The Washington times., 1894-07-17
Residents Want to Exercise the Right
of American Citizens.
SOME OBJECT TO ANY CHANGE
Home Rule Wanted by Large Majority Of
the Merchants in the Southeast Portion Of
the District, Who Claim the Right to a
Voice In Local Matters.


TIMES man, are decidedly in favor Of suffrage
in the District of Columbia. They expires.
themselves in no unmistakable language, be-
cause, as they state. the ballot, and the priv.
| ilege of casting one, is the sacred birthright
OF every American citizen.
They say that it is wrong to deny them the
franchise merely because they reside near the
seat of the national government. On the
principle Of right and wrong, they aver that
it is wrong to deny any citizen a vote 80 long
as that citizen has performed his civic duty,
and is entitled on all moral and legal grounds
to cast a vote in the management Of muni-
cipal and District affairs.
Following are a number of expressions OF
opinion gathered by TIMES reporters.
H. A. GRIswoLD, president of the WASH
ington and Anacostia Railroad Company,
said: Il do not believe local suffrage would
conduce to the welfare of the whole District.
The present form of government has proved
to be advantageous and equitable, both for
the government and the District"
JAMES W. BARTLEy, dealer in agricultural
implements No. 80 Monroe street: II regard
it as an outrage that we are not entitled un-
der the law to vote for our own officers, and
iudt We are MOI EiNtu representation III Sou-
gress. l am in favor of securing the elective
franchise for the District, but l would have 1t
properly restricted. The Taxpayers should
lave voice in the conduct of the city affairs.
and it is great injustice that We are denied
that privilege"
J. A. WArsoS, NJ. D.. No. 201 Monroe streets
Il think every qualified citizen of the United
States ought to have vote. A man should
have education enough to intelligently cast a
vote, and l am therefore in favor of an edu-
cational and not a property qualification. i
am in favor of giving the District the right Of
suffrage. As 1t now is the people have moth
ing to say in the public affairs, and those in
authority can do just about as they please"
J. FRANK CAMPBELL. of J. T. Campbell &
Son, dealers in hardware and paint No. 10
Monroe street: 81 think We ought to have the
right to vote. The way it is now we are
treated like lot of children. We ought to
have delegate in Congress"
J. B. PITCHER, secretary of the Washington
and Anacostia Railroad Company: Il think
the people of the District should be given the
right to vote and TO be represented in Con-
gress. 1t is the only just form Of govern
ment.
WALTER J. BoYcE. manager of Bury's
Pharmacy. No. 800 Monroe street: II am a
kicker. / happened to have been born in
the Uunited States and am an American citi-
zen, yet every foreigner that comes to this
country may, by a residence Of five years. get
to exercise more rights than l who have lived
here all my life. 1t is an outrage that the
District of Columbia is denied the right of
suffrage and Of representation in Congress.
Foreigners in the States help to send men
here to the National Capital to make laws for
the government of native born citizens in the
District who are disfranchised."
C. r. DoDGE, proprietor OF Anacostia
stables: Il favor voting. We should be per-
90,
else; but think we should also have repre-
sentation in Congress"
THOMAS F. MURRAY, undertaken. 46 Monroe
street: Certainly; think we should be per-
mitted to vote, and ought to have the same
rights other cities have. A man doesn't
amount to much ii he can not vote, and in
the same sense a city doesn't amount to much
if it isn't permitted to elect its own officers
and control its own affairs"
". W. FISHER, druggist, No. SO Monroe
street: Il think it is time we had the right
to vote. l am decidedly in favor of it, and
so interested in the matter that have been
intending to canvass our town to see how
many are ofthe same opinion"
A. VI. GREEN, real estate dealer and
banker, No. ia Monroe street: Personally,
l am perfectly satisfied with the present
management of District affairs. believe the
city government is very well conducted, and
that the people can with but very little diff
Guilty get the attention of the Commissioners
upon any matter requiring official action.
As a matter of principle, however 1 believe
every qualified citizen OF the United States
should have the right OF suffrage"
o. S. PUMPHREY, grocer, Nos. ZIG and 21S
Monroe street: II think we could Improve
our form of District government by securing
the right to vote upon local affairs. l would
not like to see restored the same state OF
affairs that existed when We had the privilege
before. But conditions have changed since
then, and we can. think, make quite an i'm
provement upon the old corporation system.
certainly should like to see the District
represented in Congress. believe we are en-
titled to it,"
GEORGE F. PYLEs, postmaster: ~ am OF
the opinion that We are better off as we are
than we would be if we had suffrage There
is so much corruption and evil in politics that
l hardly think it would benefit the District to
introduce political system here"
H. B. DARLING, book and job printer, No.
s Bridge street: Il think the time has come
for the District to be represented in Congress,
but l am perfectly satisfied with the present
form of local government-that is. under
commissioners appointed by the President"
CHARLES KIBBEY. of Mills & Kibbey, regis
tered plumbers, No. IL Jackson street: II
think the present form of government is about
as good as the District could have. We have
no election broils, no politics, and the District
is, l think, very well governed.