Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-14
To GRANT HOME RULE
Aim of Bill introduced by Rep
resentative MorreI.
FRANCHISE GIVEN PEOPLE
Representation in Congress Pro-
vided.
TO ELECT LOCAL OFFICIALS
Mayor, Board Of Aldermen and Com
mon Council to Be Chosen
by the Voters.

tative Morrell of Pennsylvania, a member
| of the House District committee. The BILL
| which revolutionfzes in practically every
| feature the present system of government in
| the District, shows evidences of having been
| prepared with the greatest care, is en-
| braced within sixteen pages of typewriter
| 1oolscap and is entitled "a bill to extend
| the limits Of the city Of Washington so as
to include all territory within the District
of Columbia. and to establish a republican
form of government there, and for other
purposes Mr.. Morrell explained the pur-
pose of his measure to Star reporter to-
| day.
| The Proposed Change.
This bill'' he said, takes from the gov
eminent Of the District of Columbia as
now organized, certain rights and functions,
and confers them upon the municipality of
| Washington, but leaves the District Of
Columbia, as county, in possession of
| CRIMINAL and civil jurisdiction, except such
as Is conferred upon the mayor, which is
| That of justice of the peace Of the Dis
.rict II leaves the District, as county, in
control OF the police force, rivers. wharves,
etc, and all authority relating strictly to
| the port of Washington.
me theory Is that the United States occu-
| pres the relation of a state, the District
that of county, and the city that of a
municipality within the state and county.
coextensive territorially with both. The Dis
.rict government now existing is left with
out power to lay taxes; the United States
| oelng required to defray the expenses of
tne judiciary establishment, including the
nlarshaas office, the Jail, the district attor-
| ney office, and also the office of the repis
| Ter OF Wills, the clerks office the office of
| me register OF deeds. and all other matters
| mat would in state pertain to county adj
ministration and of the police force.
| me act only incorporates municipality
Wltmn the county, leaving the latter to
perform the functions belonging to a coun-
| ", and leaving the county government to
tho a tpp controlled and supported by
| the federal government. and with full DOW
| er TO provide plans for the laying out Of
| streets, avenues, roads, etc. in conjunction
WIN the federal authorities, and in ac-
| cordance with the original design of the
| people to make this a national canitaI
Some modification of the District or county
| government will be necessary, if the bill
passes; put such modification cannot well
| be included in this BILL -
| The federal government ought to pay the
| expenses of the county government and the
! expense of public improvements in propor-
ton to the excess of expense in s,Ich i'm
| provements, which result from federal re-
| qu1rements as distinguished from purely
| local and municipal requirements. new
| act recognizing the District of Columbia
| as county would embody the changes
made necessary by the passage of this act.
Representation in Congress.
| ''The bill also provides for representation
| of the District of Columbia in the Congress
of the Unite States. assigning to said Dis
! trict until the next regular congressional
| apportionment two congressman at-large,
| to be elected by the people of the District
| having the qualifications of voters for the
| boards of aldermen and common council as
| provided in the BILL
Election of Mayor.
Section of the bill provides that the
mayor shall be elected on Tuesday after
| the first Monday in November, 1908, and
on the same day in every second year
thereafter, at the same time and place, and
in the same manner. and by the persons
qualified to vote for members of the board
of aldermen and the board of common
council. Any person shall be eligible to
the office of mayor who is male citizen
of the United States, thirty-f1ve years old
and who shall have resided in the city for
five years Immediately preceding his cleo
ton and who shall be bona fide owner
| of freehold estate in the city.
The Board of Aldermen.
Section 6 provides that the board of al
dermen shall consist of fifteen members,
who shall be respectively and severally resi-
dents in and chosen from the fifteen legis-
lative districts hereinafter mentioned, one
from each district, by the qualified voters
therein, and shall be elected for two years
from the Monday morning next ensuing
their election; and the board of common
council shall consist of thirty members, of
whom two shall be residents in and chosen
from each legislative district by the quail
fed voters therein, and shall be elected
for one year from the Monday next ensuing
their election: and each board shall meet
at the council chamber on the second Mon
day in November next ensuing their cleo
ton for the dispatch Of business at 10
O clock in the morning, and at the same
hour on the second Monday morning in
May in every year thereafter, and at such
other times as the two boards may by
law direct.
boards shall be sent to the mayor for his
appreciation, and, when approved by him,
shall be obligatory as such. But, If the
mayor shall not approve of any ordinance
or act so sent to him, he shall return the
salpe within five days, with his reasons in
writing therefor; and if.two-thirds of both
boards on reconsideration thereof agree to
pass the same it shall be in force in like
manner as If the mayor had approved 1t;
nut If the two boards shall, by their adj
journment, prevent its return the same
shall not be obligatory
| Qualifications of Voters and Council
| Section provides that no person shall be
eligible to seat in the board of aldermen
| or board of common council unless he
shall be more than twenty-five years of
age, male citizen of the United States,
and shall have been resident of the city
of Washington, or District Of Columbia,
| for two years next preceding the day of his
election and shall at the time of his cleo
| ton be resident Of the legislative district
| for which he shall be elected and the bona
| fde owner of freehold estate in such dis
| trict. Every male citizen who shall have
resided in Washington for one year next
preceding the day of election and shall
| be resident for thirty days of the legis-
| lative district in which he shall offer to
| vote and who shall have been assessed and
who shall have paid all taxes legally as
sessed or the poll tax, shall be entitled to
! vote.
| The bill then defines the boundaries of
| the proposed legislative districts and sup
plies the other administrative details of the
| transformed government.
No Exception Allowed by Commission
| No reply is to be made by the Interstate
| commerce commission to the petition of
| the Great Northern Railway Company for
|