Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-18
Special House Committee to
Consider 0'Leary and
Prouty Resolutions.
WILL BE AMALGAMATED
AND REPORTED THIS YEAR
Investigation of Relationship Be-
tween United States and Dis
trict Is Provided For.

A bill framing a charter for a local
eelf-government of the District OF Co
1umbia is the possible outcome of the
action of the House District committee
today in the appointment of special
committee to consider the OLeary and
Prouty resolutions. both of which pro-
vide for an investigation into the re-
1ations between the District OF Column
bia and the United States. The member
ship of the special committee is Rep-
Tesentatives Prouty. O'Leary, CarawaE-
Claypool and Mapes. The first meeting
will be held next Tuesday.
At the District committee meeting to-
day Representative Prouty asked Tor
consideration of his resolution, INTRO
duced March 10. for the purpose OF es-
tabIishing a commission to work out
form of local self-government ana 10
settle the questions concerning taAa-
ton and assessment ana the feia a.ioii-
shin between the United States ana the
District of Columbia. Representative
O'Leary. who has introduced resolu-
ton funda mentally the same, referred
to his measure. and the ciScusSlon re-
suited in the appointment OF the sPe-
cial committee.
Resolutions to Be Amalgamated.
The two resolutions will be studied
together and amalgamated it was SAID
today BY members of the committee. "A
third resolution will be reported to the
full District committee. and 1t Is the
belief of the committee that the local
self-governlnent feature will be the ruling
element Of the forthcoming BILL
The two resolutions which VIII oe
anna Sauated are as follows:
The OLeary measure provides tnat
a commission of nine members ne ere
ated tie members of said comm SSlOn
10 be selected as follows: u hree MEM
bers to De appointed from the senate
by the Vice President, three members
to be appointed from the House OF
Representatives by the Speaker OF the
House, and three members, VINO Shal
be residents OF the District OF ColuH-
bia- to be appointed by the President
of the United States. and the said COM
mission shall be empowered to make an
dnvestigation of the government OF the
District OF Columbia. to frame cnarter
establishing in said District modern.
efficient and democratic form of gov
eminent; and the said commission shall
have full power to hold public hearings.
10 subpoena witnesses and to admin
lister oaths; and the said commission
shall make a complete report OF lis md
dngs and shall submit a charter to the
President of the United States and to
the Senate and House OF represent
atives not later than the first Monday
in December. 1914. with such recon-
mendations as the said commission may
deem advisable. tfaC the pGTpoSe VI
defraying the expenses of sald commls-
sion there is hereby appropriated. out
of funds not otherwise appropriated, the
sum of s25.o0o.
Terms of Prouty Resolution.
Representative Prouty's resolution pro-
vides that the District of Columbia con-
mission be composed of three representa-
tives and three senators, directed to in
vestigate thoroughly the relations be-
tween the United States and the District
OF Columbia: and to report whether To-
cal seif-government might not now be
granted to the District.
In case this commission finds local self
government feasible, it is ordered to re-
port a bill providing it.
Further the resolution provides:
THAT said commission shal! further
make a careful investigation to ascertain
what If any. federal aid should be given
TO the District of Columbia by way of
contribution from the federal Treasury
for the support of the local affairs of the
said District of Columbia: that said COM
mission shall have the power and au-
thority to employ secretary. clerical
help and such accountants and experts
on municipal affairs it shall deem
proper and necessary for thorough,
comprehensive report: that said commits
sion shall .ix the compensation to be paid
TO said persons. and If the said commits
sion snail SlI during recess Oh Congress
the members Of the commission shall e
entitled 10 mileage and hotel expenses
made necessary by attendance on said
meetings, the same to be paid out a
voucher signed by the chairman of said
commission: that said commission shall
give public hearings in the District of CO.
lumbia. or at such other places as ma
jority Of said commission may determine:
that said commission is especially to as
certain and report TO Congress the fair
average rate of taxes collected in other
cities OF like size to that of Washington
upon the actual cash value of its prop
erty and report to this House what
would be fair and reasonable rate 10 be
assessed against the property of the Dis
trict of Columbia at it's actual cash
value; that said commission shall ascer-
tain and report what kinds and classes
Of property are assessed in other cities
and what kinds and classes of property
should be assessed in the District of Co.
lumbia and at what rate, in order that
the property in the District of Columbia
might bear a fair burden of taxation as
compared with property situated else
where: that said commission shall make
full and complete report of its findings
of fact and its conclusions and recon
rnendations for legislative action to Con-
gress not later than the first Monday in
December 1914