National Republican., 1888-01-03
The District Government.

The District OF Columbia occupies the
most anomalous position Of auy other spot
Of ground Inhabited by 100000 people in
the civilized world. The capital city OF
great nation, the foundation stone OF whose
fabric is the right OF sufTrage-.that is, the
right Of the people to say who shall govern
them-the people Of the District live in as
absolute despotism as exis:s on the face
OF the earth. They have no voice In naming
the public officials nor in making the laws
by which they are governed.
1t is right and proper, as the United
States government is located here, with the
heads OF the legislative, executive, aud
judicial departments and the archives of
the government, that Congress should con-
troll the general legislation Of the District,
but II does not follow that the people Of
the District OF Columbia should have no
voice in that body which makes these laws
or in the selection Of local officials to carry
them into effect.
of the leading causes OF the Revolution
which eliminated in the establishment OF
the republic, the residents Of whose capt
tai city are now taxed without the slightes,
semblance Of representation aud arc ex
pected to submit without murmur.
Great stress is laid upon the fact that the
general government pays nalf the expenses
Of the District government and Is, there
fore, entitled to absolute control. AS the
general government owns half the property
In the District 1t do3s no more than its
share when It pays BALI the expenses, aud
when, as the facts are, the payments made
by the general government from the forma-
tion OF the District up to date are not equal
by Thirty million dollars to the amounts ex.
pended by the ctlzeus Of Washington In
the governance aud Identification of thg
city this argument falls to the ground.
No one will deny but that the general
government should be fully represented 10
the control of District affairs, and that Is
secured by the deed Of cession, through
which It holds the territory composing the
District. But that docs not imply that the
residents here should have no voice 10 gov.
erning themselves.
Another stock argument used by those
who favor the present system is, that at one
time there was corrupt local government.
"The feather duster Legislature !" ia the
idiotic cry OF these men whenever the sub
lect o! "home rule" is spoken Of for the
District. On the same principle the English
parliament, the American Congress, and the
French assembly ought to be abolished be-.
cause official reports show that there have
been corrupt men In each Of these bodies.
Enlightened men recognize the anoml
lous condition, and admit that the people.
of the District should at least have dele.
gate In Congress, aud have some voice IN
choosing portion Of the District officials,
particularly those who have charge OF the
education of their children.
But, say the opponents to these meas
ures, "the niggers would rule the District"
In 1850 there were 3l,955 white males over
twenty-one years Of age and l3olS colored
males over that age; that Is, there were
seven white 10 every three colored meu in
the District Of voting age. The white pop
ulation Is much larger in proportion now
than 1t was in 1850, being probably three to
one. Is 1t necessary to make any other an-
swer to this cry except these figures?
The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN proposes 20
insist that the people OF the District shall
have voice in Congress where the laws
are made that govern them, and 1t has a
word to say to the Republicans Of the Dis
trct while on that subject. There has
been too just cause OF reproach against the
Republicans for the manner In which some
Of their electons have been cSnSincss sSiISsewiI
should not occur again tna saIaniI
decentralization TO day be done In a,
orderly and decent manne.. Such cours
will greatly aid in securing some of tn,
privileges of government, and thu
| the children raised in the District m ay
know what is meant by an election aut
the practical workings 9t-the ballot II
shaping goverrmenis