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

|
city increases the needs win increase; and II we
have body OF representative citizens from all
sections of the District to place matters before
| carry weight and influence and Congress win
recognize their demands. Idont mean suffrage.
| No, Indeed stop there"
W. Bruce Gray, architect, said that II any
change was TO be made he favored having one
commissioner. He thought that q council OF NJ
teen would only compiicate matters
"In my opinion" observed w. p Young, real
estate dealer, 1--WE had better leave well enough
interests OF the people, and is admired by those
who come from other places. A council Of fifteen
don't want anything that looks ike Suffrage"
II have not examined the subject. y observed
g. G. CornwelI the grocer. "As long as we have
good men appointed as Commissioners am salts
opposed to anything tending % Testore suffrage
here In the District"
N. W. Burchell, grocer thought that the prop
ostlon was unwise; that 1t was q step back
that II the President could not select three men
20 suit the people, certainly ne could not select
fifteen. He said that he was satisfied with the
present form Of government, and thought that the
commissioners were conscientious In the dis
| charge or their duties
II am heartily in favor Of the present form Of
government for the District" said w. =. Thomp-
son, the druggist, "and think that any change
wouid De a dangerous experiment."
woodbury. Blair said: 81 am not q resident
OF washington, as live out in Maryland, but
awashingtonlan. The best argument in favor Of
the present form Of government is the fact that Q
greao zeal OF foreign capital is invested here ana
reai estate was never in so prosperous condition
as IL has been under the present state Of things.
Nor was IL ever so low aS when we had legisia-
OF government proposed that like as wen as the
| suffrage"
George B. Lemon said: 81 am strongly OPP
A N otrFp AaltA xnn
District should be governed through the SUI
rage OF the whole country, and it seems to me
mat tne more national we make our local govern
ment, and the more our affairs are regulated by
congress, the better. cannot see any special ad-
vantage In the proposed plan, except perhaps in
IL necessary that these fifteen men should be
actual residents. am In favor OF encouraging the
people All over the country to come mere to Wash
lngton ana 10 aid In Identifying our city,"
W. II. Tenney, Of West Washington, OF the flrm
| OF w. II. Tenney & Sons, millers, said: "If good
commissioners can be obtained think the present
form OF government much better than the pro:
posed one. am opposed TO such a change, but II
there Is TO be any change favor the changing to
five commissioners, and If good men can be OBJ
opposed to suffrage in the District, and think that
Congress would not be willing to pay half the ex-
penses OF the District II suffrage existed"
ANY change is preferable to the present form,
| said George w. CASTELAR,; shut any proposed
change must be considered carefully. think that
West Washington should be entitled to more than
one representative. suffrage would be the out
lear, land II any one has remembrance OF
suffrage In the District he WILL or should, oppose
anything looking to its return"
II did not read the entire report through" said
Richard L. Cropley, collector or customs, "but
| am opposed to the proposed change, and do not
see where the benefit Will come in. II made II
VIII no doubt lead TO suffrage In the District which
| we do not want"
s. T. Brown, dry-goods merchant said: "I
read the report hurriedly, but 1t struck me as
| being an unwfse thing, and am heartily opposed
10 There would be more wrangling than ever.
DO not want TO see suffrage In the District, and
that would be the result, according to my idea"
VIM Calf said: 81 am decidedly opposed
to the plan proposed, and think the present form
| OF government eminenty satisfactory"
Geo. W. King, secretary OF the First Cooper.
alive Building Association, said: ave don't
want to agitate anything else before Congress
until we get our appropriations, but all the same
! am opposed to the proposed form OF government
one reason being that West Washington would
have but one representative in fifteen whereas as
It now stands we have one In three. We came
into the combination free OF debt much against ouI
Will, and we certainly expect some courtesies."
JOS Shillington, lawyer, said: THE STAR about
| expresses my views. 1t would be unwfse to ad.
vance such proposition. as it would jeopardize
the interests OF the District before Congress- 1t
| would not work such a change as would be advan-
| tageous, but might be regarded as a compromise
between the present form and suffrage. 1t Is
| instead OF three, and the only advantage see
would be diversity OF views They would, how
ever, as they would receive appointment from
the lent, no more represent the wishes OF the
people than they are represented now"
Justice John 7. c. Clark said: 81 am opposed to
the plan. don't believe In suffrage for the Dis.
trfct, but am democrat, and II we are TO have
suffrage believe In majority rule"
John I. Given said: 81 have not read the bill
| OF the Citizens Committee attentively, but my
opinion is that we had better suffer the Ills we
| have than ny to others we know not Of our
| maSterly
s. G. Mills, u. s. commissioner, &C. said: 81 am
| decidedly opposed to the appointment of fifteen
councilmen, In whose selection the people have nc
voice. II they are to be elected by QualIfled suf
| frage 1t might be well enough"
julius Lansburgh said: "If suffrage is to follow
| / am totally opposed to 1t. ] would rather that
the District be ruled as at present than to have mr.
teen more governors. Then there would be chaos
for interests Will conflict"
N. ID. Larner, member OF the Committee
of One Hundred, said: 81 regard 1t as one of the
finest things ever conceived for the government OF
| the District since ante bellum times Under the
proposed bill the people will get what they want
representation without conventions and elections
AT the same time the financial relations existing
between the Government and the District will not
| be disturbed. 1t removes the legislative power
| from the executive branch OF the Government
which now performs bo.l the executive and leg
Officer instead OF three and repOSes In the council
| all the legislative power now held by the Com
| miSsiOners. Under the bill every section OF the
city Will be represented and all the caving about
| Congress will be prevented. It should be under
stood that those advocating this measure are not
| urging suffrage and have no such idea"
C. s. Bundy, justice OF the peace, said: 1.-THE
STARS article struck me as very sensible and vet
when will the OppOrtune time come when we viii
not have some pressing want before Congress- The
general idea Of the committee Is well conceived
but at the same time there Is still the important
fact, the want OF united public sentiment before
us. We suffer because OF the want OF unanimity,
and members OF Congress Will continue to ask why
don't you agree and then ask and you will get IT,
but II you don't know what you want we have not
time to listen TO you"
c. NJ. Matthew'S, lawyer, said: ST haven't read
the proposition; don't think Will, for am salts
ned with well enough"
Eugene Carusi, lawyer, said: 1.-THE defect has
been that, in the Commissioners the executive
and legislative powers are united and regard the
suggestion as good one. II is not proper TO have
an Engineer Commissioner; the engineer should be
an officer under the hoard. think 1t q good move
| to have a council to legtslate."
Gen. VIM. Brney, attorney at-law, said: "What
we have is far better than what Is proposed To
have q permanent council OF fifteen tlnkerinR
daily at the statutes and patching up the Ordf
nances would make all law uncertain Our pres
ent laws are imperfect but they not subject To
daily change. We are governed quite enough
now, but the little finger OF the council would he
heavier than the whole Board OF Commissioners"
Ru,ledge Wilson says that II this scheme is
only movement toward suffrage, as It is thought
| 10 be, he Is opposed to II. We have had enough
suffrage, he thinks, and should return to 1t the
men with the most money to spend for rum would
| rule and the little ward politicians be placed In
| with the reins OF government
Mahdn otd ha haA mot Off nd fbo