The Washington times., 1894-07-15
TO VOTE, OR NOT TO VOTE
That Is the Question Discussed by
Citizens Of the District.
SUFFRAGE FAVORED BY MANY
Some Few Say Better Bear Those Ills We
Have Than Fly to Others We Do Not
Know Of-Past Experience Cited as
an Objection to a Change.

THE TIMES has interviewed number OF
the citizens of Georgetown upon the question
of District suffrage. Sentiment in the West
End upon this subject is somewhat divided,
but many who oppose the restoration Of the
voting privilege base their objections mainly
upon their recollection of the state of affairs
that existed formerly when the District had
the elective privilege. Others argue that the
evils that then crept in can now be avoided
| by due care in the framing of the law, and
they are willing to take the risk for the privi-
lege of exercising the rights of American
citizens and to secure the benefits OF local
self-government. The opinions as expressed
| by the citizens are as follows:
| ROBERT E. TALBOT, tin plate and sheet iron
| worker. No. 1898 Thirty-second street: 'I
think it is cruel to deprive us of the privilege
| of voting. l AN earnestly in favor of exercis-
| ing the rights OF an American citizen. in
| tend to do all in my power TO bring about the
| right of>suffrage'in this District"
DIR. T. q. LoooKERMAS, No. 1926 n street.:
! 81 am in favor of comforting the right of suf-
| frage upon every qualified citizen in every
part of the United States. The position
! is repugnapt to my feelings. At the
same time there are difficulties in the way Of
successfully carrying cut the principle mere.
| There are SO many people attracted here to
| find employment. coming, many OF them,
| from nearby States, who do not claim their
legal residence in the District, that there
would be trouble in ascertaining the true
| citizenship If we could have suffrage
with property or educational qualification
prescribed, and at the same time a registra-
ton law strictly drawn and rigidly enforced,
should certainly be in favor of it, Another
matter / am most decidedly in favor OF Is
municipal government and believe the same
could be run on a much more economical
basis than it is under the present system"
W. X. GRIMES. with Mayfield & Brown, No
3147 NJ street: q" am opposed TO a return to
the Old corporation system"
A. HASLoN, wholesale and retail grocer,
No. 1444 Thirty-second street: 81 believe that
there are Intelligent people IN this District, in
both cities, who are capable of governing
our affairs as are the people of other cities.
We should be able to govern ourselves with
out having people brought in from other
sections to take charge. am opposed to the
District having TO go TO Congress for charity.
When we want anything done We have 20
hunt up influence and go through with a lot
OF red tape in order to get what belongs TO us.
In saying this L do not mean to criticise the
present officers, but it is the principle l am
opposed TO-.
A. B. JACKSON, of Craig & Jackson, mer-
chants No. 3l40 NJ street: Il am oppose ed to
suffrage in the District. / was here when it
was tried before, and my experience then
compels me 10 believe that to restore the right
of suffrage would not be for the good OF the
people"
c. n. ALLISON. manager for ]. W. Coon
Son. No. 1871 Thirty-second street: Il am
opposed to suffrage in the District. From
the experience the people had when the right
to vote was held before 1 think it TO be in
advisable to restore the privilege"
A. HASLoS, Jr., wholesale and retail
grocer, corner o. Potomac and NJ streets:
'The way affairs are now should like to
have the right of suffrage restored. The peo-
pie of the District have no voice in the con-
troll of the public business, yet We pay as high
taxes as any city in the country. and only to
have people from the states brought in here
to hold the offices and manage affairs. Ii we
could vote we could dictate in the matter Of
appropriations, and be on an equality and
have equal rights with the people elsewhere
in the Union"
T. BRowS. of Mayfleld & Brown. dealers
IN agricultural implements, No. 3l47 NJ street:
II am perfectly satisfied with the present sys-
tem."
A. BrRKESwAIp. Of No. 1900 Thirty-second
street: Il am heartily in favor Of suffrage.
The way things are now we have no voice
whatever in the management of affairs. nor
can we get anything done except it meets the
approval of the few who are in control. Con-
gress does nothing because we have no influ-
ence upon legislation. We have people from
the states in the offices and cannot prevent
it."
GEORGE ". Cook, manager for Cook x Jar
Doe, carriage manufacturers, No. 1895 NJ
street: ..I think that people who pay taxes
ought to havet the right to vote. We should
have direct representation in Congress, as
state or territory, and the right to elect city
officers"
i. T. HARPER, grocer, No. 1910 NJ street:
$50 far as / am concerned, would rather
not have the right of suffrage restored
JOHN DUGAS, proprietor OF the Potomac
Livery Stables, Nos. 1901 to 1907 NJ street:
I'm other cities the people have the right to
vote and govern themselves. and l do not see
why Washington should be deprived of the
privilege"
JOHN A. GIRvEN. of Girven & Pruitt, gro
GERS, No. 1886 NJ street: II am in favor of
the people voting under proper restrictions
and laws. but l doubt if the privilege will
ever be restored in the District. / think if we
could have representation in Congress it
would be better for our interests"
GEORGE w. WISE. undertaken, No. 1900 NJ
street: Il am opposed to having suffrage re-
stored in the District Under our present
system of city government everything runs
smoothly we have none of the bitterness On
gendered by politics, and we are doubtless as
well governed as We should be by elected
officers. believe. however. that the offices
in the District should be held by District
people,"