Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-06
Other Topics Discussed.


Other Topics Discussed.
In addition to the municipal govern
ment discussion. the federation took
up and discussed the establishment of
public utilities commission for the
District the clean city campaign, the
question of having all park sites
bought on the ha1f-and-half plan. Sat
urday half-holidays for the District.
and other subjects
Alan Davis of the Southeast Citi-
zens' Association presented a plan of
government which received much COM
mendatiOn and attention. His plan
provided that the District Commits
sioners have the right to speak on the
foor of the House and Senate on all
matters affecting the District and to
appear before committees of either
house when District matters are un-
der considera ton. 1t also provided
that IAN amount equal to the annual
ated yearly by Congress from the
United States Treasury and that this
amount. with the District revenue. be
allotted to the commissioners annually
for District purposes. The last pro-
vision of the plan was that the En-
gineer Commissioner and one civilian
Commissioner be appointed by the
President. and that the president of
the board of Commissioners be elect
ed by the people of the District
President Edwards of the federation
brought up the municipal government
question by explaining the suggestion for
plan made by conference of citizens
in 1909. This plan provided for gov
ernor and five commissioners elected by
the people and five commissioners chosen
by the President. all to serve for terms
of three years.
c. C. Lancaster. one of the trainers of
MA dnnla NO fhn in,
should be dropped The scheme was only
tentative. he said. and should die "a nat
ural DEATH.
Mr.. Lancaster.s position was criticised
by w. p. Crawford of the Connecticut
Avenue Citizens Association. who said
that the trainers of the Constitution be-
heved that the people o. the District
should have some form of self-govern-
ment. II the people had a properly
guarded right of suffrage. he said. he did
not see how Congress could withdraw its
financial support. The change would
simply mean. he said. that the people here
would have charge of small affairs with
which Congress has not time to bother.
Representation in Congress.
William Nick. Clayton advocated the
election of delegate to represent the
District to Congress. The discomfort over
the form of government here finds
warm reception in Congress at the pres
ent time, Ire said. He declared that the
power and influence of the Engineer
Commissioner has steadily grown and
that although some of them have been
good and some bad. he thought their
power should be limited strictly to engi-
neering questions and projects. The civil
Liam Commissioners should have more
power. he said
The Institute of Architects is opposed
10 any change in the present form of
N mt
den Ashford, who said that the federal
and the District governments are be-
coming more and more closely con-
nectcd. Since the inauguration of
PRESIDENT Roosevelt, he said, the Pres
idents have taken greater interest in
the affairs of the city. He also de-
ciared that Congress would not make
appropriations provided for by
municipal government.
+. w. Oyster said he believed a very
large number of people in the District
desire change in the form of govern
ment Various bodies of men have adj
vocated a change, he said.
The fathers of the country showed they
believed in a form of local self-govern-
ment for the District BY their actions
and words. he said. ard many eminent
constitutional lawyers have shown that
Congress has the right to delegate the
power Of local self-goyernment here to
others. IL is a great mistake. he said
TO argue that the failure of the former
local District government shows the peo-
pie here cannot govern themselves prop
erly.
George Evans of the West End Citizens
Association opposed suffrage for the
District and w. l.. Cromwell of the Pet
worth Citizens Association said that the
need for some change in the form of gov
eminent here is in the air. The half and
half principle should be maintained he
declared W. II. Richardson Of the Ben
ming Association was of the opinion a
delegate to Congress should be elected. or
appointed by the President. to be always
ON hand to care for the interests of the
District.