The morning times., 1896-03-12
SIODONS SUFFRAGE BILL
Hearing 10 Be Given Its Adv0-
Gates Tomorrow.
VIEWS OF ONE OF THEM
Dr. Reyburn Gives II Few Reasons
Why Tiiiss Is the Worst Form of
Goyernment"-Po Popular Demand for
Change Daily 6 rowing-Pr Provisions
of the Act Now Tending.

The promoters Of The re-establishmcnt
OF suffrage for the District have received
already marked attention from committees
of Congress.
The Siddons bill which looks toreplacing
the ballot in the hands of the citizens of the
District viii coa3e up tomorrow morning
before a special committee OF the Senate
District COMMITTEE.
, At a recent conference OF labor leaders
and others interested in the movement, held
at the office of Dr. Eeyburn, a committee
was appointed 10 wait on the Senate Com
nnttee and ask Il hearing. The committee
was received with marked courtesy and
attention, and Senator Mcmillan designated
a subcommittee to hear the arguments
which will bc made tomorrow by Messrs.
F. L. Siddons. the author of the bill, DR..
Reyburn, who has led in the movement out
side OF organized bodies, and Mr.. L. NJ.
Blake OF the legislative committee of the
Federation of Labor.
The subcommittee consists Of Senators
Gallinger, chairman, Hansbrough aud
Faulkner.
PROVISIONS OF THE BILL.
The bill provides Tor a special election
20 determine whetier the majority of the
suffrage. The election will be thoroughly
expressive of the wishes of the people, as
there viii be a registrat tion of voters accord
ing 10 qualifications Ia be determined.
Voters must have been bona fide residents
of the District for year before the vote.
They must be citizens Of the United States.
The registration managers Will have power
To administer oaths and false swearing shall
ha p4Iu ul.af.I Of,
Also that barronns shall becIosedo on election
day and that no polling precinct shall be
ia any place where liquor is sold.
1t is probable that the hearing tomorrow
viii be In public and that the subject win
be interestingly discussed from the more
important points of view.
The situation is interesting inasnuch
as the movement is now nearer a practical
solution of the problem than at any time
since the right OF Suffrage was abolished
In the District.
WORST FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
Editor Times:
Senate bill No 1925, Fifty-fourth Con-
gress, entitled =" A bill authorizing special
etcction To be held by the citizens of the
District of Columbia 10 determine whether
the present nlunicipal government stall
continue or whether there shall be estah-
iished IN It's place representative form of
government -
The title of the above bill expresses so
clearly the objects ana aims for Which it
was dra wn, that IT Seems hardly necessary
TO expatiatc further uponsH.
In common with a large number OF our
citizens the undersigned believes the pres
ent form OF gOYeEnment or the District
OF Columbia 10 be the very worst tsat
could possibly be devised for our govern
meni, ana some reasons for this belief
Firsf-Tt is arfitrary and tvrappicaI
in power; the Commissioners having the
supreme control over the pubic school
and police systems, health department
fire alarm and Telegraph systems. and in
fact all the MUNICIPAL affairs of the Dis
tnct.
GIVEN UNLIMITED POWER.
Second-The Commissioners are clothed
with legislative and executive powers and
nave the power TO ma ke ordinances which,
When issued, III this District have the force
OF laws ena Cted by the two houses OF Con-
greSs. Such powers are not given to
any other body of rulers III the United
states.
Imrd-The tripartite construction of
the Board Of District Commissioners rem
ders 1t impossible to fix upon any one
OF them the proper responsibility for his
Off claI acts.
Fourth-The commissioners have the
entire control of the immense sums raised
annually 10y taxation from the citizens
or the District OF Columbia and aiEo or the
equally large sums paid 10y the United
States government as their share OF taxa
ton. Our people who pay one-halr of the
expenses OF tins District. have absolutely
no voice In saving how these immense
sums shall be spent.
AN EXPENSIVE LUXURY.
Fifth-Government 10y the District Com
missioners is a very expensive luxury.
Estimating the expenditures Of the year
lSe4-5 at six millions of dollars Uhis, OF
course, Includes the sums appropriated by
Congress for the Districtl and estimating
the population OF the District of Columbia
NJ Two hundred ana eighty thousand, the
cost OF governing the District of Columbia
for the year 1s94-5 3 was about twenty-one
dollars for every man, woman and child
resiling i'll the District.
The above are only few of the reasons
which have caused profound feelings of
discomfort and dissatisfaction with the
present form Of government, to exist among
our citizens.
The passage of the bill above mentioned
Will enable the citizens to express their
feelings In this matter by their votes, and
in Iair election, there can be no doubt
that the cause OF free government and
popular rights will toe triumphant.
ROBERT RE DCItN III. d.