Evening star., 1909-06-18
TO GOVERN DISTRICT
James Bronson Reynolds Sug-
gests a Governor.
STATES VIEWS IN DETAIL
Chamber of Commerce Subcommittee
Begins Investigation.
HE. DAVIS OPPOSES CHANGE
Native and Lifelong Resident De-
clares Washington Best Gov
erned City in Country.
HE. DAVIS OPPOSES CHANGE

1
erned City in Country.
Both sides of the question of pro-
posed change in the form Of government
!, Of the District OF Columbia were ably
!, presented last evening. before the sub
committee of the committee on law and
legislation of the Chamber Of Commerce.
The subcommittee, which was appointed
to consider both sides of the question
and report its findings. has arranged a
series of public hearings, of which that
j last evening was the first and has in
vited those interested in the subject of
it's investigations to appear before it and
express their views.
i One speaker last evening was James
i Bronson Reynolds of New York, who.
/ starting his public career fifteen years
ago as secretary to Mayor Seth Low, has
been actively engaged since in a study of
sociological questions in the larger cities
of the world 1t was he who at the re-
quest of President Roosevelt made a
| study of conditions in the District as q
| result of which he recommended certain
| changes in the form of the District gov
| ernment, the most drastic of which. and
the one which has caused the greatest
| discussion, is the substitution of gov
ernor for the present board Of Commits
sioners. The Reynolds report which
| contained Mr.. Reynolds views on condi-
tions in the District and his recommended
| tionS for their improvement, contained
| many other features which interested the
residents of the District, and the commit
tee which is studying the matter for the
| Chamber of Commerce felt that it would
| be of advantage to hear from him direct
Consequently the committee extended to
him special invitation to speak before it.
Henry E. Davis Opposes Change.
The other speaker of the evening was
Henry E. Davis. who gave to the COM
mittee the first of the local views to be
presented. and who, as it turned out, is
opposed to any change in the existing
form Of municipal government AS a
native Of the District and man who
has resided here all his life and has
held. at different times, the positions
Of advisory attorney to the District
Commissions and United States attor-
ney for the District, Mr.. Davis is re-
garded as a practical exponent of Dis
trict life and traditions and one well
qualified to express the views of that
portion of the Districts population.
| The addresses of both Mr.. Reynolds and
Mr.. Davis were typical of the points OF
view each entertained. The conclusions
of Mr.. Reynolds with regard to the bet
terment of conditions In the District were
based not only upon his Investigations
here. but also upon his study of condi-
| tions in other cities. In making COM
PARSONS he referred frequently to the
conduct of German cities. which he held
up as model. in many respects.
| Mr.. Davis, on the other hand, clung
to the idea Of gradual development such
as characterizes all Anglo-Saxon tnstitu-
| tions. He held strictly to conditions in
the District and based his opposition to
1 q n on n oil Nt,0 tIn fcry,
Of government on the ground that it
was contrary to the spirit of the English
speaking race. whose institutions were
always marked by natural growth from
within. an empirical building up in keep
ing with the nature of the people whose
lives they involved.
| Duties of Subcommittee.
In introducing Mr. Reynolds Ernest H.
Daniel, chairman of the subcommittee
said the committee had not been appoint
ed to find reasons for the support of one
side or the other, but that it's duties
were those of jury which was to find
certain facts and report them back to the
| full committee.
| Mr.. Reynolds began his speech with
reference to the request Of President
Roosevelt that he study social conditions
in the District and the District govern
| ment and report on them. The President
| had not invited him, Mr.. Reynolds said,
! to express any view on either finance or
suffrage. and therefore he had not touch
ed on those topics. He had been author
| lied by President Roosevelt Ito investi-
gate social conditions in the city of
Washington and the administration OF
| the city government in its relations to
| the people of the District of Columbia"
| In his letter the then President said, in
conclusions:
Il wish your Investigations to terminate
| in definite, practical recommendations to
me with reference to the city's present
needs and most notable defectA meas
administration III this country and else
where"
Assistance From Commissioners.
In his work. Mr. Reynolds declared, he
was not called on to criticise the District
Commissioners. In fact, he received great
| assistance from them in his investigation
and discussed with them nearly all of his
recommendations before he forwarded
them to the President. Continuing, Mr.
Reynolds said in part:
MY principal recommendations which
shall discuss at this time are: The ex-
tension of the merit system of appoint
ments: the substitution of a single execu-
tive for three: the extension of eligibility
| Tor the chief executive office; the crea-
ton OF municipal departments in place
or bureaus; more active participation
by the citizens of Washington in its gov
ernment; the creation of new municipal
department for the better protection of
the Industrial class.
/ IAN essential to efficiency in the ad-
ministration of the affairs of the District
: of Columbia Is, of course, the sci action of
officials solely on merit and their reten-
tion in Office and promotion on the ground
of service rendered.
/ THE District Commissioners on their
own initiative have secured the examna-
ton by the national civil service commits
sion of all applicants for the police and
nre departments. Medical officers and ex-
pert accountants are accepted only after
competitive examination. The Commits
sioners have annually appealed for the
extension of the civil service law to cover
all minor employees of the District.
Suggests a Governor.
My second recommendation is the SUBJ
stitution of single executive for three,
such executive to be known as the Gov
ernor of the District of Columbia and to
receive salary of not less than $4,000.
Under the present system, as / under
stand it, the three Commissioners while
! in theory equally responsible for the en-
tire government Of the District, in prac-
tice partially divide direct responsibility
in their conduct Of the various depart
nentS or bureaus. but thew decide COL