Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-07
CAPITAL AND NATION
HOW THEIR RELATIONS WERE
FINALLY ADJUSTED.

From The Evening Star of December 10, 1907.
The form of government which had ex-
listed from the year 1902, under a mayor
alderman and council, for the city OF WASH
ington under similar form OF government
for Georgetown, and under a levy court 1or
the county, was changed February Il. 1871
and in lieu thereof there was estapiisheo a
new form of government for the District OIL
Columbia, consisting of governor. couhcn
and board of public works, appointed ny
the President of the United States ana con-
firmed by the United States Senate, ana
house of delegates, elected by the people
One of the first acts of the legislative as
sembly was passed August ., 1911. enti'ieo
an act prescribing the duties Of certain OIL
GERS for the District of Columbia, and nN-
ing their compensation. This was a very
comprehensiye act, going into details OF
taxation of the duties of omcers vi eno
local administration and their renluhei i
ton. and of the application OF the sums h nc
lected to the various EXPENSES VI '
trict government. ,,, CO
The board of pubic works was oiils ~ S
far referred to in this legislation as III lhe
act of August 10. 1871. enu naeenents for
sneciaI improvements and providing LOT 'he
collection thereof,
A Debt Fixed in 1872.
T, the assembly on January 10. 1877 an
oct was passed for the payment OF 'he
aah.s of the corporation Of washington
and similar act, June 90 1877, 1or INC
nayrent of the debts of the levy court
and for the payment of the debts OF INC
cornoration of Georgetown. Commissioners
of the sinking fund by an act passed d.
the same time, were authorized to settio
all such claims and directed ana eHPow
cred to issue registered or coupon pohos l
the CITY of Washington to an amount sum
Client to cover said debts Oh r shs act pro-
vided that the aggregate debt OF the Us
trict should not exceed the sum OF ten
million dollars. ..or,b,v
nassad an act authorizing the issue Oh
81 600 600 In bonds, In accordance WIN
nlan of Improvement submitted 10 ss1iu re
islature by the board of public WORKS. a.
act authorizing an addltlonal ts ssd sup,ist
same amount of bonds was passed Aus 20
10 ISL. but, on submitting the Quesuonnn ~, "
vote Of the people. only one loan VI S1'"'''
600 was authorized. ,,.,or
On June %, 1873, further Authorization
NJ bonds was made to cover the discount I'M
allowed on the negotiation Of the S4VV'OV
loan The bonded debt or the Dis.i ~. ~,
istinp December 81 1873. was. as Staten =.
the Controller $5527 $50: the assessed vaiue
~ real estate in the entire District, as sta.-
"a nv the superintendent Of assessments III
1874, was SOC. 433.s72
An Embarrassing Situation.
The following extract from an opinion
,,,.n nv Mr.. Caleb Cushing will Indicate
.ha emba rrassing condition into which the
N.ca, affairs of, the District had drl1teo:
SIN continuing, by the act of March 8. 1870
tn follow the method Of reimbursement IN
stead of anticipatory appropriations ano ~
not making at the same time any apprE,,,
nriations for future work, although WI
/, knowing that such WON nus "a any Iave been
conscious of the impracticablilty OF ac.ne
in this matter by previous appiopI," ioM
without having first fixed by genera ia~
law the proportion of cost OF lmproVeIatthh .
-cbareeeble to individuals proprietors ana the
nroportion chargeable to the United states.
This uncertain condition as TO tne pro p;s
tionate liability for the expenses OF tne , DIS
trict as between Congress ana lts citt1o III
"a further exemplified by the heavy expenui-
tire of the District government In oihel
branches of administration. IN DeceiLnoei,
1879 the superintendent OF pupnc ScHoU S.
writes: 1T Is clearly evident that the cry
cannot sustain the burden OF taxation re-
olired to carry on our present system VI
public schools. For the purpose vi 49,
tanning what proportion OF the paIen' u
Guardians of pupils in our schools are taA-
nayers here l recently procured cohpISte
list from the registers or our scnoois. me
list contained the names Oh Z4o pdrentS, ",
guardians of pupils. ana Oh TINS ,asna auree
..The list might be extended TO other
sources of expenditure by the government
Of the District for police. board or heaitn,
interest. etc. showing how. In me event ~, oi
the financial burdens resting upon the DIS
tr,ct not being relieved by permanent law
assuming on the part Of the general govern
ment n lust proportion of the Districts ma
biities. II must inevitably result III INC
bankruptcy of this community.
The Commissionership Government.
The system of government was again
changed June 20. 1874. continuing now
ever. the sinking commissioners. but plac-
ing the government in the hands OF tnree
commissioners instead of the governor.
council. board of public works and the leg
islative assembly This act also directed
the Issue of 1856 bonds. to take up the out
standing certificates of the board OF audit
issued for certificates of the board OF pup
lie works for improvements mace, ana IN
the act pledging the United states py pro-
norttonate appropriations and by causing
TO be levied such taxes as would do SO 70
provide the payment of interest on said
bonds and their payment at maturity. BY
the end of 1877 the funded debt OF the lis
trict of Columbia was S22.O9S65O.
Growth of Indebtedness.
The debts so far referred to were debts of
the old corporation of Washington and the
four million loan authorized Dy the leglSia-
ture; meantime the board of public works.
which was not under the control of the leg
isIature, had Incurred large debt outside
of the authorized expenditure fthe pro-
ceeds of the our-mllion loan. The rapid
growth of this Indebtedness and the lack
OF provision for meeting the same alarmed
the citizens OF the District. and led to an
appeal to Congress and an investigation.
After thorough inquiry and investigation
the acts of the board as to the creation of
the debt were dsapproved. and the powers
which had been exercised by the members
thereof transferred to the three Commits
sioners authorized to be appointed under
act of June 20. 1874. There was at this
time left uncollected vast amount of spe-
cial taxes and an undetermined amount of
District debt incurred by the board of pub
lie works This last sum was evidenced by
certificates of the treasurer Of the board
and other claims growing out OF The execu-
ton of contracts. and it was provided that
all such claims should be submitted to
board of audit composed of the two con-
trolers of the treasury. which should issue
certificates for the amounts found due on
the same. and in the act OF June 70. 1874.
the commissioners of the sinking fund were
directed to issue bonds of the District bear
ing interest at 365 per cent per annum and
having fifty years to run and to exchange