The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-10
A NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
Bills Providing for Suffrage in the
District Introduced in Congress.

Bills to establish representative form
wera introduced in the House and the
seEate yesterday by Mr.. Mudd and Mr..
Penrose respectively The measure pro
vides for the adjustment OF the offices
OF the District Commissioners at the ex-
pira.ion of one year after its passage and
auth orizes the election OF two legislative
bodies. a board Of aldermen and a common
council The second section of the bill!
provides that taxes for local purposes shall
be paid one-haIf by the citizens OF the
District and one-half by the General Gov
crnment as at present.
On the subject of local legislation the
bill recites that the power OF making
laws shall hereafter be vested in two leg
islatiye bodies. known as the Board OF All
dermen and Common Council of the Dis
trict. Immediately after the organization
of the Common Council the first business
in order will BE- the making CT estimates
required to defray the expenses OF the
District for the ousuiug year.
This SHALL be done by committee called
the Committee on Taxation. consisting of
at least seven members, appointed by the
presiding officer. These estimates shall
then be passed to the Board of Aldermen
and Mayor of the District for their ap
proyaI. After such approval they shall be
transmitted to Congress-
The Board OF Aldermen is to be com
pose. of eleven members elected by the
people of the District of Columbia. one
from each two legislative districts, and the
Common Council of twenty-five members.
one from each district. Eleven of these
latter shall be appointed by the Presi
dent
The legislative districts shall be those
defined by the act of 1871, dividing the
District OF Columbi.. into election districts.
The members of the boards shall be
composed of persons who have been
residents of the District for at least three
years previous to their election or appoint
ment
All existing laws, ordinances and regu-
lations are continued in force until re-
pealed by Congress or the local legisid-
tive body The members of the Boards of
Aldermen and Common Council shall re-
ceiye for their services annually $500 each.
The mayor OF the city is to be ex-officio
presiding officer OF the Board of Aldermen.
His term % office is fixed at two
years. and he is to be elected by the
citizens OF the District at the same time
and in the same manner as the aldermen
and the councilmen. He must have been
a Te5luent oil Inc DiStFlCL Oh Columbia
at least five years previous to his election
and his salary is fixed at $4,000 year.
While acting as mayor he must not engage
in any ether business. His power of veto
extends for a period OF ten days after an
ordinance is enacted.
In regard to elections the bill provides
that an election shall be held on the sec
ond Tuesday in November of the year in
which this bill is passed. and thereafter
on the same date every second year for
the election of the r-ayor and the two
legislative boards. and also for the cleo
ton of the following officers:
A secretary Of the District OF Columbia,
salary, 81 SOC; health officer. SS.CG0; deputy
health officer. 81 SEQ; commissioner OF the
Fire Department. $3.50; commissioner oil
the police 81. 500: commissioner of the
Water Department, 100; commissioner
of charities. $500; attorney, $1,000; su-
parIntendent of public schools, $1,000;
twenty-five trustees of public schools mo
compensation. who shall employ the
teachers, erect school buildings, and pre-
scribe regulations for the control OF the
schools.
At the elections all persons VINO nave
attained the age of twenty-one years, who
have been residents of the District for
two years and of the voting precints for
at least thirty days viii be allowed TO
yute