Evening star., 1925-06-12
Wants ID. C.. Governor.
Separate System for District Ad-
vocated by E. A. Hartman.
10 the Editor of The Star;


To the Editor of The Star:
The District Of Columbia, as the
National Capital, must be. under the
control of national authority. The
however. directly by Congress has
not proved satisfactory. This is not
due to the incompetence Of Congress,
but to the fact that the pressure Of
national affairs upon the time Of
Congress is SO great that the atten-
ton which can be given to the affairs
of the District is altogether made
quate. The situation is further COM
plicated by the fact that the inhabi
tants of the District have no votes,
and are, therefore, unable to exert
any political pressure to support
their own views as to the way in
which they should be governed. The
problem of the District Government
is, therefore, very difficult one.
The first question is as to how leg
islation in regard to District matters
can be improved. For such improve
ment the substitution of indirect for
direct control by Congress seems es-
the vesting of direct legislative power
in distinct body. Many people in
the District advocate that the Dis
trict should be given local self-gov-
ernment, which would involve the in
PRODUCTION of territorial system. 1t
seems highly improbable, however,
that Congress will consent to relax
it's control over the Capital. The
most that can be hoped for is that
he
satisfactorily by a change in the
method of control. The following
plan, therefore, is suggested for the
government of the District:
n X X
/. A single executive, to be called
the governor. who should be appointed
by the President and confirmed by the
Senate.
2. A small cabinet of heads of de-
partments appointed by the governor
and responsible to him.
3. A small legislative body to con-
sist, for example. of seven men, three
chosen by the House, three by the Sen
ate, and one by the President.
4. The term of Office of the governor
should not be less than two nor more
than four years. The term of office
of the members of the Legislature, or
be one year.
5. All legislation except in case of
an emergency, should be submitted
for approval to an advisory body rep
resenting the citizens tsuch a body is
now in existence) and If not approved
by such advisory body, should require
the approval of Congress. In case of
an emergency the APPROVAL of the legis-
lation by the President may take the
,~f 1,-t I1 ;,io oef
advisory body.
6. If the citizens advisory body pro-
poses legislation which is not accept
able to the council, the matter may be
referred to Congress.
The two great difficulties in the
District are with reference to appro-
priations and taxation. In regard to
appropriations, the joint approval OF
the council and the citizens advisory
body shall be required. Appropria-
tions desired by either body to which
the other refuses consent should be
| referred to Congress for action.
s. AS regards taxation. the expense
of running the District should be di-
vided between the Government and
the taxpayers on some permanent
basis which can be justified in reason
and fairness. The arbitrary assess
ment by Congress of a certain sum
which the Government must pay is
wholly unreasonable, because it is
without foundation in any principle.
Congress has abandoned the principle
of a percentage division of expenses
and has substituted no other princi-
pie in its place. 1t has been sug-
gested that the Government property
in the District should be assessed at
its value. and that the Government
should pay percentage of expenses
equivalent to the percentage owned by
it of the total property in the District.
Objections to this plan are obvious,
because much of the Government
property is of a monumental char
acter and could not be assessed on
the same basis as private property.
Probably the simplest solution of the
problem would be to fix a definite
permanent rate Of taxation on tangi-
BILE private property, retaining per-
manently the present rate of mills
on intangible property. Such a rate,
! if fixed with reference to a fair aver
age rate Of taxation on actual values
in cities of the size Of Washington,
| would mean that the taxpayer in
Washington was beinug treated as
taxpayers in other cities are. In
such case the burden of any excessive
appropriation by Congress for the
District would not fall, as 1t does now,
arbitrarily upon the taxpayers. The
taxpayers would then be contributing
for local purposes in Washington what
they contribute for similar purposes
in other places. The assurance of a
definite limit on taxation would en-.
courage the purchase Of property in
the District and insure a steady
growth of values to increase the reve-
nues of the District. The appropria-
| tions and the expenditures thereof
being under the control of Congress
directly and indirectly, extravaganza
by local officials is rendered impossi-
BILE, so that Congress is certain of
getting what 1t desires at its own
price.
This is the bare outline Of a scheme
of District government. 1t will not
satisfy those persons, who demand
complete local government, but
such demand seems to<have no hope
of fulfillment. Nor does this scheme
touch the question of congressional
representation for the District. The
demand for such representation is
entirely reasonable, and if it should
be granted it would be perfectly
possible to include the District repre-
sentatives in Congress in the legis-
lattve council for the District. Under
this scheme Congress is not to be
entirely detached from a voice in
District affairs, but Is to exercise
fits control in most cases indirectly,
so that direct action would only be
necessary in cases where there was
real disagreement between the citi-
zens of the District and the council.
The details of this scheme may, of
course, be varied. 1t might perhaps
be better to have no fixed term for
the governor. but to have him ap-
pointed to hold office at the pleasure