Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-14
The Local Legislature.

Congress is under no legal obligation
to give the District of Columbia any
specified allotment Of time for the con.
sideration of it's legislative business. The
Constitution vests in the national legis-
lature exclusive jurisdiction over the
ten-mile- square set apart as the seat OF
government. BY the act of June 20, 1874
Congress repealed all provisions of Law
providing for a legislative assembly in
the District and has thus assumed full
control over the capital municipality. By
the act of 1873. known as the organic act,
Congress exercises absolute Jurisdiction
over the appropriation of money for the
maintenance of the District. With the
exception of the minor police regulations,
renewable By the courts, there is no
power of local law making whatever save
that of the two houses Of Congress.
1t has for years been the custom to
grant the District two days each month
in the House for the transaction of the
local legislative business. There is no
law to this effect and no agreement. The
House, finding itself charged with the
business of legislating for the District.
with a committee on the District OF Co.
lumbia as part of its permanent organ
iZation. has in the past considered that
this allotment of fraction Of time OF
one legislative day out Of twelve, was
necessary for a proper discharge of its
functions as the lower branch Of the
Districts legislature. The Senate has
never assigned any specific time to the
consideration of District business. but i,
has considered local measures whenever
opportunity could be found by their pro-
ponents and advocates.
This year the District has Jared badly
in Congress, largely because Of the fact
that the House has almost from the be-
ginning refused to grant the District q
fair allowance of time for the considera-
ton Of local business. On several occa-
sions District day has been lost be-
cause the House has ruthlessly ignored
the local claims for consideration. Yes
terday, with thirty-five measures on the
local calendar awaiting action, some OF
them Of great importance, one relating tt
the finances Of the District and another
providing for a much needed system OF
retirements for public school teachers, the
House refused to give any time, although
District day was regularly in order. BY q
vote of 232 to % the House declined to
stick to program. The fact that District
day had been sidetracked two weeks pre-
viously did not operate to prevent this
decision. The members, with an end-of.
the-session impatience. ignored all the
claims Of the capital in order to hasten
to the consideration of one of the regular
appropriation bills.
1t has been suggested from time to time
that this condition might be remedied by
allotting an evening session for the con-
sideratioE of District business. but it is
obvious that such a plan would fail. Even
now when the District gets its day" il
is with the greatest difficulty that a
quorum is secured and maintained.
Measures Of the utmost Importance are
disposed Of by small votes, the friends of
the District on the floor fearing to raise
the point of mo quorum lest the pro-
gram be altogether disarranged, while
that question remains an ever-ready
weapon for the Districts enemies. A
night session would be a lamentable
spectacle of empty benches. The truth
is that the House no longer recognize:
that the District has any rights whateve,
under the constitutional provision thai
Congress is bound to respect.