Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-05
Washington's Legislators.

The new District committee of the House
having been named by Speaker Cannon, the
process of local legislation will probably
start at once upon the opening OF the regu-
lar session next week. That body as now
constituted presents materially different
aspect from last session. Many new faces
will be seen around the committee table,
and some of the old faces will be missing.
The Speakers policy in forming the COM
mittee has been to distribute the member
ship as widely possible among the states
following no particular geographical rule
save that no two members shall come from
the same commonwealth. Maryland is
now unrepresented while Virginia has one
member. serving his first term. A majority
of the members have served before their
present term in Congress, four of the six
teen entering Congress this year.
In the makeup of this committee 1t is to
be assumed that the Speaker has exercised
especial care. 1t is one of the most I'M
portant subordinate bodies of the House,
having a special Jurisdiction and a respon-
sibility different from that imposed upon
any other committee. 1t is charged with q
large share in the government of the Dis
trict of Columbia, the national capital In
addition to their general functions as ma
the House are required to act as common
council for Washington. to consider minute
details well questions of policy init
mately affecting the welfare of nearly 3OO,-
600 people. 1t is required OF a member of
the District committee that he be a broad
man. capable of determining wisely issues
OF national import, that he bring to his
consideration of the affairs of the national
municipality the spirit of the patriot as
we'll as the acumen OF the business man.
He must remember that he is working for
the attainment of a great national ideal,
for the expression here in concrete form in
the national capital of type of the repub
lie. He has in his keeping not only the
physical and financial welfare of the in
habtants of Washington, but also the pride
OF the whole country in the capital of the
nation.
Before this committee will come, during
the next two years, many matters of i'm
pOrtance vitality affecting the Districts
prosperity In conjunction with the COM
mittee appropriations the District COM
mittee will have much to do with the exc
cutiOn of the plans now awaiting develop
ment for the evolution of the Greater
Washington. The District committee of to-
day has 1t In Its power to correct a gross
injustice of other years by relieving the
District of heavy burden of taxation. 1t
can go far toward readjusting the cost of
the great permanent works now under way
or Immediately in contemplation. SO that
they shall be paid for. as In other Cities
in part by the people who chiefly benefit from
them, the taxpayers OF the future This
and other matters will be brought to the
committees attention by the District Com
misstoners. They will also offer a number
of measures from time to time, calculated
TO perfect the system of municipal govern
ment and to extend the facilities for the
comfort and convenience of the citizens
This Will call for much detailed work In
the degree that the members of the House
committee on the District delve for the bot
tom facts and heed the fundamental prin-
ciples of municipal government as applied
to the peculiar case of the national can't
tai. they will. in acting upon those facts
and theories approach an ideal answer to
the question of how to administer the at
lars of the seat of a great government