The Washington herald., 1914-04-12

ments have shown that compliance with
enforcement has demonstrated that all
that is needed to eliminate the smoke
nuisance is the use OF a good grade Of
coal. careful stoking, FREQUENT coaling in
small quantities. and the use OF boiler
of slightly greater capacity than the ex-
act amount required.
In closing this series of articles on
some of the important extra political
activities OF the government of the Dis
trict Of Columbia il should be noted that
with the advent of Woodrow Wilson to
the Presidency a new era is about to
dawn for the National Capital, IL Con-
gress will follow the views and the ideals
of the President An indication OF Mr.
Wilson's interest in the government of
the District of Columbia was first given
in his selections of the two civil Com
missioners for the District. The chair
man of the Board of Commissioners Is
Oliver p. Newman, who. like Mayor Nit
chel. Of New York, is a young man. being
but thirtysiX years Of age. Sixteen OF
those years Mr.. Newman has spent in
newspaper work. and his zeal for and apt
ness in the study OF municipal affairs has
always resulted in throwing to him news
paper assignments in connection with
civic problems. AS result. Commits
sioner Newman came at the head OF
municipal affairs in the District of CO.
lnmbia with a knowledge of municipal
systems, their good points as well as
their shortcomings. in many important
cities, whereas the average man in Con-
gress or in the District government can
speak only from the knowledge of munich
pal affairs in one town-his home city.
The advanced ideas which the new
Board OF Commissioners of the District
of Columbia have brought into the gov
ernment OF the National Capital may
be gathered from the policy of the board
which may be summarized under four
heads:
L Public ownership Of all utilities, in
cluding the establishment of a vast pow
er plant at Great Falls, on the Potomac
River, for light and power
,. Taxation reform through the intro
duction of a system approaching the sim
gle tax. This reform seeks to exempt
from taxation improvements and personal
property by an annual reduction of the
tax on improvements as is being done
in Houston, Tex, and other cities.
3. Specialization of the functions Of the
District government by making the gov
ernment meet the social needs OF the
ptOPlNs a. Nllt VI
ing conditions. vocational and open-air
schools, increasing playground facilities.
and extension of the municipal hospital
service.
l. General administrative efficiency
through a civic survey that Is to develop
the lines OF weakness in the administra-
ton of the District affairs and to recon-
mend such improvements as will make
the government of the Capital a model
for all American cities.
Commissioner Newman. who stands at
the head OF the District government. is
well known to many Texans. He worked
on the Beaumont Enterprise in the palmy
days of the oil excitement and later
worked on the San Antonio Express for
which paper he reported the Texas leg
islature in 1904. In 1905 he went back to
Des Moines. Iowa. and interested Sena-
tor Cummins, then governor of Iowa. in
the Texas primary law and assisted in
the passage OF a similar law in Iowa
President Wilson became acquainted
with Mr.. Newman during the memorable
Presidential campaign of 1912, before and
after the Baltimore convention. and his
appointment to the Office of Commissioner
of the District of Columbia was no sur
prise to those who were acquainted with
Mr.. Newman's especial qualifications and
President Wilson'S high civic ideals.