Evening star., 1902-03-22
POLITICS ELIMINATED
Mr.. Macfarland's View of
District Government.
ADDRESS TO STUDENTS
THE COMPACT OF 1878 AND ITS
PURPOSE.
The Cementing Of Separate Estab-
lishments Into One System
Commended.

or the Columbian University, taxing IOT MS
subject The Government of the District
of Columbia The audience in the
sembly hall was large and attentive one,
the students especially taking a deep inter-
est in the instructive dissertation. Mr..
Macfarland began by quoting from an
opinion of the Supreme Court of the United
States handed down by Justice Brewer in
the case Of Eckloff against the District OF
Columbia, thus defining the act of Con-
gress of June II, 1873, providing a perma-
nent form of government for the District:
1t is declared by it's title to be an act
to provide "a permanent form of govern
ment for the District" The word 'perma-
nent' is suggestive. 1t implies that prior
systems had been temporary and provi-
sional. AS permanent 1t Is complete in it
self. 1t is the system of government. The
powers which are conferred are organic
powers. We look to the act itself for their
extent and limitations. 1t Is not one act
in series of legislation, and to be made
to fit into the provisions Of the prior legfs-
lation; but it Is a single. complete act, the
outcome of previous experiments, and the
final judgment of Congress to the sys-
tenn Of government which should obtain
1t is the constitution of the District, and
it's grants of power are to be taken as new
and independent grants, and expressing in
themselves both their extent and limita-
tions."
Considered Together.
This act said Mr.. Macfarland. "em-
bodying the compact of 1873 between the
Congress and the citizens of the District
of Columbia. is to be taken with the pro-
vision of the Constitution giving the Con-
gress power to exercise exclusive legisla-
tion in all cases whatsoever over the fed
eral district and the acts beginning in 1So1
for the creation of a judiciary. Together,
they provide government divided according
to custom into legislative, executive
and judicial departments. Congress has. of
course, no executive or judicial functions
In the District of Columbia. 1t has con-
stituted here, under its power to legislate,
executive government and a Judiciary,
just as it has created similar departments
Of government in the territories.
THE action of Congress in this regard is
somewhat analogous to that under which
it has created executive departments of
the national government and the national
judiciary.
"The Supreme Court has decided Barnes
case 81. U. s., 54O that the District of Co
lumbia is a municipal corporation proper,
as distinguished from corporation estab-
lished agency of the government Gre
ating 1t. This and similar decisions were
quoted by Attorney General Griggs on
April 26. 1898. In an opinion to the Pres
ident holding that the Commissioners,
whom he terms the governing and execu-
tive body and the other officers and en-
ployes are not officers and employees of the
general government of the United States,
fore, the President cannot extend the pro-
visions of the civil service act to the Dis
trict offices.
Then No Executive Head.
prior to 1871 there was no executive
government Of the District Of Columbia
There were separate executive governments
for the cities of Washington, Georgetown
land until the retrocession Of 1S46), Alex
andria and for the outlying regions Of the
District. Those separate governments were
all abolished by the act of February 21.
1871 establishing the first government Of
the District of Columbia. The present gov
ernment is it's successor. and the Commls-
sioners are the successors, not of the may
ors Of Washington, Georgetown and Alex
andria, but of the governors OF the District
of Columbia. The city Of Washington has
had no government Of its own for over
thirty years"
A review of some of the important events
In the history of the District was next
given by the speaker. Mr. Macfarland re-
called the reasons for establishing federal
district, the acquisition by the national
government Of sovereignty from Maryland
and Virginia, and of over-one-half the land
from the original proprietors, which, with
the money grants of Maryland and Nir-
ginia, provided means for constructing the
first national buildings.
Continuing, he said:
The people of the cities Of Georgetown
and Alexandria. long antedating the DIS
trict of Columbia, and the city of Wash
ington with the inhabitants of the rest of
the District were given full recognition as
citizens of the District, and had their own
governments. The national government,
however depended on the municipal ser
vices provided by the citizens of the Dis
trict and their street and other improve
ments which overtaxed their resources,
confining it's own expenditures for the most
part to the national buildings and their
surroundings, except In the case OF the
auuPduct until 1878.
Sanctified by War.
Then the civil war having sanctified the
national capital by the blood and treasure
spent for it, so that the long agitation Tor
it's removal west ceased, the national gov
ernment for the first time assumed its gen.
eral obligations as the owner OF more
than one-half of the real estate in the ma
tionaI capital, and in providing the hrst
permanent general government for the DIS
trict of Columbia promised 10 pay halI It's
general expenses. .
THE citizens of the District OF Columbia
had never been required to contribute dl-
rectly to the expenditure or the natlonal
government, although the original proprle-
tors indirectly had done so and 1t was not,
of course. the intent of Congress that the
act of 1878 should make any change in that
respect 1t was not to place a new obliga-
ton upon the citizens, but to provide for an
old obligation of the national government
heretofore neglected. Congress and the
citizens then, as always, recognized the
obvious difference between national govern
ment buildings and improvements. to which
the District taxpayers should contribute
only like the taxpayer OF the states and
strictly District objects Of expenditures, to
which District citizens should contribute
one-half in addition to what they con-
tribute through the tariff and internal reve-
nues in common with others. >,
THAT the compact Of 1873 has worked
well is easily shown by comparison with
District conditions before 1t was enacted;
and that the form OF government which
was provided has worked well Is easily
shown by comparison with municipal con-
ditions elsewhere. The development and
prosperity of the District since 1873. great
er than in all the seventy-efght years pre-
ceding, and the recognition by the country
that the District has had since 1873 an alb
solutely honest and exceptionally efficient
municipal government Qeaving the service
of the speaker entirely out OF account, OF
course). Is in shining contrast with the
great cities Of the states and are two facts
which outweigh sporadic complaints.
Politics Eliminated.