Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-20

In special message sent to Congress-
late yesterday afternoon President Taft
strongly urges Congress to enact leci.la-
ton creating public utilities commission
for the District of Columbia and for in
creasing the beauty and adornment OF the
National Capital by the extension OF the
park system and the erection of public
buildings. He reiterates his sturdy oppo-
sition to the granting of the ballot to the
people within 'the ten miles square,"
The extension OF Rock Greek Park to
connect with both the Soldiers Home
grounds and Potomac Park, the erection
OF new buildings for the departments OF
state, Justice and Commerce and Labor,
the construction of a hall Of archives, the
prompt completion OF the Lincoln me-
mortal in Potomac Park and the placing
or memorial bridge from the base Of the
Lincoln monument to Arlington are
among the improvements which the
President strongly advocates. The pur-
chase of that part of Alexandria county
including Arlington, Fort Myer and the
Palisades of the Potomac. the President
tells Congress, can be made at a compara-
lively small expense.
Beautification of Washington.
That part of the message relating to
the District of Columbia is as follows:
The city Of Washington is a beautiful
city. with a population of 352.93o, OF
whom yS.667 are co.ored. The annual
municipal budget is about Slf,oo,or.
The presence OF the National Capitol
and other governmental structures con-
stitutes the chief beauty and interest Of
the city. The public grounds eX-
tons nd ha n0rtIr fl.sS fnr
proving the city and making It still more
attractive are very great Under a plan
adopted some years ago one-half the
cost of running the city us pad by taxa
ton upon the property, real and personal,
Of the citizens and residents, ana
otner na-f Is borne by the general gov
ernment. The city is expanding at a re-
markable rate, and this can only be ac-
counted for by the coming here from
other parts of the country of well-to-do
people who. hav ng finished their busi-
ness careers elsewhere. build and make
this their permanent place of residence.
ION the whole. the city AS a munici-
pality Is very well governed Ii is well
lighted, the water supply is good. tie
streets are we'll paved, the police force
is wei disciplined, crime is not fragrant,
and while 1T has purlicus and centers of
vice, like other large cities. they are not
exploited, they do not exercise any in
fiuence or control in tire government OF
the city. and they are suppressed IN as
far as il has been found practicable.
Municipal graft is inconsiderable. There
are interior courts in the city that are
noisome and centers of disease and tho
refuge of criminals. but Congress has
begun to clean these oIt, and progress
has been made I'm the case Of the most
notorious OF these which Is known as
Willow Tree alley. This movement
should continue.
Low Rate of Mortality.
'The mortality for the past year was
at the rate OF 17.So per 1000 OF both
ri ces among the whites it was 1861 per
thousand, and among the blacks 26.12 per
thousand. These are the lowest mortality
rates ever recorded I'm the District.
lone of the most crying needs in tho
of the District is tribunal
or public authority for the purpose OF
supervising the corporations engaged in
the operation of public utilities. Such "A
bill Is pending in Congress and ought to
pass Washington should show itself.
under the direction of Congress, to be a
city with a model form of government.
but as long as such authority over public
utilities is withheld from the municipal
government it must always be defective.
without undue criticism of the present
street railway accommodations, 1t can be
truly said that under the spur OF a public
utilities commission they might be SUBJ
improved.
while the school system OF Washing
ton might be bettered In the economy OF
its management and the distribution OF
Its buildings, its usefulness has neverthe-
less greatly increased i'm recent years, and
II now offers excellent facilities for pri-
mary and secondary education.
Opposes District Suffrage.
From time to time there is consid-
erable agitation in Washington in favor
,f granting the citizens Of the city the
franchise and constituting an elective
government. 1 am strongly opposed to
his change. The history of Washington
liscloses a number of experiments of thfs
kind which have always been abandoned
As unsatisfactory. The truth is this is
city governed by popular body. to Wit,
the Congress of the United States. Sc
ected from the people of the United
States who own Washington. The peo-
pie who come here to live do SO with