Evening star., 1915-12-08
her Legislation Urged for Economical and Efficient Government

tematic handling of the details Of the vari-
Gus classes of accounts with respect to
taxes and assessments SO that peri
! odical proof can be readily obtained
which will show that the several
amounts due the District for such
taxes and assessments are accurately
accounted for.
In this connection the Commissioners RS
recommend legislation authorizing the
transfer Of all accounts relating to the
bookkeeping. accounting and collec-
tion OF taxes and special assessments,
including the preparation of tax bills,
from the assessors Office to the Office of
the collector OF taxes, the collector to
be charged with the duties and respon-
stbilities in this regard now imposed
in administration would relieve the as
sessor and his assistants of a great
amount Of detail work, the time con-
sumed with which could be more profit
ably employed in their important
duties in matters directly relating to
all this work under the collector of
taxes the Districts system would then
be in keeping with the practice which
obtains in other municipalities.
Cash Retents Withheld Under Dis
trict Contracts.
1t is recommended that the taking Of
cash retents of 10 per cent of the cost
Of work under District contracts for
public works be discontinued, the Dis
trict being fully protected by the bond
now required to be taken for the repair
Of any defective work that may be
done under contract. II this be done
- fIypNo tn@ hot tIa tvtp
then save between $50, 900 and $4,000
year. which it is now paying, by rea-
son of the fact that the contractors in
estimating on the cost of the work in
clude therein the interest charge for
carrying the money deposited In the
Board of Accountancy for the Dis
trict of Columbia.
The attention of Congress is invited
to the need of providing legislation
regulating the practice of public ac-
counting in the District along similar
lines as followed by the several states
of the Union. At present there is no
legal regulation of the profession of
public accounting In the District. 1t
needs no argument to demonstrate the
truth of the statement that public ac-
countants having to do with the set
tlement of the accounts of property of
the citizens should be required to
possess certain qualifications, both as
to skill and practice IN accounting,
similar to those required of other pro-
fessional men, so that the public inter-
ests be protected.
Population.
No census of the population OF the
District Of Columbia has been taken
by the District authorities since April,
1913. but the United States bureau of
the census informs the Commissioners
that its estimate of the population Of
the District on July !. 1915. is 35S,67o.
Improvement In Administration.
The Commissioners recommend the
enactment of necessary legislation to
bring about a more economical and
efficient conduct of the business of tho
local government. to be accomplished
by vesting them with powers and dis
cretion now delegated by Congress to
independent boards, which in matters
of administration are not accountable
to the Commissioners. The Commis-
sioners believe that all officers. boards
or other organizations charged with
the performance OF municipal duties
should be subject to their direction and
control as the executive head of the
District government. While some
slight progress has been made in this
direction in the past. there are still
a number of very important branches
Of the government of the District of
Columbia discharging functions Of a
purely municipal nature which are in
dependent of the Commissioners
10 mi OF Jr, hal
that the highest efficiency and eco
nomy in governmental administration
can be obtained by this divided au-
thority, and the present laws which
have caused existing conditions in this
direction should be repealed and the
supervisory control over all municipal
To this end the Commissioners recon-
mend that all the authority, duties,
discretion and powers now vested in
the board of education be vested in
appoint board of education and also
a director of education to serve under
their direction. Similar action is
by the Commissioners
with reference to the board Of char
ities, the Commissioners believing that
the members Of this board should be
appointed by them and that provision
should be made for director Of char
tiles. to be appointed by the Conlmis-
sioRers and responsible to them for
the administration Of his Office. Recon-
is also submitted for the
appointment of the members of the
board of children's guardians by the
thus relieving the
judges of the Police Court and the
judge holding the Criminal Court of
the District OF Columbia of this duty.
In a number Of services such as the
Lii y,.l -t.V
Home School. the Temporary Home for
exEnion Soldiers and Sailors and the
National Training School for Girls the
Commissioners ask that they be cloth
ed with the power of making all ap-
pointments.
ASSESSMENTS.
Real Estate.
The act Of Congress-. approYed Au-