Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-03-29
THE EVENING STAR.


Mr. Brentano said he felt bound to oppose
many OF the provisions of the bill His aim
would be TO get for the District of Columbis
such government as would be non partisan
In It's character. But ii was proposed i'm this
bin 10 place the government OF the District i'm
the hands of three commissioners, one to be
elected by the Senate. one to be elected by the
House of Representatives, and the third to be
an offlcer OF the engineer corps. to be detailed
by the President He had grave constitu.
ii9nal doubts whether Congress could thus
the hands of the executive. But even
II there were no constitutional Scruple,
me oGT1aed the eSPediency Of vesting these
OF theSe ofncerS should be kept as far away
from congress as possible The requirement
that the President should detail an army officer
was an Arrangement of the authority OF the
executive, who had, under the constitution
right to appoint from any class or walk of life
ne excepted to that clause also which required
| in the District of Columbia The lereih of
residence for any executive was not required
oS any state: Inc utmost limit seven years,
three years, and he saw no good reason why
the District OF Columbia should be made an
e excepdS IL looked to him like purpose TO
| the District. Since the incumbency of the
Presidential office by President Hayes he had
person of Mr.. T. b. Bryan. Mr.. BRYAN had
not been a resident of the District for ann
great length of time. He had made an honest.
law man like Mr.. Bryan would be excluded
from the office, although his integrity was un-
| doubted: These were his principal objections
| to the bill.
Mr. Cox (Ohio) thought that great care
| should be exercised by Congress in framing
any bill for the municipal government OF
washington. He was one of those who believed
| that the government by commission was a the
| time it was made necessity. but a necessity
| that grew out of the results of the war During
| the war Washington was fortified camp. Ii
lon Ofrnr. f.Nr oil
escape from Virginia and elsewhere, and a
refuge also for temporary residents of the
other race who came here for various causes
| floating population. Many of these people
were dependent upon the rations of the gov
ernment or Tor such aid as they could receive
from the citizens. Under these circumstances
| the problem of safe government for the people
was no easy one to determine. But now that
peace has returned again we should estab-
| fish government that would be permanent
| in its form. The problem of establishing a
municipality is always difficult one and our
| legislation here will be criticised to determine
whether Congress can in its wisdom establish
such municipality as would serve as an
| example for cities North and South and pre-
serve the ideas of popular government. The
country VIII learn from our legislation here
| what congress regards as proper municipal
government.
| MIR. Mayham inquired whether the gentle
man did not recognize the fact that Washing
ton was In such position as no other city
was in, and whether Congress did not have
| exclusive jurisdiction over il to legislate
| for it?
Mr.. Cox replied that Congress had the same
| relation to Washington as the legislature of
| New York had to New York city The legis
a ant legislated generally for New York, and
| Mr.: Mayham doubted whether Congress
| could delegate to municipality here any
tights with which it was specially invested by
Mr. Cox believed that Congress could dele
gate It's powers. But here we should propose
| something which would show what is the wis
| dom OF Congress in regard to municipal gov
eminent We are preparing a plan which
| will be examined into. If we pass such bill
as this we will be held justly responsible for
Mr. Buckner said he understood the gentle
man to say that government by commission
ers grew out of the war. He wanted to remind
the gentleman that the commissioners were
| not appointed till long after the war
MIR. Cox said it nevertheless grew out of the
| war, and as late as 1874 a sort of provisional
give TO opportunity to try the experiment Of
| proper, permanent municipal government
1t was stIll of provisional character. .
ionabe ei He had s Mg much nus obas
man in the officers of the arp ,ence as an,
men, and were mortal, ap' by ~: But they wer;
an amy ofheer 1t wss not Gus ause man wa
bsd cHUiGep NC of administration He
their honor and integrity baf Officers, in
CIVIL o1fces they were as apt as otbers ~ II
osr, UScauSS eney were not accustomed to civi
atiaar IS "a According to this bill this
ION Whatever made for his removal THIS ot,i
ger m0ul9 Tor the time being be the autocrat of
1ne nlSsrct: With regard to the election of
cOnStltutionality of the act He Objected also
10 the Ten years residence clause Ten wears
Sg1 WaSshln ~ was petty village compared
in the city had been erected since that tims
Handsome residences now stood on what were
men men mere mel country lots. The new market
ern capital, and yet this bill would exclude the
| men who had made these changes
q, Mr. Hunton, referring to Mr.. COx's remark
shat Nv was unconstitutional for Congress to
Iact that that whole subject had been careful.
| ~ inquired into by a special committee eff Con
gresS, and that after full study they had
right. ""' ''''''
MI Cox had read the report. and he con-
tenqed tnat IL It's arguments were carried out
to the limit it would tend to revOlutiOnize our
| whole system. If Congress could elect Officers
| In this case II could do ii i'm others where the
appointment is vested in the executive.
oo mr; GoH T also argued against the proposed
council. The restriction upon it was mere
sham. III was only preserving the shadow of a
| popular municipality. The council would have
no au III except OF veto power. In the
| case OF proposition TO pave a street they
would have nothing to do but to sit down and
Wat tQf 9ld from some contractor before
| permitting the WORK 50 90 OH
| MI Hunton said the bill provided that not
| Stfeet should be paved or a contract made
| until after itemiZed statements had been nre
sented and the approval of Congress had been
| obtained. N WV"
Mr.: Cox replied that gentlemen knew very
| wen that Congress would not give its attention
| 10 theSe little matters of detail. He objected
| also, TO The Limitation as to who shOnId he
| voters: three years residence was too long
| requirement Referring again to the army
officer to he detailed, he argued that the engf.
neeT commissioned would be the autOcrat. He
made all the plans, &c, and he was ALWAYS to
De one OF the majority of the commissioners to
determlne any question Then. again. rG0uir
ing the council to serve without paw is hut en-
larglng the invitation to temptation. He i'm.
sisted That the bill was getting away from ideas
OF popular government Here is chance for
congress to experiment for model municinsi
government which would be accepted as an
example. The District should be made. as il
were, model farm, and If Congress cannot get
nearer TO popular government than this Bill
proposes II had better quit. We must grapple
sguarely with this question. and determine
what shall be a proper form of municipal gov
eminent for this District. e'
MI Clafin believed that the committee
wanted to give Washington a non partisan
government. They had labOred for thjs and
with this end i'm view the bill had been care
fully prepared. In 1874 Congress, i'm a moment
OF desperation growing out OF the then con.