Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-17
WISH OF RESIDENTS
The Proposed Referendum on Form
Of Local Government.
HOUSE DISTRICT COMMITTEE HEARING
Arguments Regarding the Right of
Suffrage.
PAY TAXES AND GROWL

The House District committee today re-
sumed the hearing on the bill authorizing
special election in the District to deter
mine whether the citizens desire a change
in the form Of government.
DIR. Lees Argument.
DR.. T. Z. Lee was introduced by Mr..
Hensey and addressed the committee He
said the right of self-government in tn.
District was guaranteed by the Constitu-
tion in every word and especially in the
fifteenth amendment. To deny the right of
self-government in this District is to deny
it to 100000 loyal Americans. The present
form Of government is despotic, arbitrary
and dictatoral. 1t prevents the people
from having word to say as to taxes, and
denies them even the plainest rights of
representation and petition. He believed
that many worthy citizens held to the be-
lief that the progress of the city is retarded
by d1sfranchisement. DIR. Lee cited Stalls
tics to snow that the District of Columbia
paid more money into the United States
treasury than many states. Since 1867 the
District paid 81 6S7 600 in internal revenue
taxes, and within the past ten years has
paid $o19,Uu0 in customs taxes.
DR.. Lee urged as one objection to the pres
ent form Of government the fact that one
important branch of it, the engineer de-
partment, is presided over by an army
officer. He termed this a kind Of military
government.
"Cn-American," Says Mr.. Weller.
MIR. NJ. I. Weller was then recognized. He
said at the outset that he had no grievance
against either the Commissioners or the
board Of assessors. He said the mistakes
which occur IN assessments are mainly due
a a q nj dar
which the board is operating.
He objected TO the present form of gov
ernnent because it was unAmerican. The
only rights of the people of the District
are to pay taxes and growl. Even the res
1uents OF st. Petersburg, in the domain of
the Car of Russia, have municipal gov
ernment and TIE right of suffrage.
Mr.. Weller denied that the progress of
the national capital has been due to the
present form of government. He believed
that more progress would have been made
under 4 municipal form of government.
Under that condition, he said, there would
not have been the discrimination which.
he alleged, has been practiced against
those sections of the city where the poor
er classes live.
He said there would not be sections in
East Washington where the poor man can
not get a brick sidewalk while in the
rich northwest asphalt streets are being
laid If there We're suffrage form of
government these Determinations, he
claimed, would be prevented, because the
people would have the choice of officials in
their own hands.
Mr.. Weller cited an instance which, he
said, was a discrimination against the
poorer classes Now that the poorer sec
tions of the city are to be improved with
sidewalks, it is provided by law that one
falf of the cost shall be levied against
the adjoining property. No such charge
was made against the property in the rich
West End, he said, when that section was
improved.
MIR. Dodge for rEnfranchisemcnt.
Mr.. w. c. Dodge was then called upon
for brief speech. He recited the history
of the government of the District of Co
lumbia.
Mr.. Dodge then laid down the PROPOSE
tion that Congress has the right to exer-
else government over the District of Co
lumbia or to delegate it to others. He
proceeded to cite decisions of the court
and references bearing out this interpreta-
ton of the term exclusive right of Con-
Gress over the District.
Leaving this topic Mr.. Dodge proceeded
to an argument for enfranchisement.
do you think the people would rather
have local form of government than ul-
timately be merged into a state?" asked
Mr. King
"Oh, yes" said Mr.. Dodge. although the
territorial plan, comprising delegates in
Congress, was very acceptable"
Mr. DOdSe crltlclSeQ the ''trlple-neaQeQ
fern OF government, as he called it, and
said that under it no one could be held
responsible and no satisfaction can be
obtained by the citizens. He recited a case
of the arbitrary repairing of a sidewalk in
front of his office, and said it was but
enc case in hundreds.
Representative Meyer of Louisiana asked
Mr. Dodge if such things did not occur in
cities where the town councils control af-
fairs.
Mr.. Dodge said he supposed they did, but
that citizens would have more opportunity
to prevent them.
Mr.. Dodge, in explaining his idea of gov
ernment in the District, said he wanted
one executive and a city council, to be
elected by the people, with a delegate in
Congress. Tie executive might be appoint
ed by the President. however.
Don't yoI think" said Mr.. Meyer, that
those who are the least interested in the
welfare of the District are the most anx-
ious for a change, because they have moth
ing to lose and everything to gain?'
Mr.. Dodge did not think SO. He would
be willing to have qualified suffrage, If nee
eSSary.
Mr.. King suggested that the advocates of
a change should decide upon the plan of
government they desired before asking
Congress to act.
Mr. Curtis of Iowa indorsed this sugges-
ton, and said Congress would certainly
want to know what kind of government the
citizens proposed to substitute.
The Sentiment of Labor.
Mr.. w. H. G. Simmons of the local Feder-
alton of Labor said his organization was in
hearty favor Of local self-government. The
cost of 1t did not concern them. Whether the
government costs S25 head or $50 a head
did not matter to them. They simply want
that of which they have been robbed, the
right to govern themselves.
Mr.. Simmons asked that some member
of the committee should take this bill for a
special election and push 1t as his own.
He said If he were In a voting community
he would not have any trouble in finding
some one to take charge of the BILL
Mr.. Thomas G. Hensey closed the argu-
ment for the bill by brief resume of the
reasons which had been advanced by the
speakers.
Mr.. ]. D. Croissant asked the committee
to give an opportunity to the opponents of
this bill to be heard. Mr.. Curtis, who was
acting chairman of the committee, said
that undoubtedly time would be given the
other side before the bill was acted upon
by the committee.
Disaster In q Silesian COllicry,
BERLIN, January ia dispatch from
Gleiwitiz, Prussian Silesia, announces a