Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-16
CONGRESSIONAL.


ENAlE.-After our report closed
bill authorizing the building of a narrow
After an executive session the Senate ad-
| j0urned.
The Debate ON the District Govern.
| ment BILL I'm the House.
| HOUSE.-After our report closed
Ihe House having proceeded at two y. m.
Yesterday to the consideration of the bill to
provide form of government for the Dlstric
| Mr. Townsend (N.Y.) opposed that portion
| OF the bill which required property quaIifica-
ton for office, and also that which required a
He approved of that portion, however, which
| required the general government to pay one
half of the expenses of the District The
United States must help to pay the debt which
| was necessarily contracted in the great i'm
| prOyementS which had been made. Washing
| ton had the handsOmeSt streets of any city in
| the would. We could not go back TO the time
when Pennsylvania avenue was paved with
cobble. stones, and when the old canal ran
through the city, carrying death and deStruc-
| ton in its wake. He believed the country
| could endure this debt, for il was only nOmi-
| nal one.
MIR. Jones said it looked to him as though
this bill was to be rushed through the House
| without that deliberation and care which il
should command. The District wanted to get
| rid OF its debt, and those who held that debt
| wanted to be paid, so that both parties were
many features of the bill to which he objected
he objected for example, TO that part which
prescribed that Congress should elect two of
| the Commissioners He denied the power of
Congress to do that which was a purely ad-
| ministrative act. The right to legisate does
| not include the right to make an appointment,
| or 70 designate the officer who shall govern
| this District. To create an office is tegisla-
| tive function. To make an appointment to fiji
| that office is an administrative function.
| ment
Mr.. Lathrop moved to amend the first sec
| ton, describing the limits of the District by
q hn nr6c ,lf,,rr
| mac in its course through the District and the
| islands therein"
MIR. HuntoH said there was no necessity for
| that, besides it might interfere with the set
| Element of the boundary recently made by
| Maryland and Virginia. The section as il was
| IN the bill was agreed upon by Representa-
| tlyeS of Maryland and Virginia, and it was
framed as it was so as not to affect the settle
ment referred to.
The amendment was rejected
Mr.. BrentanO moved TO amend the second
| section by striking out the clause in relation
| to the election of two of the Commissioners
and yeSting the appointment of all three i'm
the PRESIDENT, by and with the advice and
| section only as to the mode of appointment
| and that mode, he thought was all wrong be
| cause it deprived the President of one of his
Mr.. Blackburn regretted that this sugges-
ton came from member of the committee
| He had hoped that the committee would be a
unit; Io ADOPT the proposed amendment
| the bill ''i'io WI n VI
The amendment was rejected.
An amendment was adopted designating
the third Monday in June as the time when
the Commissioners shall be elected or APP
Mr. Finley moved to amend bv striking ont
| the clause requiring the President to appoint
| an of1icer OF the engineer corps of the army as
| one OF the Commissioners, and providing for
| the appointment of competent skilled engi-
neer from civil life, who should serve for three
years.
The amendment was rejected.
On motion OF Mr.. Hsndee an amendment
was adopted requiring that the Commissioners
/ to be elected shall hold property each in his
OWL right to the amount of 5000.
| IL. Mr.. Maish offered an amendment requiring
that the engineer Commissioner should be
selected from the retired list of the army
| Rejected.
Mr.. Davis (Cal.) moved to strike out the
| above the lineal rank of captain, so as to per-
init the President to select any officer.
Mr. Blackburn said that. while Mr.. Bren-
whole framework of the bill, this of Mr.. Davis
would tend to defeat the bill itself. 1t seemed
| to him that this amendment was intended for
rank as proposed in the bill you SUPRA
indicate to the President that he shall appoint
| Lieut.. H0Xie. You place him in the position
where where ne must either appoint Hexie or, by
| upon him as being unworthy. By electing an
officer above the rank of captain you get an
OmCSl VI dsc anu experience. BY throwing
the office open you may get a boy of twenty
three or twenty four years of age as a Com.
| missioner for this District
| Mr., Clark Nowa) moved to strike out the
missioner should be an engineer appointed by
| the President.
The amendments of Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Da.
| Wis were both rejected.
Mr.. Blackburn, on behalf of the committee
| offered an amendment, which was adopted,
reducing the amount which the Commission
ers may borrow, in authorization Of collection
| OF revenue, from 800, 600 to $200,OOO
Mr. Claftin offered an amendment provid-
ing mat all voters Tor cOuncilmen shall have
been registered before voting. Adopted.
| out the provision that the United States shall
| bear 50 per cent. of the expenses of the Dis
tr r and to make the proportion Of the gene
| thought so per cent was excessive.
Mr.. Eden approved of the amendment. 1t
was not fair to charge the government with
| The people of the United States should not be
| taxed for Onehalf of the expenses of the Dis
| trlct for the support of schools and for repair
OF streets, &c, in this District.
Mr.: HuntOn said that the question of the
division OF the expenses between this District
apd the general government has been a sub
Ject OF discussion for thirty years; and, with
one exception, all reports agreed that so per
cent. would be fair and proper proportion.
This bill embraces subjects which impose new
and increased burdens on the people of this
District, and it was only fair that this Onehalf
| should be borne by the United States. When
| this location was selected as the site of the
| capital it was a wilderness, and no one ever
| imagined that the people of the District should
bear all the expense. 1t was never contem
plated that this people should build capital
for this great nation. Look at the streets
here-their great width. Look at the parks
and reservations, i'm all of which the United
States still holds its title The government
owns one-half of the property i'm the District,
and it pays no taxes. The fairest way, there
fore, is to make each pay one half.
Mr.. Reagan wanted to know on what author
ity the gentleman said the government owned
One-half the property,
Mr. HuntOn said he made it on the authority
OF the last assessment.
Mr.. Reagan'S amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Eden moved to strike out the proviSo
which limits the rate of taxation to $50 on
every 800. He was opposed to this low rate
of taxation. His constituents had to pay much
| more. If this limitation was kept up there
would not be enough revenue raised for the
District to paw the interest on its debt 1t was
not surprising that the District could net keen
UP its schools at this rate.
The amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Eden then moved to strike out the eighth
section, which authorizes the payment OF the
interest on the 3.65 bonds by the Treasurer of
the United States. The effect of the section
was to make permanent appropriation for
this purpose instead of an annual one The
practice has been to make annual appropria
lions to pay the interest on these honds This