Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-09
Bill Providing for New Kind Of
Government.
UNITED STATES TO HELP TO SUPPORT
A Mayor and Boards Of Aldermen
and Common Council.
ELECTIVE OFFICES STATED

change the form OF government OF ire us
trict of Columbia
The bill abolishes the present form OF
government one year after the passage OF
the act. and then provides:
"As the government of the United States
owns more than one-half Of the real estate
located in the District it is deemed just and
equitable that the United States shall con-
tinue to pay, as it now does, an equal share
of the taxes now levied upon real estate
situated In the District. with the citizens of
the District.
THAT is to say, that when the total
amount of the annual assessment on real
estate is made each year an equal sum shall
be appropriated from the treasury of the
United States and paid out for the local eX-
penses of the District Of Columbia, as is
now provided for by existing laws"
Two Legislative Bodies.
The power of making laws shall here
after be vested in two legislative bodies,
known the board of aldermen and COM
mon council OF the District Immediately
after the organization of the common coun-
Gil the first business in order will be the
making of estimates required to defray the
expenses of the District for the ensuing
wear
This shall be done by committee called
the committee on taxation. consisting of at
least seven members, appointed by the pre-
siding officer. These estimates shall then
be passed to the board of aldermen and
mayor of the District for their approval.
After such approval they shall be trans
mitted to the committees on the District of
Columbia of the United States House of
Representatives and Senate of the United
States in the same manner as the estimates
prepared by the Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia ara now prepared and
presented
After these committees have favorably
acted the estimates they shall be
transmitted to the House and Senate for
final action. All moneys raised by taxation
or otherwise from the citizens of the Dis
trict or appropriated by the United States
government for the benefit of the District of
Columbia shall remain in the custody of the
United States treasurer and shall be dis
bursed by him on proper vouchers.
AppOintive and Elective Members.
The board of aldermen shall be composed
of eleven members elected by the people of
the District. one from each two legislative
districts. The common council shall con-
sist of twenty-five members. one from each
legislative district. Eleven of these shall
be appointed by the President and eleven
shall be elected by the pople. They shall
each have equal vote on all matters Of
local legislation.
The boards of aldermen and common coun-
Gil shah constitute the legislative body for
the enactment Of all local legislation for
the protection and welfare of the people of
the DlStrlCt OF COluInDld, ana also Tor the
protection of the interests Of the United
States. The members of the boards shall
be composed Of persons who have been resi-
dents Of the District Of Columbia for at
least three years previous to their election
or appointment.
All existing laws. ordinances and regu-
lations are continued in force until
pealed by Congress or the local legisla-
tive body. The members Of the boards of
aldermen and common council shall re-
ceive for their services annually $500 each.
The mayor shall be ex-ofticio presiding
officer of the board of aldermen The
common council shall elect their presiding
officer. The mayor shall be elected by the
citizens for a term of two years. shall re-
ceive salary of $1,000 year. shall de-
vote his entire attention to his official
duties. He shall have the power to veto
any measure passed by the boards of al
dermen and common council, but his veto
may be overruled by a two-thirds vote.
The general parliamentary rules of the
United States House of Representatives
shall be the rules of order for the boards of
common council and aldermen.
Time of Elections.
An election shall be held on the second
Tuesday in November of the year in which
this bill is passed, and thereafter on the
same date every second year for the elec-
ton of the mayor and the two legislative
boards, and also for the election of the fol-
| lowing officers:
d,
| salary, $500; health officer, 5000; deputy
health officer, $500; commissioner Of the
| fire department, 81, 500; commissioner of po-
| lice, $500; commissioner Of the water de-
partment, $500; commissioner Of charities,
$500; attorney, 5000; superintendent of
| public schools, 5000; twenty-five trustees
| of public schools Ono compensatory, VINO
| shall employ the teachers, erect school
| buildings and prescribe regulations for the
| control of the schools.
| AT the elections for these officers all per-
| sons who have attained the age of twenty
| one years, who have been residents of the
| District of Columbia for two years and OF
| the voting precincts for at least thirty days
| shall be allowed to vote, No pauper, felon
| or lunatic shall vote. There shall be two
| voting places in each Of the twenty-five
| legislative districts. Sixty days before the
| election the Commissioners of the District
| shall appoint in each legislative distric,
| three reputable persons to act as registers
| Of votes.
They shall meet thirty days before the
| election and remain in session for three
days registering the voters. The lists Cd
ed copies placed on the places. Twenty
| days later they shall register those who
| failed to register at first.
The completed lists of voters shall ther
| be printed and distributed as above men.
toned. No persons whose names are no
found o1N the above mentioned lists Of vot
ers shall be allowed to vote in any elec
ton hereafter to be held In the District
Against Fraudulent Voting.
| Any person who shall fraudulently vot,
or intimidate voters, destroy baiIo
boxes. or place false Votes in OF take vote:
out of the ballot boxes before they ar
| counted or interfere in any manner with al
election to prevent the proper exercise b,
| any citizen of his right to vote shall b.
fined from $500 to 5000. imprisoned from
| one to five years, or both.
| The Commissioners, in providing for thi
election in advance, shall select votin,
places, appoint three judges Of election fo
each voting place and provide ballot boxes
The voting shall take place between a m
and pm, and the judges of election shal
then count the votes and publicly. befor
witnesses, announce the results of the elec
| ton The books and boxes shall then b
transmitted to the Commissioners of tn
, | District.
The next day the judges of election sha]
assemble, count the votes and publicly de
clare the result Of the election. The Com
, missioners shall turn over to their success
sors in office all the public moneys. books
, papers and property.
The legislative districts shall be those de
fined by the act of 1871. dividing the Dis
| trict of Columbia into election districts
A similar bill was introduced In the Sen
ate by Mr.. Penrose.