Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-15

isting within the bounds OF the District These
were the corporations OF the cities OF Washington
and Georgetown, and the Levy court Of the county
VI "asnington,-the county being that portion of
the District outside the two cities While these
separate Jurisdictions were completely wiped out
Indcating the evident intention Of the trainers OF
the act, and the members OF Congress who voted
ior u 10 enace division lines, consolidate the two
clties and merge the two corporations and the
Levy court in one representative government, yet
unfortunately the act did not 60 far enough to
carry out that Intention and the known wishes of
citzens who urged the passage of the new law, In
mat instead OF prescribing o new code OF municip-
al laws for tins entire District It left still In force
the three incongruous and conflicting codes OF the
TWO cities and the county
The act establishing the present form Of local
government went still further In the
direction OF the object-always In view
OF one municipality within the District
sven wfping out the lines OF the territorial dis
tr1cts, as the former law rad obiterated city and
ward lines, but IL had the same fatal defect OF
perpetuating, three diverse codes OF municipal
laws and regulations, thus keeping up the memory
OF the old divisional lines In the courts and In the
public mind. What has been the effect? The
PostOnnce authorities recognizing the purpose Of
Congress 10 merge Washington and Georgetown
In one city, wipe out the Georgetown post-ofice
and establish in its place branch Of the WASH
fngton once; while at the same time other de-
partments OF the Federal government of1cially
keep up the old idea OF two separate communities
One set OF District Commissioners ably second the
purpose Of the two acts OF Congress to have the
bounds OF the city OF Washington coincident with
those OF the District OF Columbia, by extending
the names Of the streets and the system OF house.
numbering west OF Rock creek, while another set
In Al their oncia acts speak OF and treat George.
town as II II had a separate existence and sepa-
rate interests diverse from and hostile to, those
OF the city OF Washington, OF which 1t is
part And 50 it goes on until the confu-
sion Is carried into new legislation,
and now we have an Official construction of a
recent law On reference to overhead wires) that
what may not be legally done In Washington Is
all right In Georgetown The building regulations
and the police regulations and the fire depart
ment regulations and the inevitable tax levy
apply on both sides OF Rock creek with strict i'm
Partially, but while a man Is subject to fine or
Imprisonment for an Indecent exposure OF his
person on the east OF that stream, he cannot be
punished for such an act on the west side. In the
city man Is fined $50 for keeping his bar open on
Sunday while just over The boundary line IL only
costs him half as much. 1t was the case at least
until the new police regulations went into effect
that the penalty for fast driving on one side of
Boundary street was just four times as great as It
was for q similar onense on the other side In
Georgetown nothing except nsh In season and
medicine can be sold on sunday, while In Wash.
ington only the sale OF liquor Is prohibited on
that day.
Al the present rate Of expansion It viii not be
% many years before Washington Is stretching
itself out In all directions toward the District
boundary, and that reason alone should prompt
Congress To perfect the work OF union and consoli-
daton II has begun and the first step will be the
adoption OF revised code Of District laws recog-
MIXING no divisional lines Hearty cooperation OF
federal and local officials in the same purpose will
soon wipe out the aosurdities and anomalies which
now cisngure the o11cial records
The model letter OF acceptance In this campaign
IL Judge Thurman's II is short, written In the
simplest language, and goes straight to the point
Recognizing the fact that the tari Is the real is
sue OF the canvass, he does not becloud his mean
ing or weary his readers mind with references to a
dozen other topics mentioned In the St Louis plat
form, Inviting as the opportunity might be, but
devotes all his space 70 the important question
With few bold, vigorous sentences, he draws the
INSTRUCTION., as he conceiyes II, between the demo-
cratic policy and the republican, and when be has
said all he wants 70, he stops.
Baltimore furnishes the latest victim 10 the
overhead electric wire in the person OF James
Haslup, lineman, who while at work on top OF
pole In Lexington street on Saturday afternoon
Accidently brought his hand into contact with a
wire charged with q full current and was struck
dead How long viii the people In large cities en-
aue this tyranny Of the wires7 II Haslup who
was an expert, was liable TO such an accident
what hope would there have been for a brennan
Tor example, who might have required 10
Climb the same or q neighboring pole In order
10 eject some object In connection with
burning building In the vicinity? Or suppose
another wire 10 have broken. or been LEFT care
lessly hung, IN such a position as TO become
charged from the fatal wire, and fan WITHIN reach
Of the passers-oy on the sidewalk, as not seldom
happens? IL all the wires now attached TO the
Lexington street pole had been under ground. no
such accident need have occurred. At the iatest
accounts the poor nnemans widow was not ex-
pected 10 live, owing to the shock she had received
from her husbands sudden fate. II she dies two
orphaned children will be left dependent on the
Kindness OF friends the charity OF the public
And all this because an electric company Is too
greedy for present gains 10 spend the money needed
10 reduce their plant from a constant menace To a
condition OF safety and convenience
President Yerkes In surrender1ng conditionallv
70 the demands Of his late employees on the street
car lines In Chicago, makes one very import A nt
and excellent exception 10 the rule thar the old
men shall be taken back and put to work again
He Will have nothing 10 do with those who for.
feited their title 70 consideration By rtotous
conduct. That Is IS it should be. II would be
wrong 70 let the we'll behaved and lava bloin.
strikers suffer because Of the unruliness of =
handful OF their companions; and the only mode
OF making the distinction between the two classes
70 70 refuse the privilege Of return 70 those who
abused their liberty.
The Journeyman bakers In New York have pnove
sensitive regard for their fellow wage-earners in
other vocauons, t appearS than the correspond
Ing class Of workingmen In this District They
have revolted against the increase OF one cent In
the price OF loaveS The executive board OF one
OF their unions has already met and adopted reso-
iauons urging all poor people TO withdraw their
patronage from shops where such an advance Is
made, as the surest means OF breaking up an in
opaeot bread trust They also propose TO call 4
oAssmseting 70 discuss the bread question
That Q good stroke. There Ii no need OF q boy.
COT against INDIVIDUALS All that u necessary "a
70 advertise freely the names OF the bakers who
nave independence enough 70 stand out against
tne tfusr and leave the people TO DO the rest with
Out coercion The fundamental law or All trade
That, with an open market people VIII buy what
tney want where they can buy &c chespesc-vtll
eome INTO play az once. When the prices OF ma
tenAn nse 70 point where the price OF the \,
snec product must be raised In ordar IN ward ON
aiosA nobody VIII complain OF the EXTRA Mann
serious As the burden may be 70 the moor an,
until that time arrives, the bread makers -no
raise prices are merely Specializing on popular ma
cesarteS and deserve all the loss OF pstrnnas-,
they may suffer In consequence