Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-09
RULE BY GOVERNOR
Municipal Assembly Also Pro-
vided in Coudrey Bill.
PRESIDENT TO APPOINT
Members to Be Chosen From Fifteen
Sections of City.
TO HAVE LEGISLATIVE POWERS
Last Word to Vest in Congress,
Which May Disapprove Any
Laws Enacted.

A bill to change the form of govern
ment of the District of Columbia was in
troduced in the House today by Repre-
sentative Coudrey of Missouri. a member
of the District of Columbia committee of
the House, who proposes to do away with
the three Commissioners and to substi-
tute for them a governor and a munich
pal assembly of fifteen members.
The measure provides that the District
of Columbia shall remain a municipal
corporation. as provided in section ., Re-
vised Statutes. and that the governor
and council provided for in the bill shall
be deemed officers of the corporation. All
laws in force relating to the District and
not inconsistent with the provisions of
the bill are, it is expressly stated, to re-
main in full force and effect.
Authority of Governor.
Section 3 provides that all the powcr
rights. duties, functions and privileges
lawfully exercised by, and all property
estate and effects now vested by law in,
the Commissioners shall be trans
ferred to the governor and the municipal
assembly. But it is expressly stated that
no board Or commission of which the
Commissioners or either Of them is an
|ex-off1cio member-the board of District
commissioners excepted-shaII be abolish
ed, but the governor of the District shall
become an ex-officio member, and, to-
gether with the other members, shall form
such a board or commission.
Executive power and authority in and
over the District is vested by section 4
of the measure in a governor to be ap-
pointed by the President, confirmed by
the Senate and who shall hold office for
citizen of the United States and must
have resided in the District for four years
with the intention of residing therein
before his appointment.
he is authorized to grant pardon and
respite for offenses against the regula-
tions or ordinances of the District. and to
commission all officers of the District and
take care that the laws are faithfully ex-
ecuted. He is given power ito make re-
movals from Office for cause and to
make appointments to any ol..ce author
lied by law,
Assembly's Power to Make Laws.
All powers of legislation and regulation
and all other powers, duties and func-
tions not vested in the governor, 1t is
provided by section ), are imposed
upon municipal assembly to consist 'of
fifteen members to be appointed by the
President, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, from fifteen sec
tions, into which the District Of Column
bia shall be divided for the purpose of
the appointment therefrom Of the MEM
bers of the common council herein pro-
vided for, and an apportionment shall be
made for this purpose as soon as prac-
ticable by the Commissioners of the Dis
trict Of Columbia of the territory of the
District into fifteen sections, as equally
as may be. according to population, from
each of which sections one member of
the municipal assembly shall be ap-
pointed.
1t is further provided by this section
that each member of the assembly must
have been taxpayer and resident for one
year prior to his appointment from any
section, and that all members shall be
appointed for two years.
The salary Of the governor is fixed at
81, 100. and Of each member of the munich
pal assembly at $500.
Congress Has Last Word.
Congress is still given some general con-
troll over the District under the Coudrey
plan. The last section of the bill pro-
vides:
The legislative power of the said mu-
nicipal assembly shall extend to all usual
and proper subjects of municipal legisla-
ton. in addition to the legislative powers
now exercised by the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia" But il all
cases where legislation is enacted by the
municipal assembly covering matters not
now within the legislative jurisdiction of
the commission this legislation, after
having passed the municipal assembly
and having been signed by the governor,
shall be transmitted for ratification to
the Congress- of the United States, and
shall be effective unless disapproved by
Congress-