The Washington times., 1908-12-19
From Baltimore Sun
THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

The change in the system of govern
ment for the District of Columbia rec
commended in a message from the Presl-
! dent to Congress, is radical. The Presi-
| dent advises the abolition of the Dis
4 trict Commissioners. who have been at
I the head of municipal Affairs since 1874.
/ in place of this system il is proposed
/ that there shall be a governor with a
salary Of $4,000 and nine or ten com
missioners. one at the head OF each de-
partment. with a salary OF 5000 each.
! all TO be appointed by the President
These commissioners would. according
! 10 the Presidents idea. constitute a
municipal council for the passage OF
ordinances. This system seems TO be
somewhat in imits ton OF the Galveston
plan Of government by commission,
which has been adopted by many Of
the cities Of Texas and few in other
States. An apparent difficulty in the
application OF this system TO Washing
ton is that clause of the Constitution
OF the United States which commits TO
Congress the exercise OF exclusive leg
isiation in all cases whatsoever over
the seat Of the Government OF
the United States" Congress, made up
Of members from all the States of the
Union. nearly all Of them entirely un-
acquainted with conditions in Washing
ton, is not well equipped for the per
Torrance OF this duty and. besides. 1t Is
too conderous body TO be legislature
for so small and compact a territory.
For this reason the lawmaking power
.. fwo
reIegated to a committee of Congress.
This system gives the members OF the
committee an undue influence over the
District government and II there hap
pens to be a politician on the committee
there IS danger that he may force his
retainers into office. To do away With
this condition, II is urged that the civil
service rules be more strictly applied
In other years there was. as far as
permitted under the Constitution, local
self government in the District OF Co
lumbia, officials being elected by the
people, as in other cities. But after the
war Washington became the refuge or
negroes from ali the nearby States, and.
in order 10 avoid the danger of an r.
responsible electorate, the present sys-
TEN was with the assent OF citizens,
devised in 1874 Under this system The
District Commissioners present their
estimates Of expenditures 20 Congress
and the amount is appropriated, one
half Of the budget coming from tie
United States and the other half from
taxation upon property in the District
The reason for this division is that 4
very large proportion Of the property IN
Washington Is owned by the United
States. and is exempt from taxation. In
many respects the present form OF gov
eminent has been most satisfactory,
and in others il is regarded as defec-
tive. The city has become the best
paved city IN the United States and one
Of the cleanest. There has been no COM
plant Of dishonesty. The defects seem
10 arise from the complication with the
General Government and the division
OF authority.
The school system has been greatly
criticesd. and the police department
seems pOwerIess TO deal With the negro
Opulation-whether On account of tim
idity, lack Of large enough force, or
national politics Is not satisfactorily
explained. The President especially
recommends the establishment Of a de-
partment OF labor and housing. Pow
erty. disease, and crime" he says, are
largely due to defects Of social condi-
lions and surroundings" Improved
sanitary inspection Of dwellings, rear
alleys. and small Shacks, such as IN
happily still exist in Washington" the
President argues. should be brought
under the direct control OF a competent
head. There are many dwellings in
Washington. it has been complained,
that are not mt FOR human habitatfon
But the practical difficulty IS IN housing
the pennileSs and thriftless negroes who
swarm into Washington with the idea OF
living without work Possibly, If the
''shacksT Of which the President com
plains were demolished and prohibited,
the improvident negro would be with
out shelter and would stay away But
Washington is too fine and important a
city to be used as A Government expert
ment station or proving ground. The
adoption OF the Presidents idea would
tend to inject politics into the District
of Columbia affairs