Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-19

burse the money paid in taxes to the best
advantage. 10 put down sewers lay pave
ments. furnish water and street lights. AMI
perform similar services. In theory the
powers exercised by the officers of cities arr
By delegation from the people of the whole
state, in whom the ultimate SOY eraisnty as
modified by the Constitution OF the a!tei
states. resides. In New YORK from l711
70 ISL. the officers OF municipal c0rpoTa-
tons were a)o0lntad by the governor and
four senator's chosen every year b. four
subdivisions OF the asse mbiy. Instances Of
the intervention of state government into
ire affairs OF cities amounting in some
cases - indirect disfran chisenent, have not
been lacking in later years. There is no
American principle which requires Wash
!nStOn to be reduced 10 the level of Other
large American cities in its municipal gov
crnH,ent BY compelling unlimited popular
suffrage in the choice OF mun!cipal officers
aad the intolerabie mirgovernment Of these
cities, so shamefully notorious, rem icrs il
fortunate for the capital that no such ne
ceSSity exists
IL Is surely the height of folly with no
pT-ncipic at stake. 70 demand the abolition
% clean. economical and reasonably non
partisan city government, with national
treasury safeguards CT honest adrlinistra-
tion AMI a national haIf-contribution to the
municipal expenses. in order to aSsiInilstr
Washington 20 the ordinary self-sustainins
ani norIinaliy Safeguarding American
city, in which 100 often in-ou,pa:ant ana
dishonest officials have been chosen in par
| tis4n contests. immense nanicinii debts
nave been contracted and excessive taxa
ton has been imposed. because non t3xpay-
ing. irresponsible voters have the mower To
cXPeni cNtravaSantiy and corr,,ptiy the
money supriiat by taxpayers Why should
the capitol sc-k to bind upon it's own
shoulders the burden Of which other cities
are making desperate efforts 10 relieve
.hesnseives? Why should il ask as d boon
the main source Of municipal woes?
Ne" fora. with lis series of bosses and
WIN municipal corruption aenerai end
80 profound that the slightest investigation
discioseS disgusting rottenness, is a con-
slant warning to The people Of WASHINGTON.
and the receat riots and clash OF authority
III tricaSo teach t. the nation the wisdom
III placing and retaining the seat al gov
ernmcnt In city and District exclusively
under national control, where law can be
enforced without exposure TO the dan.,sr OF
Obstruction OF owe: throw through mob rule
and the trucking OF elective officials to
voters who are also anarchists or itoters
or iaw-breakers Of other kinds Washing
ton does not covet the municipal govern
niont of Chicago or New York on its own
account. and from the nations poin, of
View, neither mob-yoverned nor a boss-
governed city is tt loca ton for the ma
tional capital.
Most OF the proposed changes in the form
OF the local government which stop sho,,
OF constitutional amendment merely p,u6
die the situation and furnish a dangerous
opening for tbs congressional opponents Of
the existing financial rela tons between cap-
itai and nation. Even where the propos.d
alterations are in the direction OF improve
rent. under existing conditions the game
- not worth the candle No change even
In details of the system Of goyerr.nent
should be made at any time which is not
based upon a full recognition first of the
absolute necessity of a retention by the
general government of such representa- ton
In and control OF the management of city
anairs as will enable 1t to protect It's vast
interests here and impose upon II a CORES
pon1ing obligation of maintenance and de-
velopment; second. OF the frlghtfuI warning
from the experience of other large cities
against recourse to unlimited popular .;uf-
frage as a factor I'm the decision of purely
municipal and financial matters: and third
of the vital Importance to the District that
its local government shall be non-par tissn.