Show The District of Columbia I We are in receipt of a communication from the southern part of the territory of which this is an extract Would you kindly inform through the columns of THE HERALD how the municipal muni-cipal government of the District of Columbia is conducted I The District of Columbia being under I the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States is controlled by the laws of Congress Con-gress These are administered by three commissioners appointed by the President Presi-dent Two of them are civilians and one an officer of the corps of engineers of the United States army who is above the rank of captain This commission is not a court Congress provides for the courts of the district and defines their jurisdiction jurisdic-tion Neither is the commission a legislative legis-lative body It has the direction of affairs in the district dis-trict applies the taxes sees to the financial finan-cial support of schools directs the fire department the police department etc It can make no contracts except in relation rela-tion to streets and highways and these must have the signatures of all the commissioners com-missioners Annually they muut make an estimate of all the needed expenditures expendi-tures for the coming fiscal year and submit sub-mit it to the Secretary of the Treasury who when it is thoroughly checked and investigated returns it with his approval or suggestions for changes When it is duly signed by him and the commission it is sent to Congress On this report onehalf of the gross amount of the estimate esti-mate is appropriated out of the public funds The other half is assessed upon all the property in the district Not more than 150 on each 100 ca h valuo of real estate and the same on personal per-sonal property may be collected Agricultural Agri-cultural lands in the district outside of Washington and Georgetown may only be taxed at 1 for each 100 The taxes are paid into the national treasury and with the sum appropriated by Congress Con-gress the money is disbursed vouchers I signed by the commission or a majority t of that body I The commission have power to appoint a number of officers in the district provided pro-vided for by act of Congress and to remove re-move them for cause They take the general gen-eral oversight and management of all its affairs hold their offices for three years j and receive 5000 each for compensation i The act of Congress which governs in this matter was passed June 11 1878 and former laws concerning it were then repealed re-pealed The people of the district have no vote but seam to get along very well without I I it The district is well managed Washington Wash-ington is every year becoming more beautiful I beau-tiful and while there is grumbling there as everywhere folks seem to bequite as contented as elsewhere The District of Columbia is not a territory so has no delegate in Congress But being the I I i J ri fi b1 property of the United States and under its control for all purposes whatsoever so provided the Constitution the people whodwell there understand the situation and the laws are thorough for its government govern-ment and are pretty thoroughly administered i admin-istered by the commission I |