Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-07-14
suffrage were given to him again he would appre.
ciate It more highly and vote more tntelligently
than he ever did BEFORE

JcSEPH WILLIAMS. grocer, oI street SOuSle 1St
| when approached on the question OF suffrage, ex-
| pressed himself favorable to conditional SUI
frage. Il am strongly in favor OF uu lli1ed s1f.
frage," said ne, but 1t will have to be QUILTED
s SUM, g We want some power in the manage
represented but represented by people elected by
trlct 10 SOM extent"
THos. B. CROSS, lumber dealer, Est Washing
ton, remarked: II hlvn't got much to s ~ about
| the sun: age question. but I have thought great
dea! about 1t lately. Any change would be better
LOT the citizens than the present form OF govern
uent. II We wanted anything done We would Just
as soon go TO Chicago and ask for 1t TO go to the
| present Commissioners for they don't know US
have q mayor elected. and then will all he ac-
quainted, and coul1 get along better and be better
-atlsned am in favor OF suffrage, whether quail
Id o. unqullfied; but qualified, II possible, and
| II not, the other"
JAMES +. WALSH drugris corner OF Sd and
streets southeast favor qualified suffrage, and he
thinks real estate qualification the best and most
| just. 81 haven't much business with the Commls-
s!OneFs,' aid Nj. Walsh, "but hear great deal
OF complaint from citizens VINO d. come In contact
with them. Ii we elected them ther. would he an
incentive for them 10 treat everyhOdy's requests
with due cOn5i lcration."
f. NJ. NORRIS. an Old citizen Of the southeastern
part of the city, is In .v0r of qualified suffrage
you can make the qualification as high rs YOU
lars If you w.Sh-the hlrhtr the better am in
favor ct that sort Of suffrage. but we don't want
years ago"
JOSEPH G.. CARROLL, builder, Southeast Wash
| inSton, who was member OF the late city coun-
Gil, sud: 81 am in favor Of universal suffrage. I
| am also In favor OF the present form of govern
ment, but let Us have del gate to Congress The
people Want TO have some one elected to whom
they can go and be treatel with some courtesy,
and who will represent their interests in Con-
| eraSs. We can be heard In Congress through n
| delegate better than we can through q committee
! ami we want some one who will listen to our re-,
| n VI nor fol t0
submit 1t In writing. 1t woul1 be desirable to have
at least one of the Commissioners elected. but II
we cannot get both, let have one. This idea of
having delegate in Congress would also have the
effect of equ tzing, tn some extent the public i'm
provemcats in the different sections O. the city and
that Is what our particular section wants worse
than anything else
Public Sentiment in West Washington
| Therc ms been some change Of public sentiment
| In West Washington on the suffrage question.
Many business men, and among them ardent
| democrats, who were heretofore bitterly opposed
| to a return TO elective system OF government
| Tor the District, now favor It, giving as a reason
therefor what they characterize as unjust dis
elimination against the residents west OF Rock
creek in the matter OF street, rold and sewer i'm
provem'nts the price OF gas, etc, by the District
officials, and their disregard of the complaints of
The people In regard to these and other real or
fincied grievances There are yet many, how
ever equally dissatisfied with the present authori-
te' who do not desire to seek relief by govern
saying that the right of suffrage, as heretofore
eXercisei In this District, Is remedy much worse
than the disease.
THE NEsToR OF GEORGETOWN.
STAR man found Mr.. w. H. TENNHY the Mes
| tor o. Georgetown. in his extensive mill at that
place. rs busy experimenting the making of -four
as If h. had been half century younger. Mr..
Iennhy has always been an active business man,
ana was leader in locnl politics west OF Rock
creek in the days when Washington and George
town had their own municipal governments, being
prominent member or the city councils for m nv
Of
fund. In answer TO question to his opinion OF
the present District government ana the desirable
Ivy % cnatTe To the elective form, he expressed
HIMSELF emphat!cally. in favor or the present gov
eminent by Comnssonars sit might not do so
we'll in other cities where politics control, as the
pow r might fall Into the hands OF corrupt rings
but for this District Where the appointments are
lent system 1t is COOL government so long as
the Commissioners are good men, and they have
been as gooi so far would be likely to get by
elactlua' In answer to 4 QUESTION about suffrage
Mr.. TEsNEY said his views had undergone a
change, and added: "Tlere never better
Inunicnal government than Georgetown had
when the officers were elected by hOuSeholders.
Then the franchise was extended to all male citl-
zans who paid dollar poll tax for suonort of the
public schools Mr.. Bings and myself got Com
greSS TO pass that law, and we built the school
house at the intersection OF High and Market
streets with the poll tax. But found had made
mist ike 1t was virtually free suffrage. for the
politicians paid the poll tax to get the Next
| am not opposed to popular suffrage in general
elections for President, etc, but none but those
| In the community should be allowed to vote in
municipal elections"
| COMMISSIONERS SHOULD BE REPRESENTATIVE DIS
TRICT MEN.
A. Fl. HERR, ESQ.,, the wall-known miller and
capitalist. in answer to 'leadng question" said:
~ am decidedly In favor OF the present form of
District government. think, however, that Com
missioners SHOULD be selected who more Closely
Identified with the buS'ne interests OF the Dis
trict The present Commissioners are courteous
gentlemen; thev have treated me pleasantly but
would have liked to such a citizen as Mr.
John T. Mitchell, who Was urged for Commits
sionership, appointed"
PREFER SUFFRAGE TO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
GEORGETOWN.
MI. A. HANLoN, grocer at the corner OF 321 and
Streets said: "If the District Commissioners do
not deal any more fairly by Georgetown than they
have been doing. then 1 am In favor OF a speedy
return to the old fo-m OF municipal government,
regard for their Interests Here h,ve 'q hn SHe
store at a cost OF s16,C0o. and have miserable
dirt street along one front OF 1t. with alternate
mud and dust. The condition OF 81 lP) street Is
shameful Ny nelghbors below on High (32O
street are flooded by every heavy rain, In conse-
ton is paid to our complaints. You can say 1 am
In favor OF suffrage IL things are to continue as
they are. II Commissioners were appointed from
the District who knew sonethn g about the people
ana had some regard for their wishes, it would be
different"
Dr. GEO. B. LocKHART druggist, corner 321 and
streets, said that he was very decidedly In favor
OF restoration OF the right OF suffrage in the
District. Being asked why, he replied: S Becau G
OF the shabby treatment OF Georgetown by the
District Commissioners" He illustrated his re-
mark by citing some OF the causes OF disSatisfac-
tion In this section mentioned above.
AGAINST SUFFRAGE
Ex-DIsTRICT COMMISSIONER DENT expressed him.
sell emphatically opposed To 4 return to suffrage
saying that In his opinion It would be runous To
every business interest OF the District and fatal
TO It's future prosperity and growth.
Mr. CHAs. H. DEMAR, dry goo Is dealer on 3oi
street, neir n, said: NO suffrage for me- We
had enough OF that before. II Is pretty bad now
but we don't want the old-tme scenes over
again"
DR.. CHAs. BECKER, druggist, corner 32i and o
Streets said he was decidedly opposed to suffrage
and revival OF the noisy scenes attending cleo
lions here. He spoke strongly OF the arbitrary
actions OF the District authorities and the taking
or money Raised Dy taxation this side OF Rock
creek TO 0eautlry and improve other more favored
sections, but was not willing to try suffrage as q
remedy; TO Jump OUT OF the frying pan into the
fire.
Mr. THos KNOWLES, grocer, on gel, near M
STREET, was In favor OF the present mole OF gov
eminent He had seen enough OF the suffrage
system, and didn't want any more OF it.