Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-23
PEOPLE SHOULD BE ADVISED.
Commissioner Makes Suggestions
Which His AssOciates Approve.

Mr.. E. A. NJ. Lawson of I.angdon, as
stated in The Star at the time, recently IN
vited the attention of the District Commits
sloners to the fact that frequently hunters
in the neighborhood of the public school
at Langdon fire their guns in such close
proximity thereto that shot strike the
school building, endangering the lives of
the pupils. In order to afford better pro-
lection to residents of the suburban sec
tions, and especially to the children at
tending the Langdon Public School, Mr..
Lawson suggested that section 5 of article
8 of the police regulations be amended by
INSERTING, after the word washington, in
line 4. the words, "or within any suburb of
the city of Washington which has been
regularly subdivideG into building lots, or
within 100 yards of any school building or
church.
The matter was referred by the Commits
sicners to Maj. Sylvester. chief of police,
who suggested that the suburban portion
of the District be included in the reguia-
items, so as to include the entire District.
Commissioner Wight thereupou recon-
mended to his associates that. in view nf
Maj Sylvester's report. the regulations be
amended, as suggested by MIR Lawson, if,
in the opinion of the attorney for the Dis
trict, the language of the amendment be in
legal form. The papers in the case next
went to Commissioner Ross who made the
following recommendations. which have
been approved by Mr.. Wight, thereby Civ
ing tnefn the approval OF Inc DodFu OF tottl~
miSSionerS:
I'm all law-abiding bodies, when changes
in oid-established regulations are proposed,
some mode is usually adopted of giving to
the public interested the means of knowing
that such amendments are under consider
alton, in order that the law-making power
may have some means of aScertaIlng pup
lie sentiment with regard thereto. II seems
to me that, in exercising the power con-
ferred upon the Commissioners of the Dis
trict to make and amend police regulations
it would be we'll to give fair notice To the
people of the proposed change before the
regulation IS. in fact, changed. l, therefore
suggest that the reporters for the daily
pa pers be requested to publish something
analogous to the following:
Section of article of the police reg
ulations is as follows: Here quote the sec
ton referred to- The Commissioners have
under consideration an amendment to this
regulation, which will make it apply TO the
entire limits of the District of Columbia,
and before acting upon the same Will be
pleased to hear from any persons inter-
ested. in order that they may know what
the views of the people may be with re-
gard to the said change in the regulation
referred to- "
siCner Ross explained that, while he is. of
course very DESTROYS of protecting the chill
dren of the Langdon Public School from in
jury as well as all other persons. he is not
prepared at the present time to approve an
amendment to the police regulations when
would prevent the firing of firearms and
fireworks in any rIart of the District With
out first obtaining permit therefor from
the chief of poiceA