Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-22

The new civil commissioners are fairly in
stalled, and it is now fitting time, perhaps. to
consider the subject of the wisest policy which
the municipal officers and the people can pursue
for the advancement of the interests of the
District But in the lull of Congressional va
cation, marked by a comparative absence of
specific questions of urgent local importance,
there il not much room for anything else
but glittering generalties. The Commissioners
are expected to enforce existing law impartlally,
without fear or favor, no matter what the sub
ject may be to which the law relates. The people
are expected to obey existing law, and to
tain the Commissioners in all efforts for its more
rigid undiscriminating enforcement There
is duty on both Sides and both should work
tremendously together in upholding the law.
Concerning new legislation which may be de-
sired the advice to be given and repeated and
emphasized, in season and out of season, is that
which declares the necessity of harmo-
NOUS co operation on the part of the
Commissioners and the various sections
and interests of the city, and the folly
of that wrangling between the various spokes-
men of District interests which results in the
defeat of everybody and the accomplishment
OF nothing whatever for the Districts welfare
In securing the improvement of District laws
sadly needed in a thousand respects, the Com
missioners should without jealousy avail them
selves of the assistance of citizens and public
spirited citizens should cooperate to render
such assistance. When the proposed new legis-
lstion does not involve an appropriation it
should not be difficult to secure a shoulder
to-shoulder effort which will compel
Congress to arouse itself from the
torpor of indifference and make such
changes in local laws as the general sentiment
demands. Where measures involve the expend-
iture of District money the danger of a total
lack OF harmony between the Commissioners
and the people, and between different interests
among the people. will, of course, be greatest
Many measures which, it il privately conceded,
will be of advantage to the city as a whole are
killed every year because the direct and special
advantage is to some particul section or in
terest, and because some other section or inter-
est jealousy conceives that the only
wise policy is to fight against every PROPOSE
ton which does not directly and Enthusiastically
benefit itself. Retaliation in kind is of course
invited by this policy. and the representatives
of the various needs OF the District instead of
cooperating for general satisfaction content
themselves with killing the propositions for one
another's benefit, and find happiness only in
the reflection that everybody else is left as
miserable and unsatisfed as they. As result
of this system, in spite of the palpable needs
of the District, It's annual revenues are not
entirely expended, and the District, with even
its current wants unsatisfed accumulates a
large surplus.
The policy of the people and municipal Of
ficers of Washington should be to spend every
dollar available from the current revenues of
the city upon current needs and upon projects
for the improvement of the present city, and
not by bitter wrangling concerning the mere
order OF needed improvements, leave all of
them unsatisted and accumulate a great sur
plus TO give the nation the idea that the Dis
trict has more money than it can conveniently
dispose of. and can therefore afford to pay
million dollars for worthless and abandoned
tunnel