The Washington times., 1894-06-26
THESE MEN DESIRE TO VOTE
Suffrage for the District Demanded
BY Labor Leaders.
HIGH TINE FOR A RESTORATION
Opinions Obtained from Opponents OF the
Present Form Of Local Government-Right
Of Representation in Congress
the Commissioners.

The voice Of labor, through some OF its
prominent representatives, is heard IN the
following interviews upon the question OF re-
storing to the District the right of suffrage
and self-goyernment. AS in the case OF sim
liar publications made in THE TIMES upon
this and other topics of local interest, the SEN
timents expressed are not adopted by the
paper. but are published merely as a reflex
OF popular opinion.
PAUL T. BowES, No. 1902 Fourth street
northwest. knight Of Labor and member oil
the board Of school trustees: 1.-The
quarter OF a million people Of this Dis
trict are better fitted for self-government
than the same number to be found in any
other place in the United States. Their ols-
franchisement stultifies the Republican party,
which demanded i'll national platform Tree
ballot, full vote. and fair count, and the Dem
ocratic party, which declared that the right
to free ballot is the right preservative OF all
rights Congress in disfranchising the Dis
trict committed felony, which 1t compounds
annually at fifty cents on the dollar. Inc
frauds of the old territorial government END
board of public works, with which babes and
presidential appointees and resulted from a
restriction Of popular suffrage. This is not
the best governed city in the United states
but the worst. and will prove 1t before any
public audience and against any respectable
antagonist. Congress is perfectly incompetent
to legislate for US, and is getting more and
more unwilling to do 1t. II is theoretically
and experimentally impossible for an execu-
tive commission not responsible to the
people to properly administer our affairs.
Public spirit is dying in our citizens. Inc
people ought to have the same rights OF local
government that other communities have. IL
we went wrong, we could 20 right where 1t
begins to hurt. If a paternalistic Congress or
commission harms US We can't help our
selves. can think of but one reason why
any one should desire continuance OF this
regime, and that is that under 1t there Is the
grandest opportunity that was ever known
for few to get rich at the expense OF the
many by perfectly legal methods.
HIGH TINE FOR RESTORATION.
ROBERT c. BoLLINGER, OF Excelsior Assem-
bly, 2672, K. OF L., No. s25 Fifth street north
west: II think 1t is high time for n restoration
of the right Of suffrage. understand that the
privileges was suspended because of a large
influx of freedmen who were not qualified to
vote but that objection is, l believe removed.
The colored people of the District have very
much improved since then. and the younger
element especially is much better edu Gated.
am in favor OF suffrage"
F. H. PADGErT, secretary of the Columbia
Typographical Union: MY knowledge OF the
condition that existed under suffrage before
Is limited. but at the same time l have some
recollection of 1t. Ii the same scenes should
be enacted again, l cannot say that should
be in favor of it. think, however. that we
ought TO have the privilege OF electing the
Commissioners. | do not believe in having
the government of the District so much in one
mans hands. The system We now have Is
very good, but, at the same time, 1t is not
popular form of government"
W. H. G. SIMMONS, master workman of
District Assembly, No. &C, X. OF L.: Il am
emphatic ally in favor of the right of suffrage.
think il is very unreasonable to say that the
people at the capital of the nation have not
intelligence enough to govern themselves
We should certainly have the right TO repre-
sentation in Congress and the privilege Of
choosing our local officers. ! think also that
territorial delegate should have vote and
voice in the proceedings of Congress on an
equality with the representatives"
NJ F. HoBBs, past VI. W OF District Assem-
bly,, No &c. X. of L.: Il have been active in
the effort TO secure suffrage in the District,
and am. of course. in favor OF il. As a mem-
Der of the General Assembly Of the X. OF L.
at Richmond l helped to secure its indorse-
ment of the proposition rs early as 1856. l
believe those in authority in the city govern
ment ought to be directly responsible to the
people governed"
ADVOCATED N LABOR CIRCLES.
HERMAN ]. ScHuLrE1s, of No. 923 H street:
Il am in favor Of the restoration of the right
of suffrage and have always advocated 1t in
labor circles wherever l have had occasion to
say anything about it. | cannot understand
why the right was ever taken away from the
District. nor do understand why the citizens
have quietly submitted TO it. | regard the
ballot as a sacred right, and consider it as
paramount to the right OF full speech. OF
course the ballot should have its safeguards,
US under the unperverted Australian system,
and its free exercise is then a safety
valve which may be relied upon to
prevent explosions. In my judgment the op-
position to suffrage comes from the real es-
tate Spectators principally. l believe that
! Washington's citizens are as enlightened and
as capable of self-government as any equal
population anywhere in the world. II we had
! the ballot, syndicates and rings would not
thrive as they do now. My experience as a
member OF the legislative committee OF the
| labor organizations teaches me that nine
| tenths Of the members of Congress are in
! favor of home rule for the District and are
tired Of legislating for US as n common coun-
ell and taking up time that should be de-
voted to national affairs. We are robbed. as
| 1t is, of three-fourths of the District days,
preventing justice to our interests, and the
country is robbed when we do get day de-
voted to us. Members OF Congress slve told
me that they are tired Of acting as Il common
| council.
| WILLIAM McCABE, Office Of the National
Economist: Il do not see why we should be
| deprived of our vote because we happen to
| live in the District of Columbia. l have to go
to New YORK every time l want to cast my
vote. 1 think if we were permitted TO run
our city government, we should not be con-
trolled by bureaucracy, as now. Tammany
| government in New York is held up to scorn,
but its control of that city is better for the
common people than ours.
| TRAvEsTY ON JUSTICE.
| w. E. Shields, president of Columbia Typo
graphical Union, No. 10l, Of the District. Il
am certainly in favor of the citizens of tie
District having the right to vote. For my
| part, have to go 500 miles to exercise that
| privilege. and do it because I believe in it.
think the monstrosity we have here of gov
| ernment under the Commissioners, while the