Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-10

ties affecting private property interessAI and
taxpayers q the District the nnsnSiai sd@inis.
tratton or the capital, some OF the objections
there Is no prooauiIy o. sucn sc'o ny CoDr SS
The same spirit which would force republican
forms OF government TO be observed In the DIS
saGsa nUus ssHy az nSs
for voters The municipal AFFAIRS OF the city are
now managed by Commission appointed BY the
cost OF the performance OF similar duties IN other
cities the Work Is wen and cheaply done. n this
method Of government should be abandoned, and
the unfversal-sunrage system adopted there Is no
reason TO believe that Washington would escape
the INSTRUMENTATION which prevails In other
suffrage TO be baneful in the latter exist 70 con
siderable degree at the capital, and In one or two
respects
WASHINGTON HAS ADDITIONAL DISADVANTAGES
with which TO contend. The character of the voe-
ing population OF the city. though is would not be
proper ground Of objection II It were proposed to
invest the residents Of the District with the full
rights Of American citizenship, may b motel when
the evils OF suffrage are offered without its sub
stantial benefits. About one-third of the inhabi-
tants OF Washington are colored, ana this number
includes thousands OF the worst as well az the best
specimens OF the race. In addition to the perma-
nent eolored element an army Of recruits would be
attracted BY elections to the city from the farms
OF Maryland and Virginia, to be used as voting ma
terial by political 'bosses and to be supported Is
loaers, partly by the wages OF politicA partly BY
charity and partly by jail nourishment. The noat-
ing population OF non-taxpayers win always be
large at the capital. where ofhce-seekers most do
congreSate, but with the accesstons that elections
bring the solid citizens would almost certainly be
overwhelmed.
An Objectionable result OF the choice BY general
eote OF minor officers only, with insignificant pow
bore elections In the states the politician may hope
70 rlse, step by step, to the governorship OF q
WEALTHY n P0pqI0us and powerful community 70
In washington he must CONNIE himself to petty
AFFAIRS and limit himself BY petty ambitions; and,
,au.l,y, rev aole and upright men would DO
The commission government. which sham rep
resentatve ~ stem would displace has the advant.
capital into those close relations which were an
uclpated In the plans OF our fOrefatherS, Tho
members OF the commission are appointed BY the
lions OF two Of them are approved by the senate.
me treasurer Of the United states Is treasurer OF
the District CONGRESS alone Is responsible for all
lngton TO the General Government are thus sug.
gested at every turn. II the city were permitted
remove itself TO that tent from national consid.
Grafton, members Of Congress would be permitted
FEWER opportunities OF learning their full respon-
vantage.
us true mat commission governments are not
unoOlectlonabe, but 1t Is believed that the most
serious OF their evils may be avoided more readily
than those OF the alternative system. Among the
possible dangers OF such government for Wash
lneton are Two tnat are prominent: First that the
executive may appoint as Commissioners, not
bona nde citizens OF the District interested In It's
welfare alone, but bis own favorites, On the score
OF personal friendship, or as reward for political
services. secondly, that such Commissioners,
when appointed, will use the minor positions
under their control similar political rewards TO
AID the DartV the nnlfftpQl shOSs- N n
terestS they have been eivrn office. II the ctty's
government 10 ever debased inlo q mere political
ests OF the District The capital Is the ward, not
OF party, but OF nation; IL requires the friendly
iegisiation OF both parties; and 10 obtain such
The affairs OF Washington are In certain respects
connded TO the President and Commissioners ap-
pointed by him as trustees II President or COM
nc himself, or clique, or political party, and Is
not Influenced solely by a consideration OF the In
terests confided TO his protection sacred trust is
Thirdly, Congress may propose an amendment
to the Constitution
ITS OWN POWER OF EXCLUSIVE
LEGISLATION
ana placing the residents OF the District upon the
same footing in regard to all elections as the cii-
zens OF the several states. The prosperity of
Washington as the national capital would be en-
dangefed by the grant OF local sovereignty to its
citizens. Even If the nation might be induced to
surrender the control Of its property interests In
the District entirely TO the residents which Is
hardly conceivable, 1t would not be willing to pay
one-half OF the expenses OF the capital with no
power OF management in respect to its affairs and
with not even voice In its government But 1t is
absolutely essential to the welfare Of the city that
It's present financial relations to the United States
shall be preserved. The manner Of Washington's
development renders 1t utterly unable to meet,
unassisted, the expense OF sustaining itself as
magnificent national capital. What was
said in 1878, when the question was whether
the Government should pay nxed pro.
portion OF District expenses, might 10 re.
peated under any circumstances the at
tempt were made to withdraw the support
then provided: LAS In the beginning the Federal
city was without population or resources to
which its founders could look for its DEVELOPMENT
and improvement, so also at the present time It Is
wholly without the means either In property, COM
MERGE or manufactures to meet the enormous out
lays which the magnificence Of the plan requires
One-han OF us property, and the best half Is
owned by the United States, and pays no Iaxes
and the other half Is mortgaged for 0ne-fourth OF
paralyzing eflorts to make It what its patriotic
founoers designed 1t TO be-a national caDitaI
worthy OF the name II bears II deprivation OF
Of the District are partially rsIeved from tneis
heavy burdens, they evidently prefer to remain
"polltlcal slaves" rather than become bankrupt
freemen.
The arguments, already recited, which led to
the establishment Of an exclusively national DIS
trct must also be weighed when 1t is attempted TO
reverse the decision then made.
The sentiment which IDENTIFIES the fate OF the
Union with that Of the capital should not be dfsre.
Sarded washington has planted the roots of its
existence and prosperity In the spirit Of American
nationality IL has f1onrisned in proportion az this
spirit has been strong The grand designs respect
as it were neglected BY those, not It's enemies,
VINO resented the substantial embodiment OF q
power superior to that OF the state II again re-
sived when civil war developed the patriotic ma
.lonsl sentiment and Americans learned that the
Union Is substantial something to love- TO live
Tor, and TO die for. The bloodshed OF the keyolu-
ton gave birth To the spirit OF nationality and ere.
ated the city; the bloodsned Of the civil war re-
viyed the spirit and regenerated the city. The
imagination may conceive that the soul OF the
uniOn Is enshrined In this exclusive territory and
that II ever It's peculiar existence Shall be extin-
suished the event viii be forerunner OF the DIS
solution OF the Union.
FOurtaiy, retaining exclusive jurisdiction, Con-
yress may propose
1 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT OWING TIE prarRicr
REPRESENTATION
IN the bodies which legislate FOR it and tar It. a
Goice as 70 the President, who IL to appoint the
to manage It's local afIairx and. In
general, except as to the privilege OF choosing
town or county offcers, to place the residents Of
the District upon the same footing as the citizens
Of the several states
minor discrimination against inhabitants OF
the capital which needs to DO thus remedied ia
that which denies them the right OF bringing
suits in the Federal courts in those cases where
the privilege Is given to the citizens OF state ana
which puts them before the national judiciary In
less favorable attitude than that OF alens (Hep.
burn Va Ellzey, 2 Cranch., 445J