Evening star., 1921-05-22

The new territorial government OK
the District of Columbia was inau--
gurated MonoaD.
District. N.w May Is. 1871. and
The Star OF that
Government. dav contains an
account OF the proceedings, nihhs
more than a page. the great part oe-
/ ing taken up by the text OF the mes
sage of Gov Henry d. Cooke and the
report of the board of public WORKS
Gov Cooke had designated "Metzer-
oft Hall building" as the place OK
meeting for the new legislature. Inc
| house of delegates assembled on .ne
second floor and the couhcil on W.
third floor. William Stickney ~as
elected president of the councii ana
iC l.. Hulse was chosen presiding oi~
| fcer of the house of delegates.
| Gov. Cooke opened the session OF .he
council and Secretary Chapman tha'
siding until the respective presidlhs
officers were chosen. Regardlng .ue
governors message. which was sup
mitted through his secretary. nr. VII
liam Tindall. The Star editorially sa'o
| on that day:
ELSEWHERE will be found the mes,
sage Of Gov. Cooke to the territorial
Legislature. Both in its data ana IN
its suggestions it is document OF
great interest and .', weight, nn,.., ana !"
Gov. Cooke points out that 1t is I'M
perative that provision be made for
the creation Of offices and the ap-
pointment OF officers to perform the
corporations. superseded by the terri.
torial organization. Certain general
| laws also are demanded to carry into
effect the provisions OF the act OF
Congress reorganizing the govern
ment of the District. This legisia-
tion will occupy the attention of tho
| legislature until the expiration OF the
existing municipal and county gov
ernments. and the governor recom-
mends that special local legislation
| legislation is rendered absolutely
necessary by the extinction of all
other legislative authority in the Dis
trict.
the more important questions requir.
ing consideration, viz: Matters OF
| finance. internal improvements the
| schools. sanitary regulations. the sys.
TENS Of charities and corrections and
the revision and codifcation OF the
laws of the District.
| THE funded debt Of Georgetown Is
about s250,000 and that city is so for
tunate as to have no floating debt.
The indebtedness of the county is in
has not been ascertained. The funded
debt of Washington is stated by the
city register to be $2.0ss. .l2422. ana
by the city auditor to be $205S,69s-S3.
showing a considerable discrepancy
in the accounts. The amount of the
floating debt of the city is estimated
by the city auditor to be $1.OO0.000,
but in the opinion OF Gov. Cooke this
estimate will not cover the actual
: amount.
The governor makes some Judi
cious recommendations in regard to
the mode Of providing for the settle
ment Of the Indebtedness of the out
going government and also suggests
the necessity for prompt legislation
covering the immediate wants Of the
new government. It is recommended
that the tax levy for the current year
should be made due and payable on
the 1st day OF July and that author
tty should be given to anticipate the
revenue by a temporary loan.
mot only the matters Of finance.
upon which Gov. Cooke might be dis
posed to have a particular attitude.
but the various other questions en-
braced in the message are handled
with perspicuity. The message can
not fail to make a good impression.
'The board Of public works in their
report make a number OF important
recommendatio and IL the grand
work of Improvement they have out
lined is carried out. the city will soon
make itself conspicuous in the path
of progress"