Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-15
The Districts Eve Lamb.


- tenor or purpose.
The Districts Eve Lamb.
The temptation to remake the Dis
tficts form of government presents
itself alluringly to the new House Dis
trict committee. Chairman Johnson
suggests a reduction OF the local rep
sioners by requiring that one civilian
outside the District. Representatives
Berger and George, on the other hand.
urge an increase of the local repre-
sentation by empowering the people OF
the capital to elect all the Commission
ers. Thus. as usual, the suggestions of
change in the local government are
contradictory and promise as a result
Of their discussion a futile waste Of
valuable time which should be devoted
to meet I'm q considerate and sympa-
thetic spirit the current. practical leg
islative needs of this voteless constitu-
ency. which under the Constitution can
be met only by Congress. the capitals
sole legislature.
II discussion of a change Of form of tho
local government must be renewed, re-
viving controversy which for several
years has brought nothing but injury
working confusion and delay into legis-
lation for the District, the people Of the
capital will doubtless repeat their vigor-
Gus protest against any reduction of their
representation on the board of Commits
sioners. The suggestion made by Chair
man Johnson on this point renews in
~l~sk
the Reynolds report. The Reynolds rec
ommendatton was OF the appointment of
one governor in place Of three Commits
sioners. and that the President might, in
his discretion, appoint this governor from
inside or outside the District The pres
ent suggestion is that. retaining tho
triple-headed commissionership. the Presi-
dent be required to appoint one Of the
civilians from outside the District. thus
repeating the law which now compels
civilian Commissioners to have been
bona f1de residents Of the District for
three years prior to their appointment.
This proposition offends deeply local
public sentiment. Instead Of desiring less
representation in their government, most
OF the $4,000 Washingtonians feel that
they are entitled to more. Many 60 so
suggestion Of Representatives, Berger and
George. not only that the Commissioners
or governor shall be Washing tonians, but
that they or he shall be elected by Wash
inStonians. In view Of the very general
feeling OF unrest and discomfort based
on the belief that the Washingtonians
as mon are unnecessarily and unfairly
Ignored ana Inundated In the exploitation
Of Washington, the city and the capital,
tho proposition Of q compulsory carpet
baEger commissioner IL bitterly resented.
The~nation does not need the additional
power OF further representation In the
caDita1-making partnership. The nation
already has. through Congress, absolute
and exclusive legislative control of WASH
inGton under the Constitution. BY his
power OF appointment and removal, the
President for the nation has complete
control. II he wishes to exert 1t, of the
local executive functions. The national
interests need no additional eafeguard.
On the other hand. the people of the
capital sorely need all the fragment of
guaranteed representation in their local
government which they now possess. The
Comndesoners. by grace Of Congress,
make minor municipal ordinances: they
frame. explain and defend before the
appropriations committees Of Congress the
appropriations estimates, the most I'M
portant legislative propositions that af-
feet the District; they are thus in effect
territorial delegates OF the District in
Congress; they consider and report upon
ill bills affecting the District. by whom
soever submitted, the same being referred
to them as a matter of custom by the
Dlsfr1ct committees. To perform these
important functions most efficiently they
must be In possession of a great body of
local facts OF q knowledge Of local things
ana men, OF happenings and Of things
fnat4havs failed to happen-a knowledge
not oaly derived from study, but alb
eoTbed unconsciously through intercourse
R01rAfter year with ones fellow-citizens.
~ be most effective as representatives
&c tho local community, and as advisers
Of Mdse legislation for its welfare. they
Ahdst. in other words, be bona fde local
-Eesidents.
1.-the requirement Of local residence
for eligibility to the commissionership
goes far to work q practical compli-
ance IN the local municipal govern
ment with the principle OF no taxation
without representation" the gist of
which is that tho man who puts I'D the
money should say what shall be done
with 1t. The District taxpayers in
clude Uncle Sam as to fifty Der cent
OF the whole amount, and all other
local property owners combined as to
the other fifty per cent. Uncle Sam,
through Congress. decides all questions
Of tax raising and tax discussing. But
the local taxpayers, through the Com
missioners. local residents and repre-
sentatives Of the community, take the
initiative in framing appropriative leg
islation by preparing and submitting
all estimates. Thus the one-half tax
payer. through its representatives. the
Commissioners proposes the tax raising
and tax disbursing which will meet the
needs Of the people Of the District:
and the other half taxpayer, through
it's representatives in Congress, ap-
proves or rejects these propositions.
When an appropriation is made in this
way it represents the will of all or the
great bulk of the taxpayers.
In sharp contrast with this practica,
compliance with the principle that only
those vino contribute to fund should
say how much should be raised and how
the money should be expended is the
practice in many other large American
cities, where tax questions are determined
by unlimited popular suffrage and where