The Washington times., 1909-05-09

I pledge YOU in a sentiment that Is
almost a PRAYER" May this prove a for
tunate day for the District Of Colum-
blar' Without doubt the people Of the
District look upon the occasion that has
drawn US here as a most happy augury.
What do we mean when we say the
District of Column bia ? There are at
least three meanings in which the ex-
preston may be accurately used. IL
may mean the mere territory the
seventy square miles Of land ana water
II may mean the municipal corporation
which has been created by the act or
Congress. It may mean the poltlcal
community, which may be called. and
by the supreme Court mas oeeh re
peatedly called, for certain purposes,
state In this third sense II is not a
mere municipal corporation, but Is nlled
with the sovereignty Of the United
States of America II is OF the utmost
importance TO distinguish between these
meanings, especially between the second
and the third. if we would keep our
thinking clear.
District Of Columbia. Indeed, In respect
10 sovereignty the situation Is precisely
the same as If there were no other do
main affected by the central govern
ment-as if all its functions were per
formed here Why. then, IL may he ask
ed should there be such municipality
as the District Of Columbia a aUE
Why should not the General Government
take direct control and administer all
the affairs Of the District through its
own bureaus? 1t would not be 80 easy
to answer that question II two facts
were other than they are. FIRST, II
there were no citizens OF the United
States except those who live IN the Dis
trict: second, N the District elected the
national officers. But there are 590VO
people here and there are some So,OO0V9J
outside, and all are citizens Of the Unit
ed States; and the $4,000 who live here
have some interests which they DO not
hold in common with the O,0O0,OOO who
live outside. II is, i'm part at least, for
the recognition and protection OF these
separate and peculiar interests that
municipal government exists and Is re-
quired. All the more is il needed by
reason OF the fact that there is no suf-
fTage.
lei us picture what might be. The
streets and public works might all be
put under the War Department, the
public health under the surgeon gem
eTal, the charities made bureau IN
the Department Of Commerce and La
Dor. or. perhaps, OF the Interior, and
the schools turned over 70 the Commits
sioner Of Education. And so IL might 20
on until the local government was COM
pletely burea ucrauc-unttl~fhe rod of
national administration turned serpent,
! had swallowed up all the little rods Of
/ local administration and was left alone
upon the floor. IN the me4ltime the
| city. growing by leaps and bounds. has
doubled and trebled its present pOpula-
tiOu, and we have here million peO-
pie. without word TO say. in theory
or in fact, directly or indirectly, about
I the streets they walk, the water they
drink. the light they burn, or the edu-
! cation Of their children-everythiug
done for them. and done by officers IN
! whose selection they had no voice, and
/ who have been selected with no par
/ ticular reference 10 their opinions or
/ their needs. To some Of us hat is not
Ia pleasing spectacle.
/ Is National City.
| Certainly We must not forget that
| this is a national city. There is little
/ risk or that. But there are institutions.
many and important, which are not
national I'm their aim or character. They
| are exactly such institutions AS the
same numerical population would re-
quire were this not the nations capi-
J tai That IS true OF the institutions OF
charity and punishment. We should
need 20 have schools, recording Offices.