Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-07

short addresses, taking as their suplects
their respective departments or the lis
trict government.
A copy of a recent letter forwarded TO
the Secretary of the Treasury by the COM
missioners, inclosing their appIopi ialioll
estimates for the District, dividing tnese
estimates into current and extraoruha::.
expenses, and asking the Secretary III
turn 10 urge upon Congress that TINS aus
tincticr be made permanent, was reao ~
the association. A general dlscussloH III ~
lowed. ending in the introductlon OF we
following resolution by Louis r. ohoe-
maker.
BE it resolved that this association
unanimously indorse the Recommendation
of the Commissioners of the Dlstr CT as d
wise move and nee SIS airy for the pest III.
terests of the citizens and taxpayers. ana
that we urge the Secretary of the Treas
ury to approve the said recommends
TONS"
The resolution was UNANIMOUSLY
adopted.
In speeches approving the motion the
present method of financing the District
by Congress and the gradual raise in tax
alton was generally condemned.
Those who spoke upon the subject were
C. c. Lancaster, DR.. T. w. Chappell and
William B. Ireland
as follows" said Mr.. Shoemaker at Tie
close of his speech upon the subject, the
present unbuSinesSlke method In man.
cial matters pertaining to the Dlseric: oy
Congress has increased taxation until 1t
has become almost unbearaole mere
must be change
Surface System Sewerage.
Asa E. Phillips, superintendent of the
sewerage department, spoke for some
time relative to the sewerage system gen.
orally and those in the suburban districts
in particular.
1--WE are doing our utmost to equip the
outlying sections with system OF sew
ers,' said Mr. Phillips; mot the expen-
sive tunnel variety which you find In the
city, but what are known as the SURFACE
systems In doing this we have met
with some difficulty in procuring the nee
esSary rights of way. Still, the work Is
progressing. and in time we hope TO nave
the suburban districts honeycombed with
them"
At the conclusion of Mr.. Phillips ad-
dress he explained the courses OF several
of the public sewers with the aid OF
map. The speaker was deluged with ques-
lions relative to assessments and the
method pursued in procuring rights OF
way.
Mr.. Wood. superintendent of the street
cleaning department, followed Mr.. Phli-
gradually spreading influence of citizens
associations and the good work accom-
plished in matters pertaining to his de-
partment through resolutions directed 10
the heads of the District government. In
speaking of the personnel and work of his
own department, the new superintendent
asserted distressing condition Of affairs
existed.
Wood Defends His Department.
IT,. A. w.t. onpf 70
day is nothing but a dog he said. HE
works like dog, for the simple reason
there is no incentive for him to do his
best and take an interest in his duties.
The salaries are all small, and the only
persons obtaining adequate compensation
are myself and my assistant. The other
wages are absurdly inadequate.
THE only way a man can obtain more
money is by promotion, of course, and
that is a mighty hard thing to get. espe-
cially for local man. OF course, If he
has exceptional senatorial influence ne
can get most anything he desires. but
those with it are few and far between.
I'm 4 Ding to make change in the whole
depar tment. A man is to be promoted
for merit, and 1 shall recommend an in
crease in all the salaries.
II know full we'll what l am talking
about. and this condition exists today IN
my department. Radical changes and
recommendations are due, and the local
government is going to back me up In 1t.
They realize that change is necessary,
and I feel now they are giving me their
moral support, as they appreciate no one
else in the department knows per cent
Of what l do of it's practical work and
needs
The Brightwood Citizens Association
was congratulated upon its recent success
In obtaining a definite promise for better
street car service in that section of the
city. The congratulation took the form
of resolution introduced by Mr.. Ireland.
who in turn. was appointed committee
of one to convey the best wishes of the
association to the Brightwood Association
at it's next meeting.
Conference Committee Named.
The meeting was concluded by the ap-
pcintment of copmittee of Ave to con-
fer with similar committees from other
associations relative to ascertaining the
sentiment in the District relative to a
change in the local government. The COM
mittee appointed was DR.. T. w. Chappell.
Samuel McC. Hawkins. Louis P. Shoe
maker c. G.. Lancaster and Curtin Smith.
The sentiment of the association rela-
tive to the change Of government was
indicated by a speech from c. Z. Lancas-
ter favoring government by a single mead.
The speech was followed by Mr.. Lancas-
he proposes to submit to the different
citizens associations for their approval
The general provisions Of the bill are
as follows:
l. In place Of three Commissioners,
there shall be one executive, called
governor who shall be resident of the
District of Columbia for five years.
taxpayer and elected by the qualified Vot-
ers of the District of Columbia. His
ter moi office shall be four years. He
shall exercise all the powers and author
ity now vested by law in the three
Commissioners.
9 There shall be a delegate in the
House of Representatives of the Congress
of the United States, who shall be resi-
dent Of the District of Columbia for five
years, a taxpayer and elected every two
years by the qualified voters of the Dis
trict of Columbia.
g. No male person shall be qualified
voter in the District of Columbia who is
not over twenty-one years of age. a resi-
dent therein for one year and four
months in his ward or election district
prior to the ensuing election. He shall
pay taxes on $500 of assessed real or per-
sonal property or be able to read and
write No person who is qualified
voter in any of the states of the Union
shall be a voter in the District of Co.
lumbia.
L. The political and financial relations.
between the District of Columbia and the
Irpitod creatpd nv the Of of luna