National Republican., 1878-01-26

our community is as capable and worthy as
any Of equal numbers in the land, and that,
appreciating the fact that they are the
wards of the nation, they are not likely to
prove recreant to any confidence that may
be reposcd either in their intelligence or
patriotism.
Why, let us here ask should our District
be an asylum for broken-down politicians /?
Driven out of Office by their own people, as
last resort they flock here and are rewarded
for incapacity, or worse, with positions of
power, trust, and emolumcnt among people
who are unknown to them, and by whom
they are only known as rejected nspirants
for official honors at home. Let Congress,
If II will, take what representation IL wants |;
but in the name of justice let us also have,
through an expression at the polls a fair
proportion in the local government under
which it Is proposed we shall live.
1t must be admitted, we think, that the
District of Columbia for its proper govern
ment, needs not only an executive, but also
legislative body, of limited numbers, to
establish such necdful ordinances as are de-
manded by the wants of large and grow
ing city. Tho existing government and
that proposed in the HENDEE bill are
clothed with no such powers, and thus our
affairs will continue to be administered
under corporation ordinances, many of
which have become obsolete, and assembly
laws around which hang many grave
doubts Of legality. If VIC are to have an
other form of government, let IL be as per-
feet as the legislative wisdom of the nation
can make it. Then we will no longer be
tortured with experiments and then will
the question cease 70 be asked, why, If Con-
gress is capable of governing the millions
scattered over our widely-cxtended land, it
has not proved equal to the task of properly
governing the District of Columbia, over
which it possesses exclusive jurisdiction.
Among the provisions of the HENDEE bill
is one which requires that forty per cent. of
the expenses of the District shall be paid
by Congress, the remaining sixty per
cent. to he paid by our people. As the prop
crty held here by the Government is fully
equal in value to that owned by the citi-
zens, II seems only just that at least one
half the expenses of the District should be
paid by the United States
In abolishing the Sinking Fund Commits
sioners, the Board of Health the Fire Com
missioners, the Police Board, and the Schoo,
Trustees, the bill, it strikes us, does not
make provision for the proper management
Of these very important branches of the pub
lie service. Section 49, however, provides
that it shall be the duty of the said Com
Anissioners to report to Congress at the next
session succeeding their appointment q
draft of such additional laws, or amend
ments to existing laws, as seem to be needed
for the harmonious working of the system
hereby adopted, and for the cficctual and
proper government CT the District of Co.
lumbia.' The delay, however, which al
ways attends the consideration in Congress
OF District matters does not afford much
hope of any benefit to be derived under the
provisions Of this section.
Having thus discussed the HENDEE bill,
let us express the hope that an effort will
he made to amend it by cnlarging the num-
Der of Commissioners, and providing that n
fair proportion of them shall be elected by
the people of the District also, by permit
ting us to elect Delegate to Congress,
through whose voice we can be heard in the
halls of legislation. Anything less than
this will be a mockery and farce. Surely,
after having patiently waited four long
years, some measure should be specdily de-
tcrmncd upon by the sensible men and
good lawyers Of the District Committees of
the two Houses, which will meet the appro-
val of Congress, and at the same time give us
what we all earnestly dcsire-a form of gov
crnmcnt for the District OF Columbia which
will protect and preserve the rights and in
tcrcsts Of its residents and enable them to
fulfill every obligation which patriotism
may require.