Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-25
WORKING FEB SUFFRAGE
Various Views Expressed at a Meeting Held
Last Hight.
The Question to lie Agitated and q
Campaign Of KAucation to Be
at Once Commenced.

At Rechabite Hall last evening there was
fairly well attended meeting Of those who
believe that the people OF the District
should be given the right Of franchise. The
meeting was under the auspices of the pro-
vislonal committee appointed at a recent
meeting, and IL was decided to issue a man.
lfesto to the people of the District setting
forth the form of government thought to be
most desirable 1t was also decided that
CLUBS for the purpose Of promoting suffrage
here should be formed in the old legislative
districts. and a committee of fifteen ap-
pointed to place the matter before the peo-
pie OF the different states for the purpose
OF eniisting their sympathies in the cause.
To Define the Form Of Government.
President Milford Spohn, president of the
Federation Of Labor. called the meeting to
order, and Patrick II. Loughran was ap-
pointed secretary. The first speaker of the
evening was Mr.. F. L. Siddons. He thought
the most, important thing to be done was
to define the form Of government to be adj
vocated. Calling attention to the comments
OF the newspapers of Washington for and
against suffrage. he said that it would be
necessary to issue a manifesto which would
Clearly inform Congress and the people of
the District OF all that was proposed To
draw up such q manifesto he moved that a
committee of five be appointed by the chair
beiore that motion was put. however, 1t
was decided that a permanent organize
ton Of the provisional committee be effect
cd, anu the presiding officer was made per-
inanent chairman, and Mr.. r. b. Parkman
was made secretary. 49,.
Suffrage Based On Individual Respon.
.------~- --- sibility. $50.
Mr.. joseph Steiner then proceeded to
discuss the motion, and depicted the virtues
ana vices Of government without suffrage.
The government Of the District, he de-
clared, should be a model to all the rest OF
the country. Suffrage here should be based,
ne urged. upon Individual responsibility. To.
make 1t otherwise would be to make Il ten
tative ana frag nentary. which would in the
end result In failure Evils of state govern
ments should be avoided and the only
rights to be considered were the rights OF
al. nat the people Of the District most
ne eded. sail Mr.. Steiner was the right TO
determine just how much they should he
taXed. while every man should bear a part
or the burdens of taxation the people should
nave the right of the initiative and the
referendum.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Steiner's re-
marks a motion to limit the debate to five
minute speeches was carried. Mr. c. p
hemingway explained that he believed the
uetaiis OF the form Of government should
De submitted to a constitutional conyen-
ton or by an original body to be chosen
py the provisional committee. He thought
'he hiost important question was whether
municipality or representation in Con-
gress would be favored The question, he
believed. could be settled by a yea and nav
vote. '
Mr. S. H. Bell believed that a campaign
OF education was necessary. He favored
Mr. Sicdons' motion, and also favored state
heod Claiming that the District with 10000
or oo,oo male voters was as much entitled
10 statehood as Nevada with only loo.
Various Views Expressed.
M. Siddons explained that he had learned
from conversations with many people of
the District that some form of suffrage
was favored by a large number of them.
Mr.. r. ]. Beall declared that the old gov
eminent was an honest one, and that only
scheming to obtain power opens the way
to fraud. He believed that at the present
time military despotism prevailed in the
District. matter which he denounced In
severe terms. He was not in favor of any
property qualification for he believed that
those VINO paid rents were in fact taXpay-
erS.
Mr. Spohn explained that the advocates
OF Suffrage did not want q title deed to
the earth, as had been charged, but they
did want to share in the government Of the
United States with its 100000 voters.
I. j. Foley and r. B. Parkman favor
ed a city council with as few members as
sponsibility Mr.. NJ. p. Canty urged that
the question Of suffrage be submitted to
the people Of the District at an election, to
be held early In the coming fall. The meet
Ing was further addressed by s. Z.
Jones, W. H. Cromlen, VIM McCabe and
Others after which the motion by Mr. Sid
dons was carried, and the chair appointed