Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-03-12

The Suffrage Question Pro and Con.

The Suffrage Question Pro and Con.
of government for the District now before the
House Of Representatives, while il is a great
improvement over the present is not VIVA we
need. We want simple form of muuicipal
government. II is folly to experiment with
anything else. 1t requires no prophet to fore
tell that all such experiments will prove to be
failures in the future, as in the pas. The sixth
section Of this bill provides that there shall
be a counci of twenty-four members and
that mo person shall be eligible ~ member
Of said council who is not The owner of prop-
erty in the District of Columbia of the assessed
valuation of three thousand dollars or more
This is all the qualification required of a coun-
ciiZen OF the United States and of the District
of Columbia. Neither brains or honesty are
required. He may be an idiot Oh q thief. and
iet II ne is assessed for three thousand dol
heie9 for a.: !. is worth, he may be q member
OF this council. It seems 10 me rather late in
the day for the American people to be discus
thought Benjamin Franklin disposed OF tina
question forever. nearly a century ago, BY his
famous iackasS illustration. man may be
amemeer OF si,ber house of Congress or Pres
of this worlds goods as was Jesus of Nazar
eth; but before he can be member of a petty
council in the District of Columbia he must
have inherited, or earned or stolen three thou
sand dollars worth of property: | cannot I'M
ders; and why this property qualifcalionis not
required of The electors. Neither property or
brains is required of them; the sole qualiica-
tim being that they shall be male inhabitants
OF The District of Columbia, above the age of
Il years.
observe that this bill requires the three
thousand dollar cOuncilmen to work without
pay. This, if adopted, will be one of the best
Jokes of the season, coming from such unset
ilsh gentlemen as compose majority OF bo.h
OF
letter set an example by working for nothing
hemseIves as do the members Of the English
Parliament.
If we are to have property qualification,
let us go the whole hog, and not only require
ii of councilmen, but OF Voters. We should
also allow the voting to be done as it is by
ty owner being allowed TO vote by proxy, and
in proportion to the value of his property.
1t strikes me, Mr.: Editor, that We had better
have little less talk about the rights of prop
erty- owners, and Il little more about the rights
of the masses many of whom are in a starving
condition, and, like the Son of Man, have not
from the way certain men talk, that getting
money is the chief end of mans existence.
Fine houses and nice furniture are very conve.
nient to have. but they are not all We require
We must soon give them up. There is one con
ISOLATION to the poor man. He knows that rich
and poor enter the next life on an equal foot
can take nothing out but the character we
have formed here. The millionaire of this life
may be the pauper of the next. He struts his
which is mortal. and then lies down and dies
The world moves on and how soon he is for
gotten.
1t SEEMS to me. Mr. Editor. that it does not
comport with true dignity or manliness for
any community to be willing to be governed
by foreigners who have no Interest in com
mon with those they govern. 1t is surprising
all political rights. No OK ever bowed its
neck beneath the yoke more meekiy than the
people of this District have submitted to the
yoke of foreign government. 1t will not do to
attemp pit to make out that 1.-THE feather dus-
ters' were the representatives of the people
when all observing citizens know that they
tors and Board OF Public Works The exact
truth is. we have had no suffrage in this Dis
tIlct since MIR. Emery was elected mayor in
1870. What was called suffrage during the
reign of the Board of Public Works was Sham
and delusiOn. and al sensible people know
IL. what we want, and eventually must have,
the Maryland, part of this District back to
Maryland, as the Virginia part has been ceded
pack to Virginia, or else to be organized into
so @
greSS and President. Anything short of this
VII ial! IN the future; as in the past. Our pc
sitlon IS unnatural We want a dissolution of
the ridiculous partnership. that for 50 years
has existed between the United States and the
District of Columbia. But as we cannot have
that lust at present let us have the next best
let the United States pay the debtillegally con
tracted by its servants in defiance of the will
OF the people of the District. Fill up the kid
plete the work OF filling up the canal by rails
ing Pennsylvania avenue. SO that we can have
good drainage and dry cellars.
Let the United States do these things and
we Will hear no more complaint about the Dis
trlct Of Columbia. Washington will be the
hIe t as wen as the most beautiful city in
safer than ever before, and the people of the
District will be started on the high road to
prosperity and happiness. j. c.