The morning times., 1896-03-25

y6sttFudy 0IttEBCOil.
Senator Gailinger. as chairman Of the
subcommittee. slowed himself plainly
champion of The proposed change in the
form of tie District government The
most interesting I-assStseS IN tie hearing
were the iBterchangeS between the two
Senators, for tl.ese indicated Ia a nlca sure
what VIII happen when the bil comes be-
fore Tie full committee.
SeHator auiSEer' S objections were based
mainly uIoR the probability that Congress
would bo longer feel called upon TO pay
half the expenses of running the local
government if suffrage Were established.
while Senator Gallinger argued strongly
10y his questions tlat the right OF suffrage
is inherent, and that this oectriDe is one
OF the fundamentals OF this government.
He sympatGized with every Point made
by the speakers 10 show that while the
right OF iocal selt-goverRment is low rec
ogniZcd. even in monarchles, it is Denied
in this the Capital OF the Republic.
Among tlosc present were Dr. Robert
Rcyburn. president OF tie Suffrage Asso.
citation; Master Workman W. II. u. SIM
mons, Il. OF L.; Chairman f. NJ. Blake, OF
the Foarra;ion OF Labor legislative com.
mittee; George o. Cook. OF tLjt committees
Mr. +. l.. SiddoHs, OF the Suffrage Asso-
citation; aIrs. Colby. Of tie Noman's
Tribune; DIR. c. Is. Puryis, OF Howard
University. ard Rev. walter Brooks.
DIR. Reyburn. with u few remarks, pre-
sentcd memorial signed by hiniselr, and
MesSrs. SiHsElous. BlaAe, Cook, and Siddons,
for the organizations which they repre-
sented. I Lis he read as follows:
TEXT OF THE MEMORIAL.
The undersigned citizens and permanent
residents of the district OF Columbia, rep
reSenting the District Suffrage Petition
Association, Federation OF Labor, knights
of Labor and other citizens OF this Dis
trict. respectfully ask the passage of
Senate ban No. 1925, for tie following
reasons:
tIrsJ-The present government of the Bis
triCf- of GUIaiuDI0 Was iiiLeDdtu 10 De UShi-
purary, aiid was never IntoLded by Con
EreSs TO remain as permanent form OF
government Tor our ciI.ZGItS. IN Tact, Inc
Iaw when passed was cBtitICd "A Ten
porary rCr.n OF Government Tor the Dis
trcr OF Columbia
Sseconu-Nc believe the present form of
government 10 i5c arbitrdry and tyrannlcal
m character aad III direct VOCATION or
al 1l.e PRINCIPLES on Which this republic
WAS founded.
TiErd-AIoTeOyer, we believe that a large
majority or the citizens and permanent
residents Of the District OF Columbia are
in favor OF a change from the present
form OF government in this District to
one in harmony with the principles OF
free government.
fDuFlu- urer men Urt invested NlIn
tie legislative and executive powers re-
quired for the government 81 neariy30U, goo
citizens or the District OF Columbia. A
simple consideration OF this fact VIII show
the absolute impossibilty OF proper SUI
perliSion or the subordinate Officials of
IhA district by the Commissioners under
sHch a form or government.
Firth-The nlultifariOus duties and re-
SpOns.DiiItie5 derOiyIng upon the Senate
and House or Representatives OF the
United states. ruling over nearly 10000
900 OF people, prevent them from being
able to gave the necessary tine and atteti-
ton required for the local legislation Tor
the citizens OF the District OF Columbia.
such matters or District focal legiSl latIon
as the government OF public schools. police
system, street railroads, sanitary legiS-
l&tIon. lire alarm. etc, could be properly
relcgaied 10 Il local Legislative body to
be elected by the citizens OF the District.
SiNth-The three-hcadcd and desDeiic
character OF the government by the Conl-
mIsSlcnerS OF the District is uniuuc III
tine history OF modern republics. II can
only be paralleled by the trlunNirate winch
existed during the worst days OF heathcn
Rome.
seventh-Finally. we believe the ex-
lstence and purpose of the present form of
government in the District of Columbia
TO be a disgrace 10 and a blot unon fhe
history or the United States WHEN II ~
swept away. as u soon must be the ONLY
leeLhS lhat can be expressed viii he a
wonder that such Il form OF government
Gould ever have been tolerated in this
great republic.
The bilI referred to provides for vote
OF the citizens OF the District uDon a
change OF government.
QUESTION OF MONEY.
When Or. .ReybuTnhadc dcoucladedt theread
| ing Senator Faulkner asked him il lie sun
posed Congress would give hail the money
| fOrthe support GftEc local government from
The general funds if suffrage were allowed
The answer WIS that iii otLer oapit;tls. Il.
Berlin aiid Paris, lLc local government wa.
| partly spDporiCdbg the general, trough f!.t
| citizens have the same rights of voting a!
in any other part Of those countries.
10 cEcsliunjilSo TrGm senator raulkncl
as TO what he thought OF tie government
/ here iii cCTapari4on with that OF other largt
cities DR.. heyBGrn said hc thought this IN,
worst in the world.
inreEardto the statcmentinthe Inemori:i
! that lie Conmls SioneHs exercise Ie.sisirfiv,
/ As well as executive powers Senator Faux
/ neF a>ke;! what power the COrnmissi Gupr
have 10 make laws. Dr. Reyburn admi;fer
! that uIey have none directly, but her,
| senator t'aIiHIer cta:l6IEe,. tiic infercnc,
/ from his colleagues question. He Sait
| the commissioners have tie opportunity Il
| scruunize and approve, or reject any bill
almost that is proposed for District mat
tiers, and III this way they exercise a larg,
| control over District legislation. II cCul,
be inferred from his manner, rs well as Iii
| words, that lie aid not consider this contro
III all times as for the lest interests of lii,
! people.
Ar- Blake read a paper EXPIRE Ssing th,
| vicwsof the Federation or Labor. Working
men are opposed to the present form o
! government in this District. he said ho
cause II is not a government by the Eeople
ltlsa system opposed the greatprinciple
upon which the American Republic il
! founded; because there is no warrant fo
! it in the constitution; because il is hostH
TO the interests OF the W crkingmen.
PLEA OF LABOR.
The founders OF this government in tn
neutrality-suspicious. asserted asset
evident truth that every governments de
rives its just powers from the consent O
/ The governed This principle is who'll
| disregarGed here.
If il ie tue that the majority of III
| citizens and residents OF the District ar
! in favor OF the present form, he furtEe
! urged, that fact las never yet teen demon
| strated. the bill now proposed only pre-
/ g&des FOL doing what should have been don
| before The present government was estat
I lished.
Workingmen arc practically unanimousil il
! demand for Il suffrage government. An
| il is one OF The declared principles OF tn
| Knights or Labor and one dear TO all labo
men, that there should be no difference il
| opportunities for labor, nor pay, nor SUI
/ fraGc, on account CT sex Equality for ALI
/ a Leading principle.
Workingnaen andinen ofallclasses, ,excep
the wealthy, have jHst complaints agains
the present government.
Whiic the interests OF corporations, o
| real estate syndicates, and OF wealth
! property owners are fostered and protecte,
| the Commissioners have never yet origin
atnl .irat-ln nata sIIrl in l.ehnlf nf Tho xrnrl