The broad ax., 1908-11-28

ere administered COW b 4 commission
q three men appointed b the prest
dent one q whom must Be an army
engineer. Those oPposIng the present
form Of goFernmenf argIls that Il lacks
N Concentration and edciency, that
public matters are delayed By reason
Of having three heads and that the
whole plan 8 inherently weak and has
long been outgroWn By the city.
There 3 undoubtedly q growing
opinion that concentration OF au-
Ehority IN tie District government
would simplify the municipal situation
and produce better results. The com
mission plan has Its good features. II
has long been held up as q model
tdeaIly suited to the needs Of the Dis
frict Of Columbia, where sufrage a
denied
Fever single 8sad.
Many substantial citizens and large
taxpayers are convinced that q one
beaded government would work more
smoothly and satisfactorily. This Is
no new conviction on their part. It
has been emphasized ~ recent exhi-
Billions Of division n the present TIL
umvlrate, It Is true, but the advisable
ity OF concentrated authority has an
pealed 20 them for yearz
These citizens. hoWever, who honest
y believe IN the wisdom Of q change
for the public good, see great danger
IN going before congress and asking
1oe q change at this time. II by sim
pie act one commissioner OF governor
could be substituted for the triumvi-
rate they would urge It earnestly and
heartily.
Fear unrsstrieksd suffrags.
But they fear the proposition would
msEn the opening up OF the whole
Question Of the relations between the
DistEiet and federal government, with
q possible alteration Of the organic act
and perehance TIE granting Of unre-
stTlcted suffrage.
Better suffer the ms We have, they
argue. than invite ms we know not
q. especially as the ms we now have,
though vexations, impose no heavy
burdens and involve no maladminis-
fEation. In other words. they are ne
luctAnt TO take the chance OF Jumping
from the trying pan into the IRE.
u the present form Of government
makes for discord, which Is freely ad-
nltted. Il has. at any rate, not resulted
"a gram ard corruption Of affairs here
-often clumsy and slow and unsatis-
factory, nevertheless has been almost
uniformly free from scandal, save IN
minor places. The integrity OF the
commissioners themselves has never
been brought into question.
To Plant Thousands Of Trees.
There Wfn be more and better trees
lining The streets Of washington By
next spring than ever before II the
plans Of the division o. trees and park
ing o. the District government are ma
triallzed-
The omcials are busIly engaged IN
planking trees throughout the city,
beth IA the residential and business
sections, and It e expected that, II the
weather VIII permit, the department
wIll place IN the ground more trees OF
Al varieties this tan than have been
planted during any one season IN tWen-
0-nve years.
From District Nurseries.
The nurseries Of the District govern
ment at the foot Of = street southeast
and IN Georgia avenue win supply the
trees to be used IN identifying the
city. OF the 2.1O0 to be set out, Euro
psan syeamores. elms, Norway naples. |
sugar naples. pin oaks, gingkos and |
finders win be IN the majority.
During the summer the requests Of |
residents for trees 20 be placed IN !
frcrt OF their homes were carefully |
considered. and whenever it was found |
advisable TO grant the requests work |
men were sent to these locations and |
excavations made. These excavations /
are seven feet long, three ana 4 half |
feet vide and four feet deep.
These were filed with rich earth At /
the tine they were dug. They are now
ready for the reception Of the trees.
Proparins FER inauguration.
Already Washington 4 agitAted over /
fAe Inaugural ceremonies and the INF /
klatibn q william 81. Taft into the Of /
ace Of president March 4
Commissions Macfarland has sue-
gostse that q departure Be mads |
1E1m the time honored custom Of /
hcldlne TIE Inaugural ban IN the PEN
sion oElee. He believes Il should Be
held u the new National museum
building, which win be hnIshed n an
probability By March 4
Schools 81 Long Age.
The public schools Ia the District Of
Columbia were established "a 1so4,
Thomas Jefferson. president Of the
United States. being the 6rst president
az the beard. IN those early days two
Kinds Of pupils attended the schools.
those VINO paid for instruction ana
fhoso who ala not Netting could
lave been devised to pr0mcts class
distinction more effectively than such
q system The clTn war changed Il
and made the pubic school pablo
school where al pupils stand o. TIE