The Washington herald., 1913-12-06
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

tersection, and the city council shall de-
termine, at the time of ordering said
payement what streets or portions there
Of shall be treated and determined as the
business section, and what portion shall
be treated and determined as the resi-
dence section, and the city council shall
have power by ordinance or resolution
TO determine when, where, and Of what
kind of paving any street shall be paved,
and shall have the power to determine
the method to be pursued in making the
assessments herein provided for not in
consistent with this act.
Liability of Government.
The government of the United States
shall be liable for the construction Of all
sidewalks, curbing and pavement in front
Of its property in the same amount ana
in the same manner as if said property
were owned by a private individual, this
rot, however. to include property owned
by II and used as a public park. All
sidewalks, curbing and pavement in front
Of public parks shall be assessed against
said property the same as If held by
private ownership. but one-half thereof
shall be paid by the District of Columbia
and the other half by the government
of the United States
THE cost of all sidewalks, curhing and
paving not provided for in this section
shall be paid for one-half by the District
Of Columbia and the other half by the
government of the United States, and
the city council shall certify to the
Treasurer of the United States the cost
of the said improvements which are
herein Chargeable to the United States,
and shall annually report the amount
thereof to the Congress of the United
States, and the commissioner of parks
TO be appointed by the United States as
herein contemplated, shall certify to the
correctness of all of said assessments to
be so charged to the United States.
The city council shall have the power
(" determine the manner OF the repair
or replacement of sidewalks, curbs and
pavements and the manner Of payment
of the same, but in no event Shall the
government OF the United States be liable
for a greater proportion of repair or
repla acement than for original construc'
ton
Must Give All Their Time.
The bill requires that each of said cOun-
ciImen shall devote all of his time, en-
ergy, and opportunity to the affairs of
the District. stringent provision to
guard against completely between any
officer or employe of the city and any
person, firm or corporation doing busi-
ness with the city, and prohibiting the
granting by such persons, utilities, or
other corporations, of special privileges
to officers and employees of the city, is
included in the bill, but policemen and
firemen are permitted to accept free
transportation facilities. 4 penalty OF
$500 attaches to conviction for viola
ton of this clause.
The machinery of government and the
method of its selection is cared for in
A section which starts out by creating
a civil service commission of three mem
bers, TO be appointed by the council, ul-
timately to hold Office for six years, but
in the case of the first commission ap-
pointed to hold office for two four and
six years respectively. The salary OF
this commission. apparently, is 20 be
fixed by the council, which is given this
authority in another section.
Provision for E1aminatiO
The commission is clothed with much
the same duties and powers as is the
National Civil Service Commission, being
required to hold examinations at stated
periods and to certify to the council twice
as many names as there are positions
to be filled. Civil service employees
shall be subjected. under the terms of the
bill, TO removal by the council for cause,
and to peremptory suspension, subject
to appeal to the council, by their depart
ment.
The civil service provision is made to
apply virtually to all appointive positions
except those whose occupation requires
no special skill or fitness" Appoint
ments by the first city council are exempt
from the civil service provisions.
This same section provides for the pub
licity of campaign expenses and contri-
buttons.
The recall provision requires that quail
fled electors to the number of at least
twenty-five per cent of the total vote
cast for mayor in the election next pre-
ceeding must sign a petition, which must
he verified by the clerk and sworn to by
at least one of the signers on each page
of the petition. The election must be
ordered by the council not less than
thirty days or more than forty days from
the date on which the clerk certifies toI
the correctness of the petition and sigma
tures. ANY person sought to be removed
may be a candidate to succeed himself,
and unless he requests otherwise in writ
ing, the clerk shall place his name on the
official ballot without nomination. THE
person receiving the highest votes in
such an election, II he be other than the
one sought to be removed, is to hold
office for the uneXpired term only.
InitIative md Referendum.
Initiative and referendum also are pro-
vided for in the bill. The initiative pro-
vision requires that IL y per cent of all
votes cast for mayor at the preceding
election are attached the city council
either must pass the ordinance desired
OF submit it to the people at a special
election, unless a general election is to
be held within the next ninety days. II
the petition is signed by more than 10.
but less than 25 per cent of the votes for
mayor. the ordinance. il not passed by
the council, must be submitted at the
next general city elections
ANY number of proposed ordinances
may be voted upon at the same election, |
in accordance with the provisions of this |
section" says the bill, but there shall |
not be more than one special election in |
any period Of six months for such pur- |
pose"
Except in cases where the urgency is |
apparent and is mentioned in the ordi- |
nance, no ordinance is permitted under |
the bill, to become effective within ten
days after its passage by the council |
and IL in that time % per cent of all the |
votes for candidates for mayor at the
preceding election petition against the |
ordinance, it is to be held up pending
a special election for the purpose of /
passing on the ordinance in question: |
Temporary Electorate.
A temporary electorate is provided for,
as follows:
at the first election held under the