Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-17

PLACES THAT MAY BE FILLED FROM rrrr
WORLD AT LARGE-MR. RIDDLES corNIoN
DENT.
The Commissioners, as stated in THE STAR.
submitted the question raised as to their au-
fhority to appoint O nonresident as superinten-
! dent OF public schools to Attorney Riddle, who
| returned an opinion confirming their power to
make the appointment from any place they
| chose. Mr. Riddle said in his opinion:-"As
you are aware there exists no such office as
superintendent Of schools for the District. ex-
pressly and directly created by any statute of
Congress, or Of the District Legislature The act
OF the District legislature of August o. 1871,
created the office of superintendent of public
schools for the city of Washington and required
that he should be a resident, and in the ex-
erclse ofthe elective franchise of said city laws
D. C., 1922 The ea act Of the District legislature
for the county of Washington, and no.
tees the existence Of like office for George
The act of June goth, 1874, abolished The elec.
tive franchise las we'll as the District iegisIa.
turel in effect by a repeal of the laws by which
IL could be exercised, SO that one of the auaifi-
cations Is at this time impossible. The effect of
tins Is q curious but unimportant problem. How
comes it that there now exists superintendent
of public schools for the District at larger The
act OF June goth. 1874, referred to above au-
thorized the Commissioners created by it to
abolish and consolidate office under them
Under this authority, on the 22d June. 1873.
the then Commissioners consolidated the three
one for the District and named his salary. This
really was and is new officer. To permit him
the qualifications required by the laws Great
Ing the three was legal impossibility. 1t may
be doubted whether strict compliance with
the power conferred was in this instance posi-
BILE. What the order really accomplished was
the abolition Of the three Offices and the crea-
tlon OF q new one, as stated. No question can
now arise as to the tenure of office by the new
otf1cer, for Congress annually appropriates for
his compensation. This would by Implication
create the office. 1t is undoubtedly the true
notding to regard the provisions OF the acts OF
the District legislature referred to as repealed
or superseded and made obsolete by the act of
June 18th, 1878. That act covers the ground
occupied by the acts referred to, and hence
under familiar rule supercedes them by this
It's later and superior authority. GO Stats.) 1t
will be found that this act OF Congress deals
directly with the matter OF the residence of the
officers of the District The Commissioners ap-
pointed from civil life must have d residence in
the District of three years as qualification. So
the new board of nineteen school trustees are
all to be residents of the District. The act is
silent as to all other District officers, and Con-
eress must have been aware that the old trus-
tees and the old superintendents We're by the
District, but of the particular sections for which
they were to act When it satisfies itself with
requiring residence of the trustees, it
seems wisely to have left the Commissioners
the world ut large from which to select super
intendent. as indeed all its other subordinates
These views conduct to the conclusion that in
selecting the officer named In your note here
OF the District"