Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-24
The District and the House.

Clause Il Of section Of article OF the
Constitution thus defines the power OF
Congress with relation to the District Of
Columbia:
TO exercise exclusive legislation. in all
cases whatsoever. over such District mot
exceeding ten miles square) as may. by
: eession Of particular states. and the ac-
ccptance Of Congress. become the seat of
government of the United States, and to
exercise like authority over all places pur-
chased by the consent OF the legislature
of the state in which the same shall be,
arsenals. dockyards and other needful
buildings"
Under this provision of the fundamental
law Congress has from time to time eX-
ercised a varying degree of jurisdiction
over the capital municipality. Since 1873.
when it passed a law displacing all forms
of local self-government and constituting
itself the Districts legislature, it has
been in complete control OF the law
making power. Under this provision It
has established q custom of giving the
District certain days in the House for
the transaction of it's business, while in
the Senate District business has been
treated as all other items on the calendar.
Specifically this would seem to insure
more thorough attention to local matters
in the House than in the Senate. AS
matter of fact the District has always
Jared better in the upper chamber than
in the lower.
Yesterdays denial of District day de-
spite the urgent necessity of attention to
local legislation, and I'm the face Of
plain rule designating the occasion for
that purpose. is quite in keeping with the
attitude Of the House in general toward
the capital community. It is true that
the measure which was used to sidetrack
the District business, the post ONCE ap-
preparation bill, is one OF the essential
items OF the sessions business. It is
under the parliamentary practice privi-
legged and proved yesterday to be q most
efficient lever to pry the District out OF
position. There IS reason to fear that
some Of the members who voted to break
faith with the District and deprive it Of
its day did so In order to prevent the con-
sideration Of a bill Of the most urgent i'm
portance to the local community, the
teachers retirement measure, which is
now the unfinished business OF the House
sitting as the local common council.
There have been two District days this
session. December IA and January 10. On
the former a number OF miscellaneous
measures Of secondary Importance were
considered. and some were passed. On
tho latter day the teachers retirement
bill was debated until the time of ad-
jcurument arrived. This Is surely not an
extraordinary allowance Of time in dis
charge OF a duty which was solemnly
imposed upon Congress by the Constitu-
ton. No champion OF the District In the
House has ever asked for more than a
reasonable number Of hours. There is no
warrant for the suggestion, conveyed in
the remarks OF one Of the members yes
terday. that the District expects its bust
ness to be considered to the exclusion OF
the essential items of the national cal
endar. even to the end Of precipitating an
extra session Of Congress.
1t has been the Districts fate ever
since the assumption by Congress of full
legislative powers over the capital COM
munity TO have its business thrust aside
At the beginning of each session the
House District committee has hardly had
time to formulate its propositions. To-
ward the close Of the session it cannot
obtain a hearing for them. The history
Of District legislation is q succession of
disappointments and denials. One Of the
reasons why this community Is so anx-
ious for change in the date Of the in
auguration is that by this means the
short session will be extended SO that the
District will in the closing months OF
each Congress have some chance to OBJ
tain much needed legislation.