Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-18
The Districs Governs sent,


To the Editor Of TIE EVENING Star:
The changes 10 the form OF the local govern
menr. proposed by the subcommittee OF the
Committee Of One Hundred will hardly find
many advocates IT, In the pr sent form, there
IL any one feature which 10 popular, It Is
The absence OF legislative power In the Commits
70 make police regulations resulted In annOyances
TO the public, and no one wishes 20 repAat It, But
the committee, regardless OF this unfortunate ex-
per.ment, recommends the creation or a council
with pOwer TO make local laws, ordinances and
regulations on numerous subjects, Including as
SEISMIC ~, taxes, health, abatement Of nuI-
mss and local traffic, wuarves, licenses regula-
ton OF the liquor tr me, charities public schools
e. &C. TINS Is very WIDE ranss o. legislation some
broad. What Is meant by ar gu.ation OF business
and local trafric"f WHAT are to be the limits Of
special assessments for street 1mprovementsf Are
they 10 supersede the Board Of trustees OF Public
SCHOOLS, Are they to control ali Charitable insti-
A permanent council legally authorized to
change laws at pleasure, subject only TO the
necessarily slack supervise, OF CJngress not
intermeddhng. annoying, irritating ana intolera-
bic nuisance. Citizens would never know for TWO
ys together tue law on any subject. One Of the
blessings for which District resident should
daily render thanks Is his freedom from frequent
changes In the law. The proposed despottsm OF
nl, , wooa oe constantly recurring grievance
at time when the thousands OF now rusty lamps
bought by order OF the Commissioners snail have
been tossed into The rubbish pile Let VS. stick to
the ills we have rather than ny to 0tners we know
not OF. A good c0dificai10n OF District laws Is
desirable; but a never-endiag, aiways-begtnning,
tamperiny with laws and ordinances would b. y
curse.
The changes suggested are hardly worse than
the retention made. II there Is any serious blun-
der 10 the existing Law It Is the provision thai an
Army engineer shall be placed In charge or the
street improvements. water works, sewers, &C., OF
the District. BY common consent this blunder has
been the cause OF serious Inconvenience ever since
II was made. But this provision IL the very one
selected for retention. This Is inexcusAbie in men
VINO have lived .ere for the last ten years and W.T.
nessed the mistakes, wrong estimates, de avs, ana
mtsmanagement on the part OF the military enXi-
necrs who have ad direction OF our local Improve
menLA II taxee an Army major ana q STAN
OF captains and lieutenants 70 accomplish
would DO with ease. I DO not blame the
onicers detailed for these pos,ti0ns They
0oey orderA They do their best. II left long
enough At mutAcipal work tney will learn, II they
have . natural taste for II But they are not
TAUGHT at West Point % make asphalt streets and
sewers or 70 lay trap covers or put up arc lights
wires, and their subsequent experience is moi
In Constructing city improvements The Engineer
Commlssaonership has been = practice school for
the exception OF Col Ludlow, WIS had studied
water-works In Philadelphia,) came to thr ONCE
with no experience OF It's dut1ea.' This community
generally, ~ well as can tud g, Is agreed upon
but one th1ng-the substitution OF civil 70 military
engineers In the District work. And this IL the
very thing the committees has ignored. The cry Ut
the people OF this District 10 the Army oncers IL:
..Get you 70 your gunnery, :" and the committee
did not hearit The report should b recomlnitled
with lnstructt0nA CITIZEN.