Evening star., 1913-12-06
Bill Framed by Representative
Prouty for Change in Dis
trict Government.
MEASURE WILL ABOLISH
HALF-AND-HALF SYSTEM
Election of Mayor and Six Commits
sioners Proposed-Representation
in Congress Also a Feature.

Representative Prouty cf Iowa. a mem
Der of the House District ommittee. has
completed the major portion of the bill
which he expects to int oduce outlining "a
new form of government for the District
of Columbia.
statement made last night by Mr..
Prouty shows that the bill contains para
graphs providing for the general election
OF mayor and also six commissioners,
who shall constitute a city council. 1t
would wipe out the present organic act.
which includes the half-and-half system
of appropriation. The government would
be exempted from taxation Oh its land
and buildings here. 1t would assess the
government, however. for street improve
ments where the thoroughfares are wider
than the ordinary. and for half the cost
OF the sidewalks around government
buildings. 1t also provides for delegate
in Congress, for the initiative. referen-
dunn and recall and for civil service qua!-
ifications in almost every case for Dis
trict employees
Representative Prouty's solution OF
the problem involved in the govern
ment's water works. now controlled by
the federal government. is to turn the
establishment over to the District, but
the government would have free serv-
ice. The utilities commission would eX-
lst in principle, but the personnel OF
the commission would be made up of
the commissioners.
There would be seven departments OF
city government-depaTtm of educa-
IiCn. public affairs, accounts and
finance, public safety, streets and pub
lie improvements, public property and
parks.
Powers and Duties.
The city government would then have
the duty of levying taxes and making
appropriations, but Congress would still
have finger on the District by being
able to amend or repeal any ordinance
or resolution made by the council. The
mayor is granted general supervision,
and would be the chief representative
of the District He would also be the
chairman of the boa of health
Under the department OF public affairs
would come the work now done by the
corporation counsel. the courts etc. The
business Office of the city, whicn now
includes the assessor. auditor, purchasing
officer, market master, etc, wouiu come
under the department OF accounts he
police department, fire department. health
department., plumbing ana e.ectrlcal de-
partments would compose the depart
ment of public safety. the existing en-
Slneer department would be turned into
the department OF streets and public i'm
provements- The head of this department
would also have supervision over public
utilities and persons or corporal ons rem
dering service in the city under fran
chises of contracts
Much of the work done by the board
OF charities would be turned over To the
department of public property. including
supervision of hospitals, cemeteries. Il
braries and the city hail.
The parks would be under the jur sdic
tlon of The superintendent, who would
act III conjunction with comm ssioner
appointed by the President The board
of education would longer exist.
the commissioner OF the department of
education would head this activity, but
the council would be responsible.
In turning over the water system u
the District of Columbia, the bill specifies
that the District must furnish water
OF quality and quantity sufficient 10 sup
ply the needs OF the government. other
wise che lease would be Cancelled.
Street Improvements.
The section outlining the street i'm
provements is one on which Representa-
tive Prouty has worked for severa:
months. II provides that the city council
shall assess special improvements: 1t,
sna assess against railways the cost OF
II pavements between the two outside
ais ana two feet on each side thereof,
me company being required 10 keep the
pavement in good order. In the business
portion OF the city, where ther. is not
more than sixty feet to he paved after
deducting the street railway paving.
thirty feet shall be assessed against
property owners on each side of the
street in which shall be included d pro
rata cost OF paving street inspections of
like width.
The cost OF paving the remaining por-
ton of said streets and intersections shall
he II trio .f -.
iumbia and one-half by the government
OF the United States il is provided This
half -and-half assessment in the residence
section would include the following ar
rangement:
The cost of the sidewalk and curbing
shall be assessed against the abutting
property and property owners, If the
amount 10 be paved on any street does
not exceed thirty feet III width, after de-
Quoting the amount to be assessed against
the street railway company, then one-half
the cost OF the pavement shall be assessed
against the abutting property and owner
on each side Of the street.
II the amount TO be paid. after deduct
ing the amount paid by the said street
railway company. shall exceed thirty feet
IN width. then the remaining cost of said
pavement shall be paid one-half by the
District OF Columbia and one-haf by the
government of the United States"
The United States would be RESPONSE
Die for sidewalks and pavements in
front OF its own property, just as il il
were private individual but this
would not include property used as
parks. All sidewalks in front of park s
would be assessed against that prom
erty. but one-half would be paid by
the United States. Any other side
walks not provided for would be paid
for on the half-and-half plan
Civil Service Features.
The civil service features of the gov
ernment are found in a section proyid- =
ing for a local civil scrxice cnnnrniss.or