that the United States Government shall pay
One-half and that the remaining half shall be raised
by taxation on the private property IN the District,
Other plans contemplating the election OF COmmis-
siOners BY the House of Representatives, and taking
the control of District affairs in other respects out of
the hands of the Executive Department OF the
United States Government, have been proposed (;
but while they may meet with favor III the House,
they Will undoubtedly be rejected by the Senate.
Ex-Governor Claim, OF Massachusetts moved, to-
diy, in the House Committee on the District OF
Columbia, TO provide for the election Of council to
exercise legislative functions In the District. The
vote stood to on this proposition. The last OK
perience of the District with sclf-gOycIuMCnt was
not such as to make those who witnessed II think
faV0rably for a repetition of the experiment. y
large majority of the best citizens Of the District
are strongly opposed TO the restoration OF suffrage