Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-06

| dent of the existing board was an attorney
| OF lucrative clientage. and had served also
as chairman of school trustees and as city
postmaster. The capacity and attainment
| of the military member are vouched for by
| his rank and by the judgment of his SUI
| perior.
Accessible to the People.
In the conduct of business the Commits
! sioners are mora approachable than the
| average American mayor. Patience and
courtesy are shown to the humblest; no
| pull or introduction is necessary. For
two hours in the morning on certain days
in the week the president of the board is
| ready for all callers. He receives them in
! large room, at the end of which Is his
| office. partitioned or by couple of desks
and book cases. Each goes to him in turn,
without announcement or card or previous
| interview with private secretary under the
democratic rule first come, first served"
On any matter of general interes: time
| is set for formal hearing, and the argu-
ments delivered by counsel for and against
the proposed measure are often supple
mented by advice and testimony invited
| from the general public. The Commiss. on
| ers by law have to report to Congress on
all District bills introduced IN that body
For the discharge of this duty they pre-
! pare themselves by listening to discus
sions on all sides of the question. In all
tnelf proposed regulations they display the
same desire to learn the Impressions If the
aHecte1- Thus, there Were several public
sessions on the bill to require all street
railways 10 give transfers at intersections;
and wide opportunity was granted the rep
resentatives Of express and delivery
agencies for exchange of opinion on the
| proposed regulation for wide tires.
Congregational Interest.
Members Of the District committees of
the houses of Congress are often present
at such occasions. and assist very material
ly by their comments and inquiries While
Congress is in session they constitute, in
fact, miniature city council, as they free
ly hear complaints and suggestions from
any aggrieved element, and do not hesitate
to take issue with the Commissioners. For
example, at one time the farmers who sell
from the curbing around the Center Mar
ket were charged with trespass by the po-
lice. They sent delegation to appeal to
the Senate committee for what they deem
ed their rights. The senators visited the
scene of contest and took testimony on the
spot. AS their judgment did not agree with
that of the Commissioners the farmers
were troubled no more, the matter being
laid aside for further deliberation.''
The Commissioners are more sensitive
to public opinion than an elected executive,
because, though appointed for definite
period, they are subject at all times to re-
buke and removal by their superiors. Even
in case Of public necessity they not
the District has for years greatly needed
hospital for contagious diseases. Several
times has decision on a location been
reached and then revoked on account of
the cutlery of the adjacent residents and
land owners. Finally a suburb was settled
upon and the site was actually purchased:
but even then the project was abandoned,
as the annual report confesses. because
or the sincere and earnest opposition of
the proteStantS.''
4 Peculiar Population.
The justification for the peculiar mech
anism of municipal government In Wash
ington is readily found in the peculiar
character of the city and of it's population.
The city is really "a big government res
ervation, and has to be treated as SUCH
1t is a resort for the idle and shiftless. a
paradise for negroes, a Mecca for tourists
at the same time a growing center of fash
ion and culture. and withal, despite civil
service refefTn.' vast hotel for transient
cnce seekers. The conjunction of such
ciscordant elements makes popular gov
eminent a priori absurd.
1t is significant that those who are most
interested are the best satisfied with the
existing system, even though they dis
Charge none of the functions of an Ameri-
can citizen except to pay taxes. In
pretty full POSTAL card vote taken by a
leading paper only a minute fraction of the
people favored the Introduction Of man.
hood suffrage. At the same time 1t is re-
pugnant to the political instinct of an
American that the great body of people
who support the government should have
no voice in its management. 1t is true that
II he has no direct influence over the man.
agement of public affairs, he can fall back
on public opinion, and by concentrating
mat can exert an effective pressure.
The individuals Authority.
But even if on has the privilege of ut
tering his sentiments to the authorities,
and iS heard ind ,;tb
tention that his character ana standing de-
mand, it is only when he stands forth as
the agent of his fellows that he speaks
with an authority that few in a free coun-
try venture to neglect. Accordingly, when
the citizens of Washington saw that by
the law of 1878. they We're excluded from
the government that they had to maintain,
they found lever to move their masters
in the influence of citizens associations
AT the same time, they have preserved the
principle OF local initiative by allowing
each section of the city to fight its own
battles for an equitable share of the COM
mon benefits provided by all. The special
needs of each locality are vigorously and
persistentiy thrust before the officials; and,
through the play Of earnest rivalry and
warm criticism fair appointments can be
made and happy compromises effected.
The great success of this peculiar city gov
jealous watchfulness of these citizens as
SociationS.
Civic COmbinnt lions.
The germ Of these civic combinations
may be found in the ringing appeal of a
leading paper In Washington, just after
the adoption Of the present form of govern
ment, for the people to stir themselves
70 secure the selection of the right sort
or Commissioners" Quickly did the people
respond: and in a few years every Quarter
OF the city and the adjacent territory was
represented by an association. AS each new
suburb was settled, another association
was added until now there are sixteen of
these unofficial town councils In cons.;-
tuition and general method they are all alike.
Each works under a written constitution.
with oh1cers proper to deliberative body
ana meetings at stated times to hear re-
ports and hold discussions. The qual.fica-
ions for membership are very liberal and
the annual fees srnall-<hsually about 81.
The main work is done by committees in
which the cne-man idea is pushed to an
extreme In empow ering the chairmen TO
name their colleagues. committee is put
IN charge of each special object of public
interest within the local bounds, including
usually sewers. paving, gas, street rail-
ways water mains, street extensions.
school facilities. the mail service, fire an,
paratus and police. Thus laborious inyesti-
SatlonS ere carried on and a vast ap,~,,n+