The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-12-07
INTERSTATE LAW
IS SAT|SF FACTORY
President, at Any Rate, Does
Not Press Former Recon-
mendatiOns.
COMMISSION TO DECIDE
VALUATION OF RAILROADS
Issuance Of Fraudulent Bills
of Lading Merits Most Sc
we're Punishment.

5000. 600 I think IL would lead 10 economy
II the Improvement and care or all theso
parks and other public grounds above
described should be transferred to the
office OF public buildings and grounds;
which has an equipment well and
economically adapted to carrying out the
public purpose in respect TO improve
To prevent encroa chments upon tho
park area. il Is recommended that the
erection of any permanent structure on
any lands In the District OF Columbia
belonging to the United States. be pro
hibited except by specific authority OF
congress-
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IN
VIRGINIA. have already in previous
communications 10 congress, referred 10
the Importance OF acquiring for the Dis
trlct OF Columbia 1T least part OF the
territory on the other side OF the Po-
tomac In Virginia. which was originally
granted FOR the district by the state OF
Virginia. and then was retroce0ed by
act of congress In 1886.
II Is very evident from conferences
that | have had with the senators and
representatives from Virginia, that there
is no hope of reSranting by the state
OF the land thus given back; and j am
frank TO say That In so far rs the tract
includes the town of NcNandria and
land rcGIOtc from the Potomac river.
there would he no particular advantage
in bringing that within national con-
trol.
But TIC land which lies along the Po-
and across tho Potomac. including Ar
lingtou cemetery, Fort Mycr. the gov
erumcnt experiment farm, the village OF
Rosslyn. anil the Palisades OF the Po-
tornac. rescfinG To where the old district
line intcrsects the river, Is very sparsely
settled. and could be admirably utilized
for increasing the system OF the parks
OF Washington.
1T has been suggested to me by the
same Virginia senators and representa-
tivcs. thst II The government were to
acquire for government park the land
above described, which Is not OF very
great value the present law OF Virginia
would itself work the creation of fed
eral jurisdiction over H. and IL that were
not complete enough. the legislature OF
Virginia would, in all probability, so
enlarge the jurisdiction as 10 enable con-
gress to include il within the control OF
The government OF the District OF Colum-
bia. and actually make 1t a part OF
Washington, / earnestly recommend
that steps be taken TO carry out this
plan.
PUBLIC uTlLITiESA There are a suf-
ficicTt number OF corporations enjoying
Inc use OF pubic utilities in the District
Of Columbia TO Justify and require the
supervision and regulation in the public
interest consistent with the vested
rights secured 10 them by their charters.
part OF these corporations. to wit.
tie street railways, have been put under
lie control OF the interstate commerce
commission. but that commission recon-
Tnends That the power be taken from
H. and inliInatcS broadly that IT'S other
and more important duties rpakc II i'm
possible for II TO give the requisite super
vision. Il seems to me wise 10 place
this general power OF supervision and
regulation In the district commissioners
II is said that their present duties are
now absorbing and would prevent the
proper discharge by them OF these new
functions. but their present Jurisdiction
brings them closely and frequently
In contact with these corporations and
makes them TO know in such detail how
the corpc ratlons are discharging their
duties under the law. and how they are
serving the public interest. that the com
misSlouers are peculiarly fitted TO do
this work. and ] hope that congress will
Impose IL upon them by intru3tug them
With powers In respect 10 such corpora
tons similar 70 those OF the public utili-
lies commission Of New York CITY or
similar boards in Massachusetts.
SCHOOL SYSTGM.-I do not think the
present control of the school system OF
Washington commcndS itself as the most
efficient and economical ana thorough
Instrument for the carrying on OF public
instruction The expenses or the schools
OF Washington. as compared With those
OF other ciiies similarly situated. are
shown by the accompanying table.
The cost OF education In the District
OF Colunbia il thns seen 10 be excessive
compared with il,c .'osi in othe, cities
OF similar size. and IL is not apparent
HAT the results are In general more
Tho average cost per pupil per day in
Washington is about IS cents. while the
average COZ: in thirteen Other American
cities fairly comparable with Washington
IN population and standard Of education
is about "5.5 cents For each dollar
spent in saarcs of school teachers and
officers in Tho district about IL days
OF instruction per pupil given. while
in the thirteen cities above referred to
each dollar expended for salaries affords
o. tic average 6.S days OF instruction.
For the current fiscal year the cSiI-