The broad ax., 1909-10-23
WASHINGTON LETTER



.orvbody probably well knows, aifaiEs
are administered now BY commission
az three men appointed By the Pred
dent, one OF whom must Be an army
engineer. Those opposing the present
form OF eovernment argue that Il lacks
"a concentration and efficiency, that
public matters are delayed by reNs0n
Of having three heads and that the
whole plan Is Inherently weak and has
long been outgrown BY the city.
There r. undoubtedly q growing
opinion that q concentration OF au-
thority IN the District government
would simplify the municipal situation
and produce better results. The com
mission plan has It's good features Il
has long been held up as q model,
iesally suited to the needs Of the Dis
tzIct OF Columbia, where suffrage b
denied.
Favor Single Hsad.
Many substantial citizens and large
taxpayers are convinced that q one
headed government would work more
smoothly and satisfactorily. This Il
no new conviction on their part II
has been emphasized BY recent exhi-
bItions Of division In the present til
umvirate, It Is true, but the advisable
tty OF concentrated authority has APP
pealed to them for years
These citizens, however, who honest
II believe IN the wisdom Of change
for the public good, zee great danger
IN going before congress and asking
for q change at this time. II BY sim
pie act one commissioner or governor
could be substituted for the triumvi-
rate they would urge It earnestly and
heartily.
Fear Unrestricted Suffrage.
But they fear the proposition would
mean the opening up Of the whole
question Of the relations between the
District and federal government with
q possible alteration Of the organic act
and perchance the granting Of unre-
8ricted Suffrage.
Better suffer the Hls We have, they
argue, than invite Ills We know not
Of especially a. the ms we now have,
though Vexatious, impose no heavy
burdens and involve no maladminis-
tration. In other words, they are re-
luctant to take the chance Of jumping
from the frying pan into the ire
II the present form Of government
makes for diseord, which Il freely adj
mitted, It has, at any rate, not resulted
IN graft and corruption Of Affairs here
often clumsy and slow and unsatis-
NH.a1rr
uniformly free from scandal, save In
minor places. The integrity Of the
commissioners themselves has never
been brought into question
To Plant Thousands Of Trees.
There VIII be more and better trees
lining the streets Of Washington by
next spring than ever before II the
plans Of the division Of trees and park
ing Of the District government are ma
terialized.
The officials are busfly engaged In
planting trees throughout the city,
both In the residential and business
sections, and It is expected that, II the
weather viii permit, the department
WIN place In the ground more trees Of
al varieties this fan than have been
planted during any one season In twen-
ty-fYe years.
From District Nurseries.
The nurseries Of the District govern
ment at the foot Of e street southeast
and In Georgia avenue win supply the
trees to be used In identifying the
city. OF the 2,100 to be set out, Euro
pean sycamores, elms, Norway naples,
sugar naples, pin oaks, gingkos and
Eindens viii be In the majority.
During the summer the requests Of
residents for trees to be placed IN
front Of their homes were carefully
considered, and whenever it was found
advisable to grant the requests work
men were sent to these locations and
excavations made. These excavations
are seven feet long, three and q hall
feet wide and four feet deep.
These were filed with rich earth al
the time they were dug. They are now
ready for the reception Of the trees.
Preparing For Inauguration.
Already Washington is agitated ovel
the inaugural ceremonies and the mi
tiation Of William n. Taft into the Of
fee Of president March 4.
Commissioner Macfariand has sug
gested that a departure be mad'
from the time honored custom o
holding the inaugural ball In the pen
sion once. he believes It should b
held IN the new National museum
bufldinR- which VIII be finished IN a.
probability by March 4.
Schools Of Long Ago.
The public schools In the District o.
Columbia were established In 1904
Thomas Jefferson, president OF tn
United States, being the first presideni
Of the board. In those early days tW'
kinds Of pupils attended the schools
those who paid for instruction ant
these who did not Nothing eOult
have been devised % promote claG
distinction more effectively than sucl