National Republican., 1883-07-13
DISTRICT SUFFRAGE.
MIR. Lewis CIephRne Thinks the Citizens
Ought to Have some Representation.

Ought to Have Some Representation.
"what do you think of Gen. Vests plan
for suffrage in the district2" asked reporter
of Mr.. Lewis Clephane last evening.
Mr.. Clephane said he had only hurriedly
glanced over tho article containing Gen.
Vests views and had laid it aside to give it
a more careful reading. The reporter took 1t
from his pocket and read it to Mr. Clephane,
who then said:
"There are many things in that plan which
1 can approve. 1 am in favor of suffrage, for,
L think, it is our manhood right. Another
reason why we should have suffrage is on ac-
count Of our young men. The young men of
this district arc growing up without any
knowledge of their duties as citizens, and
there is good deal of talent among them il
the opportunity were given to bring it out.
They ought to have the right of suffrage, and
then they would take an interest in the af-
fairs of the district. Then, again, the citi-
zens of the district pay one-half Of the ex-
penses in taxation, aud yet they are unrepre-
sented in the district government"
"You would not wish the present partner
ship between the general government and
the district dissolved, would your"
"No. think that partnership should be
continued, but at present it is rather one
sided affair. Tho United States pays one-half
the expenses, and yet has all the power and
patronage the citizens ofthe district pay one
half, and they are not considered in the mat
ter Mt all. Their wishes cannot be felt in any
way. The commissioners feel that they are
responsible to the general government
and to congress, and they recommend
| what seems best to them. A citizen or n del
egation of citizens goes down to protest to the
| commissioners against some proposed action,
or to suggest in reference to some needed ac-
tion. Do the commissioners give the indi-
vidual or the delegation any consideration ?
| Not bit of il. In some instances the TIRE At
ment has been positively insolent, while in
others it has exhibited an unwillingness
to attach any weight to the wishes of the
citizens at all. All this is engendered by the
fact that the citizens of the district
have no representation. Why, the marshal
of the district was always a citizen of the
district up to the time of Mr.. Lincoln's
term of office, and so was the city post
master until the appointment of Edmunds,
and he had been here a long time in
the general land office, although he was ap-
pointed from Michigan. If the citizens of the
district could be permitted to have half of the
appointments under the district government
that would be something, but clerks aud EN-
ployes of every kind are imported from all
over the United States to please the members
of congress to whom the commissioners feel
they are responsible"
Gen. West, in his plan, suggests the elec-
tion of three of the five miAsioners pro-
posed, which would give tho district ma
jority."
"Yes, l see that, and that strikes me
favorably. Another thing, think if there is
a commission Of five, they should be granted
legislative powers so far as municipal ordi-
nances are concerned. There are many things
that arise that ought not to wait for the
action of congress, but should be
disposed of definitely at once, such
as health ordinances; and so
think the powers of the commissioners should
be enlarged. There will be strong effort
made for suffrage next winter, and somt
definite plan should he determined upon al
to exactly how far the present form of gov
ernment should be changed. / don't thinl
any one has fully matured plan yet.
know I have thought good deal on this sub
ject, but have not yet settled upon anything
definite. The subject is good one for dis
cussion, ono which, 1 hope, will be KEEP
alive"