The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-05

The letter of the secretary having been
| referred to the Attorney for the District
| he has forwarded his opinion upon the
| subject to the Commissioners, in which
he says:
These provisions were incorporated in
an act of Congress which did not spe-
officially relate to the District of Column
| bia, and while 1t may be that they were
| not designed Immediately for the munich
| pal,ty, the District of Columbia, never
theless Congress by its act approved Feb
ruary q, 1871 constituting section 80,
Revised Statutes of the District OF Column
| bal, enacted that the Constitution and
all the laws of the United States which
are not locally inapplicable shall have
the same force and effect within the Dis
trict as elsewhere.
THE same considerations OF public poll
ley inducing this legislation require the
enforcement of such statute In the ter
ritory of the District of Columbia, in
which Congress, exercising its power of
exclusive legislation has created a mu-
nicipal corporation, the chief executive
officers of which are nominated by the
President and confirmed by the Senate.
cit is true that the act of Congress APP
proved June IL, 1878, providing a perma-
nent form Of government for the District
of Columbia, declares That the Commits
sioners shall be deemed and taken as Of
ficers of such corporation but 1t likewise
requires them as the quasi-agents of the
United States to report the acts and ad-
ministration to the Congress.
The bonds required by law to be given
by certain officers of the municipality, in
some cases, in terms, are for the benefit
of the United States as well as the NUM-
cipality; and in all cases they are design
ed ultimately to protect the United States
In part, because under the provisions of
the organic act, all revenue of the District
Of Columbia is deposited in the Treasury
Of the United States. and because the ap-
preparations by Congress for the District
of Columbia are based upon the provision
that to the extent to which Congress shall
approve Of the Commissioners estimates
Congress shall appropriate 80 per centum
thereof
The Commissioners come within the
description Of officers required by law TO
take and approve official bonds The Dis
trict of Columbia, is not, in terms, ex-
cepted from the statute, and every reason
and purpose of such an enactment is not
only applicable to the District of Colum-
bia, but seems to have particular appIica-
bility to It,"
The attorney then calls attention to GER
tain decisions Of the courts which confirm
his views, and says in conclusion: 81 am
of the opinion that the above mentioned
provisions Of the act Of Congress approved
March 2. 1895. are applicable 10 the Dis
trict of Columbia. and that II is the duty
of the Commissioners to enforce the
same"
The Senate Committee has forwarded to
the Commissioners a copy of Senate bill
5s1s, 'To provide for an investigation into
the sanitary conditions of the manufac-
ture and sale of clothing in the District
of Columbia" for their consideration and
report. The bill In question was intro
cuced in the Senate by Senator Mcmillan,
and provides:
THAT the health officer be, and he Is
hereby, authorized and directed 10 inves-
tigate the manufacture and sale of cloth
lag In the District of Columbia in their
relations to public health, and to report
the result of such investigation to Con-
gress at the next regular session.
That every person, firm. and corpora
tion maintaining an establishment FOR the
manufacture or sale of clothing or en-
gagged in such manufacture or sale at his,
their, or its home shall, within thirty
days after the passage Of this act, register
his, their, or its name or names and ad-
dress or addresses at the health office
Of the District OF Columbia, and shall
thereafter until January l, 1902, register
Every such person and the proper officers
OF every corporation shall answer all r6a-
fWnable enquiries OF this Investigation
which may be addressed to him or them
by the health officer OF the District of
Columbia. Every person violating the
provisions of this act shall, upon convic-
tion thereof be punished by a fine of not
more than $40 or by Imprisonment IN the
United States Jail for not more than ten
days.
THAT all acts and parts of acts con
trary to or Inconsistent with the provi-
sions of this act are hereby repealed"
II. J. Tippett recently wrote to the
complaining of the cree
ton of police patrol box In front of his |
place of business, and asking that It be
He informs the Commission
ers that the location of the box at the |
place mentioned Interferes with the in
eress and egress of customers and with |
Drink the most popular beer in Washington,
tIaHNE