The Washington times., 1909-01-03
Unalterably Opposed to Self
Government for Wash
ingtOnianS.
CHANGES PROMISED
AMONG OFFICIALS
Is Deeply Interested in Sanitary I'M
pTOYementS-Undecided on
One-Man Rule.
BY JAMES HAY, j.

AUGUSTA, Ga, Jan. 3.-Citi-
zenS of the District of Columbia
viii not exercise the right of suffrage
while William Howard Taft is PreSi-
dent.
Whether the present form of gov
eminent in the District is to be pre-
feTed to the proposed plan of
"One-man rule" is a question on
which the PreSident-elect has as yet
reached no decision. But he is de-
termined 10 oppose any proposition
10 grant suffrage to the people Of
the National Capital.
Mr.. Taft is deeply attached TO the
city of Washington, and he has al
ready given its affairs and its future
careful thought. He regards it as
the property and the pride of the
entire country, and he is determined
TO obtain for it from Congress and
from its municipal government such
treatment as will give it a fast i'm
petuS toward greater prestige over
all other cities of the civilized world.
VIII Be Changes.
In line with his. deep concern regard
ing the city, it is not too much 10 say az
this time that I'm the early part OF his
administration there viii De many
changes IN the personnel of Jhe cfd-
cials Of the District government
The truth of the matter ls that Mr.
TAFT wants Washington To Be the model
Tor all other cities In its Government.
In its beauty. I'm its hygiene and in its
care of its people. He does not tHink
that al this time it Is "a model and
le IS strong In his decision go improve
the conduct as its government
He realizes that the municipal govern
uent is somewhat hampered bv the
fact that ir depends ou the approprie-
U0us made by Congress and ON the
presentation OF its affairs 10 The Dis
trict Committees In the House and SEN
ate. But he believes that even with
this difficulty to contend with, better
things can be done for Washington han
nave been done ga the past
For Poorer Classes.
One thing on which ne is particularly
emphatic is his desire to improve hous-
ing conditions and the general sanitary
situation among the poorer classes. He
aas been informed that there are sa--
tons OF locations I'm Washington which
have tenement evils as pronounced as
those 20 be found iu other large cities.
If additional legislation is needed % do
away with these conditions, he will rc.-
ommeud such legislation Iu his ueseaues
to Congress
The Presideut-elect strongly rarors the
uniting into one bureau an the various
agencies seattle: ed through several de-
parlmeuts Of the Government for the
preservation or the public health And
IT. lS more than probable chat, when t.e
work OF cousummatIue .il- union is
u5hes the District OF Columbia viii Heu--
It from it,
This does not mean the abolition OF
tho Health Department az tHe Ir-tFfr.
government but it does mean tH- SUBJ
or al least "a closer and compulsory co.
operation between lt and the Federal
bureau.
Hustle and Enterprise.
As regards all the departments uf the
municipal government Mr.. Taft desires
that they be characterized by hustle and
enterprise and prJRresslveugss. It be
has his way nc viii laauEurate a. re-
Eime where good rcd blood and ghe get
U-aud-Eet-uuaIUes viii keep fIe city
of Washington always ou The oulrk step
toward that condition which EsHu make
fl a model