Evening star., 1894-11-23
THEY FAVOR SUFFRAGE.
Several Speeches mt the Meeting of
the Local AssOcia ton.


About half a hundred believers in local
suffrage met last night at John Wesley
Church, on Connecticut avenue, and helped
on their cause with some enthusiastic
speeches. DR.. Robert Reyburn presided
and gave announcement to his followers
by announcing that IL they would bring
him In 10000 signers to the petition for
primary to dacide the question of suffrage
or no suffrage, he would almost guarantee
that Congress would rot dare to refuse the
request. After a prayer by Rev. Mr..
Graves, DIR. Reyburn, as president Of the
association, announced the names of thir-
teen of the twenty-five members Of the ex-
ecutive committee, provided for at the last
meeting. as follows: Paul T. Bowen, Mil
ford Spohn. James Fl. Smith, Andrew j.
Burdine, Jerome b. Burke, Dr. Francis ].
Grimke, Justice A S: Taylor, G. S. West
Sott Rev. Walter H. Brooks. Gustav
Augenstein, DR.. J. F. r. Appleby, William
Calvin Cha 5e and DIR. Robert Reyburn.
The other names. he announced, would be
given cut at the Eext meeting.
DIR. Reyburn went on to say that he had
gone around among the business men a
good deal with his petitions, and had OBJ
tanned good many signatures. He had
not found single man to defend the prin-
ciples underlying the present form of Dis
trfct government. He spoke of a visit paid
to the Federation of Labor the members
Of which. he said, were very enthusiastic.
knights of Labor. he went on, are prac-
tically unanimous in favor of the primaries
and want a large stock of the petitions,
promising to get great many names.
Hospital n Text.
Secretary James H. Smith urged those
present to bring forward the petitions they
had filled up, and gave 1t as his estimate
that there are now from $500 to 1900
names already secured to the papers, while
more are being obtained all the time. He
denied that this is a political movement
He argued that with all the faults OF the
old suffrage government 1t resulted in the
permanent Improvement of the city.
MIR. Bowen's Remarks.
Mr.. Paul T. Bow en- was called upon by
DR.. Reyburn and responded with a rousing
speech. In which he severely scored the
present form Of government and defended
the old style that prevailed when votes
were cast In the District. He said the evil
effects of the disfranchisement are to be
noted every day. He was satisfied that
Congress is getting sick of the bargain
sick of trying to legislate for the District.
1t is breaking down in the effort to man.
age national affairs, and has no time to
handle subjects of local Importance
The speaker gave some instances of what
he called the purpose of the District Com
missIoners of various boards to discrimi-
nate against the colored people, instancng
the Howardtown fight and the effort to
disarm the colored militia. He asserted
that the taxes are paid by the people who
do not oYn any property, and that their
voice is never heard
Other Business.
The association voted to change the time
of meeting to the third Monday in each
month instead of the third Thursday, ow-
Ing to the inconvenience of the latter day,
which was usually selected by the churches
for meetings. The members were urge to
form organizations auxiliary to the main
association In all sections of the city.