The Washington times., 1907-03-10
Should City StrfOe for Trade or for Beauty

Those gentlemen. with homes a long
distance away and their own local in
terests to watch, as we'll as men like
Senator Blackburn, who work with the
chairman. have given time and labor
to the District which few OF our people
appreciate. 1t is a great loss 10 the
Capital that Mr.. Babcock is now TO
retire, after his fourteen years OF serv-
ice.
Needs Representation.
Yet I feel strongly that the District
would be better served II II had repre-
sentatives at the Capitol who had no
other interests 10 take their attention
am not yet persuaded that suffrage is
the best Thing for the District, whether
10 elect such delegates or for some other
purpose. I am altogether opposed to it
unless it is limited by educational and
property qualifications both. Still il is
probably true that the failure Of the Dis
trict citizen to vote ut stated periods
does breed indifference.
Local tax assessments are not properly
adjusted. Some localities are over
taxed; others are undertaxed; and the
personal tax is distinctly not a success.
il is Of first Importance that we should
find out just what the matter IS.
As 10 the schools. the present Board
Of Education is doing it's best to serve
the children. and no one else. 1t is
meeting with many obstacles through
defects in the law The board could
/ improve conditions much more rapidly
/ if IT had more power. And 1 say that
with particular emphasis the day after
va frrD fa 70 f-fu ~ oh
/ er which has consumed four months OF
/ our time.
/ Men with capital will never invest It
/ in Washington II their investments are
/ 70 be complicated by new regulations
! from time 10 time. That is the reason
! why l have hesitated TO approve the
! proposition to give the Commissioner
( supervision ever public-service corpora
/ tions like the gas company and the
| street railway companies Neither they
nor any other officials ought to be en-
/ powered 10 direct the use CT private
| funds.
No Supervision, No Franchise.
On the other hand, I don't believe q
! corporation should hold a franchise and
use a public right without being effec,
| people. BY this I do not mean manage
ment, / would not permit the Commits
| siOncrs or anyone else TO manage AZ
| investment Of $4,000 or $4,000 for me
But 1 think that surely public-servlc,
corporations can be made TO provide Z
service OF a certain star dard at not
more than a fixed price. without hay
ing the supervision really endanger tn,
Investment How this can best be don,
/ do not know
improvements IN the District ough
Il be equitably distributed. l hav,
! the impression that today too few o.
them go 10 the Northeast. the Southeast
/ snd the Southwest l am satisfied IN,
need Of those three sections is greater
than tnat OF any part OF the Northwest
Yet even the park biIl-which did no
pass-prOvidcd for three parks in IN,
! Northwest and only one east Of IN,
Capitol. and that one was across TIT
Eastern Branch where mighty few citl
zens could use it,
/ Another phase of this matter Of i'm
/ provements Is that the present metho,
J OF charging Tor the extension of street.
puts the burden on the owner Of TIT
adjacent property alone. All the beue
fits are assessed IN his favor and al
the cost set of against the benefits. An,
the improvements are ordered in mani
cases whether the property owners VIII,
pay for them want them or not.
For the Community.
In point Of fact. the extension O
4 streets and similar public Improvement
are for the benefit OF the whole com
munity as well as the owner. of IN
adjoining ground and the Government
should bear its share of the cost as I
does in other instances.
Coming to your last question. What.
the matter with the people Of the Dis
trict?" I don't feel that the Governmen
clerk should be expected 10 take par
in its affairs when doing so will COS
him money.
Practically every clerk has the inter
est of the city at heart Many O
them are buv.rg homes. But as a class
with salaries as they are. they are en-
gagged IN mighty nard struggle &
keep out of debt. It is all right 70
them TO help where they Can-and man,
of them do 50 through citizens aSSOcia
! sOnable to expect them TO be as nbcra
in behalf OF the District as men witt
! larger incomes. If the GOvernmen
clerk is 70 be more active as a citizel
he must have some relief from tn
present incessant fight to make bot
ends meet