Evening star., 1909-05-08
"Reforming' the Local Government.

The present form of government in the
District of Columbia has its strong points
as we'll as It's weak points. Administra-
tion by Commissioners who must. under
the law. have been bona fide residents OF
the District for three years prior to ap-
pointment. is quasi-home rule, subject to
the influence Of local public sentiment.
The real power. the substantial. final
power both on executive and legislative
lines. is in the nation, in Congress and the
President: but the present form of Dis
trict government gives the people. through
delegation by Congress- representation
both in the municipal executive and
In the body making municipal ordinances
and considering and presenting with rec
concentrations measures of general legis-
laton to be acted upon by Congress.
Thus the Washingtonians have. as they
should some of that representation and
some of that privilege Of participating in
their municipal government and affairs.
which is consistent with the n~.onal
legislative control OF the District and the
accompanying national obligation-neces-
sary to Washington life-to contribute
to the capitals. maintenance and upbuild-
ing This form of government ccnserves
contribution to the capital on which the
latter's real prosperity is based
In all functions of the Commissioners
except these which are purely executive.
three -headedness is not even in theory a
drawback In a quasi-legislative body. in
a legislative advisory council. in co-opera-
tive legislative agents before Congress.
both in theory and in fact. three are
between the community and Congress,
with its power of exclusive legislation,
three men have more points of sympa-
thetic touch with the community than
one. and the people can present their
arguments and petitions effectively to a
wider range of legislators through three
cooperating agents than through one. If
citizen is not on terms with one Com
missioner he can get a considerate hear
ing of his views through another. II
congressman is prejudiced against one
Commissioner. the Districts needs can be
effectively impressed upon him through
another.
Since all our legislation is enacted by a
body not chosen by us apd over which
we have no control. and which may be
republican at one time and democratic
another. 1t Is essential that the Districts
governmental agents should be non-parti-
san. Under the present practice one Com
missioner is of republican Affiliations, one
of democratic and the third, an army Of
hcer. Is supposed to be neutral POLITICAL
ly. If the District were municipality under
the one-man power. whether the one man
was appointed from outside the District
by a national President or elected by
popular suffrage In the District, he would
almost inevitably be partisan, and the
nations ward would be alienated from
scme of its guardians.
The Districts government has not only
been non-partisan, but 1t has been hon.
est, clean. self-respecting and public
spirited. We have been spared the one
man power of the corrupt and irresponsi-
BILE political boss, in whose grip the
single-headed executive of SO many Of
our large cities has been the mere pup
pet.
The proof of the pudding is in the eat
ing; and under the relations between the
nation and the capital which this pc
culiar form of government typifies the
city has made wonderful progress in
every branch of municipal development.
Possibly every Washingtonian believes
he could devise substitute for the exist
ing form of municipal government that
would be sounder in theory. If not more
efficient in practice, than the present one
But can a majority of Washingtonians
agree concerning the form of this improve
ment. which Is to take the place of the
old system? Before we assent to the de-
struction of what exists prudence sug-
gests that We should know. for purposes
Of comparison. what the future will SUBJ
stitute. We might cheerfully kill the old
in favor Of our own ideal of government,
whereas we might view as ruinous the
substitution for the old of the ideal of our
neighbor. The frogs In the fable who de-
manded the dethronement of King Log
would have fought desperately against a
change Of rulers II they had foreseen
King Stork.
1t is quite likely that if Castro does