Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-20
Slurring the Washingtonian.

for the District of Columbia. Aftel
three-fourths of a century of neglect
of its financial obligations to the Ma
tons City, the Nation assumed one
half the burden of Capital maintenance
and development. 1t assumed at the
scraa time full, undivided control Of the
Capitals government.
Before the date of commission tempo
rary government the District had not the
population or the resources to entitle
1t to ask for even one voting Repre-
sentative in the House, but it had full
control of its municipal government
until the advent of the territorial form
of government in the seventies OF the
last century.
All direct participation in its local
government was taken from 1t In the
compromise settlement of 1878, with
one slight modification, which gave II
indirect participation in that govern
ment by making only genuine isolated
observation-disclosures eligible for appoint
ment to two of the three commission
erships. One of the three Commissioners
was to be a military man, an Army
Engineer officer, to represent theoretl-
callv the Nation. The other two were
not to be military men, but from civil
life" and they were to be distinctively
representative Washingtonians identi-
fed in interest solely with the Capital
community, and to this end there was
declared as an essential requirement OF
eligibility to appointment as Commits
sioner actual residence in the District
for three years prior to appointment,
during that period claiming residence
nowhere else.
Adoption Of the pending amendment
Just proposed in the Senate VIII
eliminate the Washingtonian from any
legal claim to even this slight in
direct participation in his municipal
government To vote in o State has
constituted heretofore the easily proven
disbarring claim of residence elsewhere
than the District. Under the proposed
amendment one may live where he
pleases and vote where he likes. and ne
is still eligible for appointment as Com
missioner IL he maintains for three
wears a place of business In Washing
ton.
Ever since 1878 efforts have been
made in opposite directions to amend
the eligibility provision. One movement
strives to concentrate all powers of ap-
pointment, as of teachers, Librarians,
etc, in the hands of the Commission
ers, then to permit the appointment OF
Commissioners from anywhere in the
United States, and finally to degrade
the commissionership into a mere bu-
feau of some department Of the ma
tional Government. This is the ma
tionalizing' process as applied to the
municipal government.
The other movement tends to give
the several hundred thousand isolated
observation-disclosures Chose claiming legal
residence nowhere else), all Of the
indirect participation in their munich
pal as well as their National Govern
n1ent that is consistent with exclusive
control of District legislation by Con-
gress representing the Nation. This Is
the "Americanizing" process as applied
to the people of washington.
Neither effort to change has made
Roadway. The eligibility provision Is
substantially the same on vital points
as in 1878.
This provision should not be amended,
unless it is in the direction OF increas-
ing the indirect participation in its gov
eminent of the isolated Washingto-
mans, who have increased wonderfully
since 1878 in numbers and resources
and who constitute one of the most In
telligent, public-spirited and patriotic
of American communities.
1t is inconceivable that in this fine
strong community there could not be
found men of integrity and ability to
render this public service.
Many available Washingtonians can
not afford to surrender a profitable
quately compensated at the present
salary of a Commissioner. Others, how
ever, have always been found able anc
willing to make a pecuniary sacrifice
in order to render a community service
with the expectation that their self.
sacrificing labors would be appreciated
and compensated by the honor which
comes to the faithful public servant
1t must be recognized as an obstacle
to willingness to serve at pecuniar!
sacrifice as District Commissioner tina
for some time the Commissioners Of
fice, instead of bringing appreciation
and honor, has made of its occupan
the target for discrediting assault of ;
kind against which, unsupported, he i
defenseleSs. The Commissioner ha
been made in some respects to resem
BILE the pasha in Marryat's novel, VIII
is described as an official whose hea,
is raised for time above those of hi
fellows for greater convenience of de
capitation.
Without disturbing national contrc
of the Federal District the Washing
tonian needs representation in accord
ance with American principles in tn
national Legislature, which exercise
this exclusive control and which ma
dispose of his property, his liberty. hi
life.
Pending the grant Of this right tn
washingtonian should be scrnpulousl
protected in the meager vestiges c