Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-01-25

Bill for New District posed change
in the form
uoseinnen'' Of govern
ment for the District. Citizens were
holding meetings. some of them favor
ing and some opposing any Departure
from the long-continued mode OF adj
the ten miles square.
In The Star of January II. 1870, is the
editorial on the subject:
The bill drafted by the citizens
committee to establish a territorial
for the District OF CO.
iumbia provides for the appointments
of a governor. secretary and council
by the President. with the advice ana
consent of the Senate, and a house
of assembly and delegate in Congress
selected by the people. The design
of the committee in drafting TINS
measure seems TO have been 70 Sc
cure for the people of the Dlstrlct
full representation by making the
Offices of assemblymen and delegate
in Congress elective and at the same
time to reserve for the government a
voice in District affairs through the
appointment of the governor ana
council. such as will justify Congress
in surrendering to the territorial gov
eminent of the District the power to
legislate upon District matters. re-
serving to itself withal the right to
repeal or annul any dclS ol lhN NSi
ritorial legislature not approved
This enlargement of the powers
of the District government is really
the vital part OF the bill. Any change
in the mode of government here IS
worthless if it does not secure this
feature. 1t is not that our officials
are corrupt or inefficient that the
affairs of the District are in theiI
present unsatisfactory condition. but
1t is in the fact that with their pros
1;y,,ifad they do an
solutely nothing. 1t is not their fauit-
nor that of the people. that our
avenues remain unpaved; that the
canal is useless and pestiferous; THAI
the old market sheds disgrace Penn
sylvanisl avenue. and that PennSyi-
vania avenue diSgraces the city. OF
rather the government 1t IS not the
fault of the authorities or the PEG.
pie Of the District that the wretched
old Jail blights the center of the city,
that the river channel.is filled up ana
that the miasmatic flats OF the Pres.
ident's house are not filled up ~
is not their fault that we have nc
railroad facilities. do not own a foo&
of rail or a single brick or board ia
any railroad structure. 1t is not their
fault that a check is put upon IN
duStry and enterprise by fossil laws
received as a legacy from Maryland
and which that state has long ago
repealed for herself. but which stil
remain an incubus upon the District
because Congress has not time 70
deal with them.
I'm all these matters the Distro
would very speedily work reform Il
she had the power. But
IT,. n;,+r;ot,e she cannot straighten
line in the zig Tag
Impotence. canal, or touch VEN
cradle single upon the moss-covered
roof of the market house. or I'LL up
rut in Pennsylvania avenue. or clean
a gutter in front Of government reser-
walton, or remove a spoonful OF the
sacred soil Of the river fats. or sub
scribe a dollar to build railroads. or
form an industrial exposition, or to en-
courage manufactures, or any other
work of progress, without the consent
Of Congress.
1--WE are dependent upon Congress for
permission to move hand or foot and,
most unfortunately for US, Congress
never finds time to give that permits
sion Congressional District committees
prepare and digest measures OF Distr1f
interest every year. but perhaps Tor an
entire session the House District COM
mittee, Nor instance, VIII fail to get the
floor long enough to press single meas
ure of any importance. If they do sue
coed in getting the District bill before
the House. a single objection by pref
udiced or uniformed member will send
it to eternal limbo OF the large num-
Der Of bills in the hands of the District
committees at the last session, but four
got through. and these were OF the most
trffiing and inconseQuential character.
The members, impatient to get up their
own business, will not give time to
District bill the consideration Of which
leads to any debate whatever They
say: Why should We, who have to
legislate for thirty millions of people
and are required to deal with great ma
tional affairs, be called upon to givs
our time to petty municipal legislation,
questions of street paving, market
houses. etc. etc? And why should
they? They frankly admit that they
have no time to post themselves upon
District affairs, in order to act upon
them intelligently, and no time n ACT
upon them if they were posted. Every
member We have conversed with on the
subject comedies the utter inability OF
Congress to give proper attention to
District matters and their disposition IA
remit their consideration to any COM
petent authority in the District
This, then. being the condition 81
affairs and the disposition of Congress-
the question rises, in what way shall
this transfer Of authority be made, and
how shall the legislative and executivs
body OF the District be constituted Sem
ator. Hamlin. chairman of the Senate
District committee, expresses himself
very decidedly in favor of a territorial
form OF government for the District, and
the citizens committee, after going
over the whole ground, come TO the same
conclusion. The result of their laoou
in drafting a plan of District govern
ment will be presented at a public meet,
the consideration oil
our citizens. We trust that meeting
will bring forth a full expression OF
opinion and an agreement upon SONG
definite plan of action: to be followee
up by a long pull and strong pun 10
gether in its behalf.
'If any better plan than that pre-
scented by the committee can be found,
LET il be adopted; but by all mea1
agree ON something, and then act"
During the week meetings were held
by both proponents of the territorial
plan and by opponents
n;ecord of the latter chiefly includ-
ing members and adher
Uplnlon. ents of the existing mu-
nicipal governments OF the Districe
The Star. seeking to secure harmony
for the sake Of getting results for bet.
ter government at the capital, said in
its issue of January 81, 1870:
Nothing is easier than to defeat any
measure Of District interest In Con-
gress, as all past experience has
shown That body has no time te
spare In dealing with Diseict oiu
that calls UP opposition enough &c
elicit discussion. Therefore IL tbs
people of the District cannot agree
with something like unanimity upon
FOR -od hv Cons