Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-12
S|DD0NS TO AWAIT
ACTION ON newman
Will Not Qualify as District
Commissioner Until Latter
Is Confirmed.
TWO OATHS REQUIRED
BY BOARD MEMBERS
Counsel Files New Evidence in
Favor Of Nominee With
Committee.

| Although the Senate yesterday after
noon confirmed Frederick L. Siddons as
one of the District Commissioners, 1t is
| not anticipated that he will take office
| until after the nomination of the other
| civilian Commissioner. Oliver p. New
man, has been confirmed also.
| The nomination of Mr.. Newman was re.
ported favorabIy to the Senate yester-
day afternoon by unanimous vote OF
| the Senate District committee. and 1t Is
\ expected that the Senate will confirm the
nomination when it meets Monday after
noon, provided an executive session is
| held.
| Jackson II. Ralston, who is acting as
| counsel for Mr.. Newman in connection
| with the latter's answer to charges filed
against his confirmation, has filed with
| the Senate District committee a telegram
| of interest In connection with the case
| substantiating his claim of bona fide resi-
dence here for three years.
| The telegram Is from W. B. Colver
president and general manager of the
| Newspaper Enterprise Association, with
which organization Mr.. Newman is CON
nected. 1t is as follows:
st. Paul, Mimi, July IL.
Louis Brownlow,
Washington, d. c.:
As the president and general manager
of Newspaper Enterprise Association. l
employed Oliver P. Newman and brought
him to Chicago on temporary assignment
to cover national campaign. His return
to washington was contemplated at that
time, and my successor so transferred
him to Washington when campaign
closed. At time of employment Newman
stipulated that he desired Washington
station. as he regarded that as home and
wanted to remain there. His stay in
Chicago was solely temporary and on
special assignment.
wv. B. COLvER."
Opponents Probably Defeated.
The opponents Of Mr.. Newman have
announced that they hope to continue the
night against him when the nomination
comes up for consideration in the Senate,
but 1t is not believed that their opposi-
ton will be successful in view of the
unanimous action Of the committee
In any event, it was said today, Mr.
Siddons will not take office until after
his commission as District Commissioner
has been made out and signed by the
President. The President will return
to Washington Monday.
A reason for delaying the entry of Mr.
Siddons upon Office duties until the other
civilian Commissioner has been confirmed
by the Senate is that it is customary for
the board or District Commissioners to
organize as soon as the new Commits
sioners have been duly confirmed The
board then selects its own president, and
under the new law creating a public utili-
ties commission composed of the District
commissioners, 1t also selects the presi-
dent OF this new commission. Also the
various departments of the municipal
government are apportioned among the
commissioners. OF course. some of
these departments fall naturally under
the supervision of the Engineer Commits
sioner, but the rest are apportioned large
~ with regard to the preference of the
two civilian Commissioners.
Must Take Two Oaths.
For the first time in the history Of
the local government the new Commits
sioners. upon entering their duties will
be required to take two oaths. One
will be administered to them as Com
m1ssioners and the other as members
of the public utilities commission
The former oath may be taken be-
fore a notary public. but the latter
the District of Columbia Supreme
Court.
In the event President Wilson signs
the commission of either or both Of the
method of procedure for inducting
them into office probably will be as
follows:
First, Treasury Department officials
Monday will commence preparation Of
the bonds to be given by the Com
missioners. The bonds will be ready
for delivery late Tuesday.
Second. A notary public and the clerk
of the District Supreme Court will meet
the new officials in the office of Commits
sioner Rudolph on a day to be selected,
after the bonds are approved. and they
Will be given the oath of office and i'm
mediately enter upon their duties as Com
missioners.
the incoming board will be the prepara-
ton of the Districts estimates for the
next fiscal year. This work will extend
to the middle of October.
Mr.. SiddOns. who probably will be
given special jurisdiction over the sew
eral departments OF the local govern
ment that have been under the con-
troll of Commissioner Johnston, will
ind that his predecessor already has
made substantial progress on the esti-
mates for next year. Before leaving
Washington on his summer vacation.
which he Is spending at Thousand
Islands, Commissioner Johnston OBJ
tanned and revised the estimates of the
police. fire and health departments and
the office of the superintendent Of
weights. measures and markets, which
are the principal divisions of the Dis
trict government that have been Under
his special guidance as a member Of
the board of Commissioners.
Work on the Estimates.
Work on the estimates by the board as
whole probably will not be started be-
fore early in September. Engineer Com
missioner Harding is planning to spend
the month Of August in Massachusetts,
so that the framing Of the budget by the
Commissioners jointly will not be COM
menced until his return.
The new officials will have six weeks or
more to look into the needs Of the de-
partments that may be assigned to them
before the real work Of budget-framing
begins. and. in this way, they will be
able to rapidly familiarize themselves
with the local government machinery
1t Will be several weeks before the
Commissioners will know exactly how
much money they will have available
for improvements when preparing the
next estimates. but there is said to be
every probability that the amount will
be q million dollars In excess Of the
highest figures OF any previous year.
This will be due largely to the fact
that there will be smaller debt pay
| ments TO meet next year. while, of
course. a substantial increase has been