The Washington critic., 1888-03-16
LOCAL OPTION AGAIN.

HE CRITIC DelleVeS II 10 De the
duty of Congress, under the Constitu-
ton, to exercise exclusive legislation
over the District of Columbia, mean
ing that whatever legislation is
adopted for the District should be
enacted by Congress, and not through
the people at the polls. At the same
time it is but just that the interests of
the citizens of the District should be
carefully and invariably consulted;
that they should have the right of
petition and remonstrance; that they
should be given hearings upon all
matters affecting their welfare, and
that due regard should be had by Con-
gress to public sentiment.
While, therefore, the power of
legislation relative TO the alcoholic
liquor traffic rests wholly with Con-
gress, it is not only proper, but in a
certain sense obligatory that the
wishes of the citizens of Washington
should be as nearly as possible ascer-
tanned before any extreme prohib-
itory measures are adopted. We have
always held that this was a purely
local question, to be considered indie
pendently of any outside dictation,
and that there would be neither
reason nor justice in the association of
the District with the Territories in
any proposed scheme of legislation
upon this subject.
Although both are under the inn
mediate jurisdiction of the Govern
ment, their conditions are widely
different, and because o certain policy
might advantageously apply to one it
does not follow that the same policy
would apply to the other. Even in
the case of the Territories, however,
the people are fairly entitled to the
benefit of the principle of self-govern-
ment, as expressed in the force of
popular opinion.
So far as prohibition in the District
is concerned, 1t is quite obvious that
Congress does not care to assume an
original and absolute responsibility.
1t would leave to the people to say
what their preferences are. 1t would
not put law upon the statute book
that would become a dead letter for
lack of public sentiment to support it
and compel its enforcement. How,
then, shall this sentiment be ascer-
tanned?
The bill introduced in the Senate
by Mr.. Colquitt yesterday provides for
a local-option election whenever l0,-
600 inhabitants of the District shall
petition the Chief of Police to order
such an election, which is somewhat
roundabout but perhaps practicable
way of getting at the merits of the
question. AS to its constitutionality
a grave doubt may be interposed.
1t would seem more direct and busi-
ness-like, as proposed by some mm-
bers Of the Senate District Commit
tee, to obtain an expression of opin-
ion through the Police Department
by general canvass of the city. In
this way the sentiment of the people
could be nearly enough determined as
for or against prohibition to afford
Congress a safe guide for its future
legislation without resorting to the
questionable machinery of a popular
election.
Senator Spooner, in the meantime,
is understood to favor high license
system, and contemplates the intro
duction of bill to that effect, which,
after all, points to the correct and COM
nonsense solution of the question.
Still, as it may be urged in the case OF
license as in the case of prohibition,
that the voice of the people is en-
titled to be heard, it may become
necessary in order to appease the agi.
tation which has been raised to deter.
mine the consensus Of opinion by one
of the two methods above proposed
and of these methods the Police De
partment plan is much to be preferred
as being strictly legitimate and moi
obnoxious to the objections that may
be urged to the popular election
scheme.