Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-18

mind. Any proposition Including or tending To-
ward an election Of councimen Or anything q that
tatnly be very much opposed TO giving any legtsa-
tive powers TO an advisory or council board This
would be q bad thing, and he doubted that Con-
gress could delegate such powers
W. II. Morrison, the bookseller, said that what
he favored was the proposition introduced In
the Senate By Mi. Chandler, to increase the Board
from the West one from the North, one from the
South and the NTH from the District, and to dis
thought would interest all sections Of the country
In the District and promote It's welfare. He had
not considered the plan of the Citizens Commit
tee. He knew what It was only In q general way,
and did not think It worthy OF much consideration.
C. w. Howard, secretary OF the Firemens' In
surance Company, expressed himself as perfectly
q ens but
Commissioner. He Is not In favor Of suffrage in
the District.
Patrick Fleming, the livery stable man, ex-
sH
on. He Is not In favor OF suffrage In the District
f. Khrtz johnson, OF johnson Bros, coal
dealers expressed himself briefly as follows: any
impression Is that our present form OF government
cannot be improved upon"
Max Lansburgh (dry goods, &c.), said, "what's
the use? Congress will do as it pleases any way.
I am not in favor OF elections In the District and
am perfectly well satisfied with well enough. AS
Tor the appointment by the President have too
much faith In the Intelligence OF the people Of the
country 70 have any fears Of the election OF man
for President who Is not capable and will not
know the wants Of the people OF the District. As
is but natural that he will Select for the Commits
sioners' places men Of good character, who will
act for the good OF the people,"
VIM. H. Baum, coal dealer, said: 81 am op-
posed to the changes proposed by the Citizens
enough alone"
DR.. T. 8. Verdi said he thought the present form
Of government best for the District. He knew
had been part OF 1t, and knew it did not work
The people in the District he did not think were
situated to govern themselves, and it was not to
tnelr Dest interests that they should have suffrage
II they changed the government so as TO have
representative council, 1t would be said: "why
they not be eiecseds' THen. he said, we would would
have suffrage with all that implied. We had tined
IL, ana knew what 1t was well enough not TO want
Is good he said. IF at any time 1t is not prop
erly administered change the men, not the gov
ernm ,ae 9 the government IS all right and II is
ton with Col. Ludlow, and now he is gone. II Mr..
Webb or MIR. Wheatley do not perform their duties
who will give satisfaction. DO not change the
form OF government every time there is complaint
OF the administration. This government is best
States Government; we are close to it under the
present plan, and the whole great Government
takes an interest in our welfare The President is
close to u.s. and 1t Is easy to change the personnel
OF the District government. Let the change be
In the personnel, when any change is necessary"
Major JnO. Carson, the newspaper correspondent,
said he was irreconcilably opposed to suffrage in
and legislative council appointed by the Presl-
dent from representative citizens with power to
leg1slate In municipal matters-fOr the schools,
the police, the fre department, &c-subjecJ to the
approval OF Congress, and with veto power in the
hands OF some responsible person, would be an i'm
provement on the present form OF government.
He would suggest, however a property Quatca-
ton. A council SO appointed would be nearer the
people and would better understand their wants
than do the three Commissioners appointed as the
present are. He thought property qualification
desirable because 1t was not advisable to have men
property owned by other people. Besides II the
change should ever lead to suffrage the property
qualification would be a safeguard.
j. B. Bryan, grocer, said: 1.-THE present form
Of government is good enough for me. am salts
fed TO let 1t stay as It Is. think the Committee
OF One Hundred are mistaken, and are not repre-
senting the best interests OF the District. They
John McDermOtt, carriage-maker, said: II
am opposed to the proposition both In its principle
and It's detail. The present form of government is
best for the District The founders OF this District
were wise, and the original plan was what 1t is
now. 1t was In an evil hour that the form OF gov
eminent was changed and we were given taste of
suffrage / believe In suffrage and Independent
expression OF opinion by the ballot, but not here
am opposed TO anything that has tendency
that way. would not disturb the order Of things
which prove so satisfactory"
D. P. HIcklng, druggist said he had not
looked over the plan carefully but he thought that
the present government was not all that might be
desired. He said it was very doubtful that a
The District ought to have delegate In Congress.
He was in doubt as TO the advisability OF any
movement for change Of government
Alexander Porter Morse, q member of the
Citizens Committee said: 81 believe that the form
OF government under which We exist is not OF as
much Importance as the character Of the men at
the head OF IL. we are, to large extent. depend
ent upon Congress, or, to speak more properly,
upon the committees, and II bad men get their
ears It only remains for better men to organize and
do their best TO counterfeit the influences / do
not think that It would be wise plan to Introduce
suffrage except, perhaps, with some such Qualifl-
cation as that OF education. A leading Senator, a
member Of the District committee said to me last
winter that he thought that the plan of govern
ment In the District was the best possible, and
form for every city In the country Of over 10000
Inhabitants"
DR.. s. s. Stearns said he was satisfied with the
present form OF Government, and saw nothing to
well enough alone he knew he said Of no ter
governed city In the world. lie believed In the ex-
ercise OF the right OF suffrage in other places but
knew It would never DO to have 1t In Washington
peculiarly situated as IT Is The proposition 10
have fifteen cOuncllmen involved the idea OF repre-
sentation and would tend directly to q renewal Of
suffrage In the District. He thought there could
be no greater misfortune than that 1t would be
to place the property holders in the power OF an
element Sucu Us no Otner CITY mas, ana eaQ TO dis
astrOusly bad government At present, he said
the Commissioners are directly responsible to the
President, and there will never be q time when
the President, living right here, will permit any
gross Encouragement by these three men OF his
appointment
Daniel E. Cahill said: IL think that the present
form OF government is much better than that pro-
posed by the Citizens Committee, because In the
present form there Is concentration OF power
but am In favor Of suffrage"
L. B. Hay said: 1--WE have never had so much
satisfaction as we have had under three Commits
sioners. TO select O council will, OF course give
disappointment, and we should never return to
suffrage"
~ am unQualinedly opposed to any change in
the present form Of government" remarked
George TrueSdell real estate agent. II think that
there is great danger In trying to improve upon
the pres mt form OF government because 1t may
open the door for the return TO suffrage which
would consider the greatest calamity that could
fall upon the people OF the District"
F. A. Richardson. the newspaper correspond
ent, said: ~ do not concur in the assertion
OF the Citizens Committee that their measure is
proposal TO improve the present form OF govern
ment' To the contrary, it strikes me most forciDy
as one that would, II adopted, lead TO many Diff
cuties and disadvantages. But 1t is really scarcely
worth discussing, for there Is not the slightest
possibility that the proposition will receive any
serious consideration BY Congress. It would give
another opportunity to place-seekers to harrass
the Executive for council appointments and no
one who has had experience In local affairs here
nal from which the President would have to make
his selection would not be OF q character to In
spire confidence The District OF columbia has
never gotten along better than under Its present