The Washington times., 1909-05-09

municipal government is concerned, the
people of the District seem 10 have
settled down to the arrangement that
there should be 10 suffrage.
Sir, ] am not inclined to discuss to-
night the various proposed changes in
the constitution of the city government.
These concern possible increase of
efficiency in the municipal machine. In
what l am yet tossay / prefer to dwell
upon a broader question. But no one
ought 10 refer to the form of govern
ment that has given shape 10 our affairs
since 1873 without doing justice TO the
splendid advances that have been made
under its direction. In 1878 the plan was
adopted Of raising upon the ratable
property here tax of IL per cent, and
OF matching that with an equal amount
from the National Treasury
Up 10 that time the District had car
ried the burden, year by year, almost
or quite alone. and was sinking under a
dent OF many millions. Under the new
arrangement Washingto;. has sprung to
her feet Parks have been laid out, ave
nues extended. bridges built. publ.
buildings erected, grade crossings abol-
lshed, railway terminals improved, a
magnificent new station built, the sew
Gge and water systems practically made
over. millions upon millions spent to-
ward making the city in health and
beauty what II ought to be. Meantime
absolute fidelity in the discharge of du-
ties, no stain or hint of corruption,
scarcely dishonest transaction ever
-iidA -t-u- tNhittN AildL Is a record IDt
any city TO cherish, and for those VINO
have had share in making It TO look
back upon with pride.
Obstacles Overcome.
Some forbidding obstacles have been
encountered and arc S1et with still
One is this beirg compelled 10 pay for
permanent improvements out of the
current income. What other city is OK
pected TO pay for it's great works, to
last for generations, out OF its ordinary
receipts. meanwhile taking it out of its
schools and scrimping fits legitimate ex-
penses? Any ether city would raise the
money on bonds and pay them a little
at a time. Washington need not be
bonded, since the National Treasury can
supply It with the loan and let il be
paid back at a reasonble rate; but the
principle Is sound. II is enforced by the
tate Secretary of the T. -easuIy in his
.ti4e report for 1905 where he sets forth
with great luCidity the need OF a
national budget 10 bring about an ad-
Justment between disburse ements and re-
celpts, with a rigid sepa alton between
expenditures for the ordinary service OF
the Government and those for perma-
nent public works, the latter 10 De met
by bond issue
But there are obstacles of graver I'M
port and they constitute defects radi-
cal and without remedy in the present
relation between nation ana clSbtlSl-
They can be removed only by a cnange
in that relation itself, We shall all
agree that to legislate wisely requires
two things: First, a lively interest IN
the object Of legislation; second, a cle3r
intelligence touching the subject IN
hard. There being no representative q
from the District itself in either branch
Of Congress, il becomes meet sSafy 10
commit the interests of the District ana
the interests Of the nation I'm the Dis
triCt TO hands unfamiliar with the SUD
ie-t and without any lively interest
therein The Congress as a whole can
not be expected 10 supply these Tequl-
sites. No one pretends It does. lt Is
engaged uDcn a Thousand subjects,
many OF which appear to its members
10 be vastly more important than any
thar concerns the District We can
not wonder at tit is the nature OF
things IL should he So
The step logically required by this
condition is next taken committee
In the House and a committee in the
Senate are specially charged with these