Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-22
RUDOLPH OUTLINES
NEEDS Of DISTRICT
Continued From First Page)

tives of such residents and repre-
Isentatives of the United States ap-
pointed by the President.
| succeeding years of administration I'M
der the present form of municipal gov
eminent in the District of Columbia have
demonstrated the wisdom Of Congress in
vesting that government exclusively IN
the management of officers of the United
States. President Taft has probably
studied the relationship of the local gov
eminent of the District to the princi-
pie of national control more intimately
than any of his predecessors. and has left
no doubt of his conviction that in the ad-
mnistration of District affairs the ma
tional interests should peremptorly SUBJ
ordinate all individual considerations.
District Indebted to Solons.
| ut is true that congressional leGisla-
Elton for the District involves an expen-
diture Of time and strength on the part
| Of the members Of the committees or
Congress who are most intimately con-
| cerned with such legislation, but it is not
apparent that these members of Con-
| gress who have most assiduously applied
| themselves to District legislation have
neglected any of their duties to their con-
sttuents or to legislation of national con-
Germ. On the contrary, it is more thah
probable that their connection with the
Instructive experience of great value 10
| them in broadening their general knoWl-
edge and Judgment. The people OF the
District are deeply the debtor OF the
members of the committee on the District
of Columbia and of the subcommittee on
District appropriations for years of toll
and the exercise of legislative skill, pa
thence and business sagaclty unsrudS-
| ingly applied in the preparation OF LIS
| trict legislation.
"A proposed modification of the sys-
| tenn of local government which appeals
seriously to some of those most directly
concerned in having an ideal form OF
government here is the proposition to
have delegate who shall have author
ity to speak for the District on the
fioor.i of Congress when District matters
are under discussion there. But. no ne
cessity appears for such a representative
of the Districts interests upon the l1oor
of Congress.
The members of the committees on
the District of Columbia and on appro-
priatiOnS of the Senate and House of
Representatives become familiar with
contemplated District legislation and are
therefore necessarily competent to pre-
sent the reasons for such legislation as
effectively as a delegate could do. To
elect a delegate by the suffrage of the
residents of the District would be a pre-
text for urging an unlimited extension
of that privilege to other municipal OBJ
jects. A delegate. whether elected or
appointed as the Commissioners are ap-
pointed. might differ in opinion from the
Commissioners upon vital matters of
pending legislation and thus be a him
drance rather than an aid in the dispatch
of District business. Even if the judg-
ment of the delegate might at times ap-
pear better than the views of the Com
missiOners, it cannot be regarded as good
policy to expose the Districts interest to
the possibility of such dissension.
Permanent Official Tenure.
"a suggested change in the status of
the board of commissioners is the estab-
lishment of a permanent official tenure
for the Commissioners appointed from
civil life. 1t is not practicable to give
to the office such salary as would justi-
fly citizen whose abilities and enter
prise have established him eminently in
the business world in accepting the posi-
ton for the limited term now provided by
law, as the duties of the office involve
so much of investigation of and action
upon details as we'll general problems
of government that the incumbent would
have no energy left for the adequate
management of private business affairs.
In addition to permanency of official
tenure for the Commissioners, the in
cumbents of that position. when retired,
could be provided with an adequate pen
SlOu III OTOeT 10 remove them from the
necessity of re-establishing their private
enterprises in order to secure a compe-
tency for old age.
This would conduce to give them the
morale which SO effectively supports the
officers of the Engineer Corps of the
army in the discharge of their duties
With this status of assurance for the
future, a slight increase in the salary of
the Commissioners would be sufficient to
meet the demands of personal need and
official 6iQpitV which the nnstinn of
missioner involves.
IF it be apprehended that a permanent
tenure of Office for Commissioners would
have a tendency to exclude the benefits
derivable from the advanced policies and
enterprise which more frequent change
in the position would effect, the term
might be limited to the number of years
during which the average incumbent
would be capable of rendering the maxi
mum service in that capacity, but with
the assurance that his fidelity and zeal
would be requited by an unquestionah le
provision for his future. The public could
well afford to assume the small burden
such a policy would involve as a guaran-
tee for the increased advantage i'm the
administration of it's municipal affairs
which it would thus derive.
Cites Governments Responsibilities.
THE relation of the United States and
of the District Of Columbia as co-contribu-
tors 10 the nnanc1al support of the mu-
nicipal government of the District of Co
lumbia may sooner or later require read
justment. Private property and business
in the District of Columbia should not be
called upon to yield greater proportion
of revenue for municipal purposes than
is derived from similar property in the
average municipality elsewhere. 1t should
always be borne in mind that the Ma
tiOnal Capital was designed by the gov
eminent of the United States as the fit
ting representative of the national dig
nifty and power, and it is but just that
whatever the maintenance of that status
requires above the reasonable revenue
derivable from taxation on private prop
erty and privileges should be made by
the general government regardless of the
amount contributed from private sources.
This was the view of the late Senator
HOar of Massachusetts,. and is based upon
unassailable logic and equity.
1T would be of great service to the
Commissioners if there We're an official
under their control who would have the
functions Of general superintendent,
whose duty it would be to investigate
any matter connected with any depart
ment of the District government upon
which they might wish special report.