Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-12
MEN WHO WANT SUFFRAGE
They Assemble to Hear the Report of Their
COMMITTEES.


Twenty-seven persons assembled in the
hall corner of Pennsylvania avenue and
1-2 street last evening in response to
call for a suffrage mass meeting. 1t was
the first of a series of meetings to be held
this winter and was called for the purpose
Of hearing the report of the committee APP
pointed last summer to prepare a demand
for suffrage AMI local self-government for
the people of the District. During the
course of the evening several other suffrag-
lists entered, and before the close of the
meeting there were nearly three dozen per-
sons present The report of the committee,
q long document, was signed by +. l.. Sid
dons and c. b. Hemingway.
Milford Spohn presided and r. B. Black
nan was secretary.
The chairman in calling the meeting to
order spoke of the objects of gathering,
and Mr.. Siddons then stepped forward and
read the report, which began:
1T is humiliating admission that
quarter of a million of American people are
compelled to state to strangers within their
gates that at their nations capital the fun
damentaI political principles of the republic
are repudiated. and the inhabitants of the
District Of Columbia are remitted to a form
of government which is destructive of
public spirit and good citizenship as it is
foreign to every theory of popular govern
rent"
Following this the report contained an at
tack on the present form Of government,
spoke Of the alleged unjust taxation, and
referred TO the late feather buster legisla-
ture." preferring even that TO the present
fern Of government Concerning the rail-
roads the report read:
Railroad and other corporations, perceiv-
Ing the weakness OF the local government,
snap their fingers In the faces of District
officials and boldly refuse compliance with
law. Instance, the Illegal occupation of
rIany streets by the railroad companies and
the maintenance of a system OF grade cross
irgs that annually crushes out the lives of
Many of the people, and Mains and dis
figures as many more"
In conclusion, the report reads:
1--WE. residents of the District, in mass
meeting assembled, demand:
First. A local self-gOvernment demo-
cratic in form, depende for its sanction on
the will of the governed as expressed
through the medium of the ballot. y gov
eminent the officers of which, executive,
legislative and judicial shall be directly
elected by the people and SO chosen as to
represent no particular sections or localities.
but the whole people CT the District.
Second. We demand an amendment to
the United States Constitution that will
give representation in the Senate and
House Of Representatives of the Congress
of the United States. and as many electors
for President and Vice President of the
United States as We may have members of
shall be adopted We demand:
Third. Such appropriate legislation as
viii give to the people of the District of
Columbia representatives in Congress, who
will have at least voice in the District af-
fairs that may be considered By that legis-
lative body
Chairman Spohn in mis- address said that
the people of the District are not enthu-
siastic as they are in the states just now,
but ne hoped by persistent efforts ON the
part Of the people they Will finally succeed
in becoming American citizens in every
sense.
Arranging n Campaign.
The meeting decided 10 have the chair
appoint committee on ways and means.
the object of which is to collect funds to
defray the expenses of the meetings, and
the chair appointed members of the
committee Messrs. Thos. O'Day,R. Il. Park
nan, W. II. Il. Simmons. L. r. Boyd and
Herman Auth.
Mr.. Simmons acted as temporary treas
urer, ard at the close Of the meeting he
made the anlOUncem ent that he had col
lected So He judged that 500 would
have to be cole cted to defray the expenses
this winter: This amount he thought.
would pay for hall rent, typewriting and
other things when the committee has to
conduct affairs about the Capitol
Then Mr.. Siddons spoke OF the work nee
essaTy to secure the enactment of an
amendment 10 the Constitution and on his
motion it was determined TO have the chair
appoint a committee of fifteen to draft suit.
able bills and secure favorable action by
Congress.
Mr.. A. y. Cook, who was present at the
meeting. and had been an attentive listener
took occasion, during the discussion to ask
for information. He had heard or read
something about universal suffrage" as be-
ing what was wanted, and he said he would
like to hear what was meant by the term
universal"
What "Cniyersal Suffrage" May Mean
1T may mean," he said, that the right
of suffrage is wanted for men and women.
or II may include the boys and girls If Il
is intended to include women, that, of
course. means female suffrage, and it win
mean women Of the dark color mingIing
with others at the polls.
That. he concluded, would be a heavy
-Aad 10 carry"
His remarks remained unanswered for a
while, for discussion as To the best means
OF getting the sense of the people on the
suffrage question followed, and then Mr.
J. r. Boyd said something. lie made no
attempt to explain the meaning of uni
versal suffrage" but what ne did say was
this; Il think any man who is SO selfish
that he wants 10 enjoy himself what he is
not willing 10 allow his wife or any other
respectable woman to enjoy is deserving of
nothing"
There was a further discussion Of the
duties OF the ways and means committees
and then the meeting adjourned.