Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-09
POLICE REGULATIONS.
Why the Commi ssioners Think the House
Bill on the Subject should Pass

Why the Commissioners Think the House
Bill on the Subject should Pass
The Commissioners today made the following
report upon ii. r bill 1872, ito amend an act to
authorize the Commissioners to make police
regulations for the District of Columbia
Congress in 1878 authorized the Commits
sioners to make police regulations in regard to
buildings and the sale Of coal GO Stat, 1870,
and in 1887 regulations in regard to fire es-
capes CA Stat. 1861. regulations in regard to
insurance GA Stat, 1861, regulations in regard
to steam engineers GA Stat, 40, as to ele-
vators GA Stat, 500, as to pawnbrokers and
secondhand dealers. the storage Of infammable
materials, the location and conduct Of licensed
vendors the orderly disposition of vehicles in
the public streets. the location of hacks and
hack charges. the driving of animals In the
public streets. the keeping Of dogs and
fowls. deposits on the streets or side
walks, loud noises and fireworks and
the passage of vehicles in the public streets
GA Stat. 363). Having delegated to the Com
missioners the exercise of the particular powers
above noted il seems Congress might very we'll
be asked TO pass the bill in question, which will
be no more than comforting upon the Com
missioners general power to make all such
reasonable police regulations as they may deem
advisable and thus save the Commissioners the
necessity of making and Congress the trouble
of considering and passing upon special appli-
cation from time to time for the delegation of
police power. That the Commissioners need
such law proposed 10 shown by the fact,
among many others. that tkey have no power
TO regulate the speed Of steam railway trains,
the regulation authorized by the act of
1887 having been held to apply only to ortii-
nary vehicles in the public streets. We have
no adequate law in regard 10 cleaning snow
and ice from the sidewalks Then the coming
into existence since 1887 of a new motive
power as to four of the principal street rail-
roads in this District multIplies the risk OF life
and limb and hence We need police regula-
tlons designed TO prevent accident on cable
and electric railroads. Other instances might
be given. but it seems that those indicated are
sufficient to demonstrate the necessity Of the
bill becoming law.
The bill If it becomes law, will confer upon
the Commissioners no further powers than are
exercised by ali the successfully governed cities
in this country. II comprehends only such
regulation relates to the comfort. safety,
health. good order and general welfare Of all
the people of this District 1t Is equivalent to
the general welfare clause in the charter of the
principal cities of the United States
Our city governments" saws Judge Dillon,
DILL on Munlc- Corp, 393.) usually possesses
the power. either by express grant or by virtue
of their authority, to make bylaws relating to
the public safety and good order of the inhab-
itants; to regulate the speed of travel in the
public street; the route street over which
omnibuses or stage coaches may run; the time
Of day in which the street may be used for GER
tain purposes; to interdict stoppages in the
street to the delay of others; to exclude yehi-
cles OF all kinds from entering upon the side
walks, &c" These briefly are the reasons why
the bill should pass