The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-12


 the rule of three commissioners. a con- fessedly temporary arrangement. This was in 1874. Shepherd was ostraelzed in Washington and went to Mexico where he | lived for years in exile. But the work he had begun could neither be neglected
 nor Hndone. It had to be finished The new government carried on the improve
 ments on more conservative scale all l in 1879 Congress passed an act creating a permanent form of government for the district, which act has been called bN
 the United States supreme court the "con-
 stitutlon of the District of Columbia Aftor many years Governor Shepherd
 returned to Washington for a visit. The
 good he had done was beginning to ap-
 preciated, and Washington gave a pub lie reception to the man whose indom- liable will and tireless energy, united with a passionate devotion to his native town had made the plans of George Washington a reality. He continued to live in Mexico, however, and was ,n- gagged in mining there until his death in 1902 His body was brought to Washing ton in 1903. and was buried with the highest civic honors In the little park in front of the beautiful marble municipal building. now approaching completion, l will stand a monument to Alexander k. | Shepherd, the builder of the City Beau | tful. the man who was driven from his
 home that he loved so much, stigmatized | as a second Ross Tweed but who was | spared to see its glory unfold.
 | As 1t is now constituted, the executive ] government of the district is entrusted | to three commissioners, one of whom must | be an officer of high rank in the engineer | corps of the army The commissioners ! administer the details of government, pre- | pare the budget transmit it to Congress | and there advocate 1t and other dis- l triet Legislation before the District of Co., | lumbia committees Because of the fact | that the commissioners and Congress ale | not directly responsible to the people of | the district, system of expressing pub 1 lie opinion has been developed in Wash
 ington which is absolutely unique. Under
 it's operation the government is in prac- | tioe, though not in theory. sensitiVely ce- l sponsible to public opinion, being un- | afraid of elections and independent of | party bosses.
 The Board of Trade and Chamber of | Commerce are not merely commercial or- l sanizations, but are made up of the prom | inent citizens of the district banded to- | gether to see that the city's interests are | not neglected If the public has particu- | lar views on any subject of municipal 1 government these organizations go to
 work on the commissioners and congress 1 to have these views adhered to. For the | smaller public questions that affect ohly | limited localities and not the entire dis l trict and various citizens associations, I of which there are more than twenty, un- | dertake to express the opinion of the pub | lie. The commissioners give public hear | ing and private audiences to these as- | sociations. and they are recognizeu as | extra-legal, but none the less authorlth- | tive, representatives Of public opinion. ihe
 commission form of government has not only pleased the citizens of the d,s- | trict. but has moved the people Of other | municipalities to emulate the example. | Tomorrow-Social Life In Washington.