National Republican., 1883-07-14
D1srnIcr suFFRAGE,
with Some Pertinent Remarks About the
Influence OF the Railways In Our Pres
cnt District Government.

eht government,
To The Editor
In common with many thousand disfran-
chised citizens, am deeply interested in the
discussion now going on relative to the exer-
else of the rights accorded TO freemen every
where else but denied here. Your corre-
spondent GA Tax Payer " punctured the con-
stitutional bubble that the monarchists have
blown; but one argument, or rather state
ment, made in an interview published in your
columns a day or two ago, seems to require
notco. 1t was there stated that the example
set here was one that fought to be followed"
by all other cities. That, it seems to
me, is the worst possible statement
to be made in republican government.
That a citizen of the best standing gives it as
his deliberate Judgment that suffrage ought
to be abolished in all cities in the United
states, following the example set by the dis
trict, because, said ho, the district is so well
governed" makes it n matter to be carefully
considered. As to the first proposition, it
will be seen at glance how far reaching such
u statement is, how subversive of all the
principles of democracy, of republicansm it
is u concession of all that monarChists have
claimed that better officers may be appointed
by the sovcreigns than the people. Now it is
gravely proposed TO recommend the same plan
for adoption by other cities. We're that
adopted then by an easy graduation, the same
argument would apply to the officers of the
states, then to the legislature, the governors,
and finally to congress itself 1t is so much
better that wise discretion of the appoint
ing power should be exercised than that the
ignorant people should make mistake and
occasionally get a bad man
Now as to the next proposition, Is it true
that the district is well governed? That the
railroads will answer in the affirmative L
have no doubt; but the people who are and
have been for years placed in daily jeopardy
when crossing streets that the railways have
stolen will say, no! When poor Bud " Eagle
ston was killed we were told that automatic
gates would be ordered to be placed at all
railway crossing but SO far there is not a
single gate or bar at any railway crossing in
this city, a state of affairs that would not
be tolerated in any other city in America;
and, judging from the past it will be a
long time before the commissioners hear
the voice of the people. Who can
think, without shuddering, of the street
car run into by railway train near the
Smithsonian institution and who that is
daily witness to the scenes on Sixth street,
near the armory, can fail to think that it is
the railways and not the commissioners, that
govern the city. If the commissioners fail
to protect the life and limb of the people, and
the record will show that they have failed in
this most essential particular, how can it be
claimed for them that they are good gov
ernors? Let any one favorably impressed
with the belief in our good government visit
the arrifOry. He will see one of the most beau
tiful drives in the city closed up because
railway desires to build "a bridge. That is
a laudable desire, but to allow them to take
possession of the street without any limita-
ton beyond a mere statement that :" the
company intend to finish it in October" is, to
say the least, rather poor exhibition of Wig
orous government. The bridge ought to have
been finished in sixty days from its COM
mencement, and the company should have
been compelled to put force enough on to do
the work. There are plenty OF facts to dis
prove any extravagant assertion about the
goodness of our government, If one should
seek for them. The great binding fact of the
railway government is clear to every citizen
who will cross the tracks in the northeastern
or southern sections of our city. CIvIs.