Evening star., 1915-12-12


Consolidation to the citizens and
various propos Is
AioPoSeu. We're advanced to
relieve the situation. In The Star of
December IL, 1865. the subject of the
relations between the District and the
general government was thus dis
cussed:
The question of the consolidation of
the cities of Washington and George
town and the county has been lately
revived and considerable has been said
pro and con. The proposition has taken
variety of forms. some advocating
the consolidation of the three places
under territorial governor, and with
a territorial delegate in Congress. and
maintaining that such consummation
would be a sovereign remedy for all
the ills that District flesh is heir to-
Among thinking citizens, however. this
plan has few advocates. Aside from the
tax upon the people to support such
a government it is foreseen that under
such an organization the District Will
have even less voice in Congress than
now. We are now represented in Con-
gress by District committee in each
House, who can more certainly obtain
the ear of Congress and influence legis-
lation than that -nondescript, no-ac-
count individual, without status or the
slightest influence. a territorial dele
gate. Under the style of appointment
in vogue, the officials appointed to gov
ern the District would almost certainly
be strangers. having not the slightest
sympathy with the people of the Dis
trict or knowledge of their wants.
* X
"Other plans for District government
by appointment are even more imprac-
ticabe or Objectionable,
Deplorable contemplating making
r,.1 the people of the Dis
oo1io1I1oAs. trict mere voiceless ma
rhines, without votes or representa-
tions, and having no other right of
citizenship left than the inalienab BILE
right TO pay taxes. Nor is it thought
in regard to District affairs, for which
it was already responsible, has given
any cause for believing that it would,
if wholly charged with our affairs, do
better by us than we have done for
W
gress has neglected the avenues of the
city under its exclusive control, while
the city has inaugurated a general sys-
TEN of first class paving: the manner
in which the miserable governmentally
managed hydrants have flooded Penn
sylvania avenue for twelvemonth.
the government quagmires in Virginia
avenue, the street leading direct from
the upper departments to the navy
yard; the Woebesone look of Mary
land avenue, radiating directly from
the Capitol riverward. and the most
conspicuous street in Washington, filled
with ruts, mudholes, piles of railroad
ties, old railroad iron, governmental
railroad shantes, etc, etc; the manner
in which Congress has failed year
after year. to provide for paving in
front of departmental buildings, and
the fact that the abused corporation
has had to advance the money to the
commissioner of public buildings to do
such repairs; the similar manner in
which Congress has failed to make ap-
propriations for the repair of its own
avenue crossings, and for which this
much abused corporation has had to
advance the money, coupled with the
fact that Congress has, year after year,
failed to make good the moneys ad-
vanced on these several occasions, and
also has wholly failed to make re-
turns for the sales of city lots are a
few of the items going to discourse ge
the idea that the city will fare better
in the hands of Congress than under
its own control.
THE only proposition of the set that
seems to meet with any general favor
is that proposing to con-
GEORGETOWN solidate Georg e town,
s1-, w h n g on and the
oi Aneu. county into one munich
pality, electing its own municipal off
GERS. The example of Philadelphia
and other cities has been cited to show
the advantages of such consolidation,
and many have been favorabIy inn
pressed with the proposition. But we
learn that the recent hostile 1egisla-
tion toward the District, initiated in
Congress by Senators Sumner and
Wade and others, has caused a thor
ough change of sentiment in George
town and the county, and a movement
has been organized in Georgetown of a
cent? ifugal rather than a centripetal
character. 1t is now proposed by the
people of Georgetown to separate
wholly from Washington and seek
retrocesson to Maryland in view of
the possibility OF the passage by Con-
sress of negro suffrage and negro
juror bills. coupled with such penalties
for the rejection of negro votes as Wis
iting upon the offending parties i'm
prisonment for thirty days on bread
and water, AS provided by Senator
Wade's humane bill. The indications
are. therefore, that Georgetown and
the county viii not incline to unite
their fortunes to ours, but will seek
to the utmost of their power retroces-
sion TO Maryland.
so far, however, as the hostile legiS-
lation above mentioned as threatened
is concerned, we believe
Friendly such fears may be dis
-. missed. We know that
1oohinS' very many members have,
since their arrival here, expressed the
kindest feeling toward the people of
the District They note with gratifica-
ton the handsome street improve
ments, and other improvements made
by the city since the last session, and
are not chary of giving their opinion
that Congress can do no less than
make a corresponding improvement or
its avenues, and in other ways show
a disposition to make the capital OF
the nation worthy of the nation. We
believe that Congress will pass no
hastily prepared bills affecting the
status of the negro in the District, and
viii legislate upon all such matters
with due regard to the best interests