Evening star., 1898-01-11
SUFFRAGE QUESTION
Animated Discussion at Meeting of
Northeast Citizens Association.
TIE PRESENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Criticisms and Commentator as
Speakers View 1t.
OTHER TOPICS CONSIDERED
'HE PRESENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT
OTHER TOPICS CONSIDERED

The discussion of the suffrage auesthon
did not prove a star attraction al l.st
nights meeting of the Northeast Wash
ington Citizens Association. The Attend
alice vas but little larger than usual There
were a number of invited guests present
who had been asked to speak on the suf
frage que ostion.
Dr. Robert Reyburn was first introduced,
ana. in his opening remarks. said there
could be no debate of the suffrage uucs-
ton. because there is only one side of
IL. NO one he said can deay the right
that men have to suffrage, and added
that the citizens of Washington lost sur-
frage because the form of government WAS
travesty on the republican form. There
is no other city i'm the civilized world gov
erned in the way that this city Is he sail
and 1t was his opinion that the method
Is inconsistent and will aftsrward uroxe
serious blot the couytry's history
lie SAID that ten men really control the
CITY. and he complained that the big cor
poratcns are not properly assessed. The
poorer people. he said. pay most of tn.
taxes OF the big corporations Under the
present form of government. he declared
me expenses of the city are larger than in
any otter city.
DR.. Kirby, who followed said he favored
suffrage If Congress would enact a law
giving the right Of suffrage to certain
peiS'hS oiiy. ne SAID he feared that If the
people We're given suffrage the negro vot-
ers would control the Legislature run the
government and seEd negro representa- lives
20 Congress. This. he said to him at least
would present very sad spectacle
An Adverse View.
Mr.. Thomas G. Hensey, in response 10
Dr. Kirby, said the colored people of today
are different from those who were here
about the close of the war. Many of the
coicred people here now. he said. are peers
or any man in the District of Columbia.
congress, he declared. had no right to dis
franchise the people here. The legislature
of Ohio. he asserted. has as much right TO
disfranchise the people of Columbus as
Congress had 20 do what il did to the peo-
pie of this city. But he added such ac-
tion in the state would cause a revolution
The citizens Ct the District he said have
the right to representative in Congress
,ust as much as have the citizens of any
other section of this country. In conclu-
sion. he said there are not enough colored
voters here to control an election and re-
ferred to the force bill introduced I'm Con-
gress during the Harrison administration
IN response to a question by Mr. Martin
MI Hensey explained that suffra ge would
mean only copartnership with the United
states government.
Mr.. ". l.. King said he thought A renewal
or suffrage would mean a renewal of the
whole burden of taxation on the part of
citlzens Congress. he said. would hardly
appropriate money to be expended by an
other political gathering.
Others who participated in the discussion
We're DIR. T. E. Lee Ellis Dalrymple Lor-
ing Chappell and Y. ]. Beall
A motion was made that the association
send a delegate to the central committee of
the suffrage associations. This precini-
tated warm discussion. in which Mr..
Martin defended the present form of gov
ernment and made the statement that hc
thought prol lbly he ns
OF the District were opposed to suffrage.
MT Martins proposition to pos;pone con-
sideration of the motion until the next
meeting was carried.
A communication was received from the
East Washington Citizens Association ask
ing cooperation in the matter of having
the Congressional Library open evenings
and Sundays. The members signed the pe-
tftion as requested.
The Railroads.
Chairman Frzzell OF the committee on
steam railroads reported that after long
and persistent efforts the part OF mem
bers of the committee an arrangement was
put in force on the first day of this year by
which each of the established grade cross
lngs on the Baltimore and Ohio routes
within the city is guarded by a gate and
watchmar during the twenty-four hours
of each and every day. This arrangement.
as far as the committee could learn. is an
Commissioners and the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad officials. Whether permanent or
not. the committee is unable to learn as
one Of the parties to the agreement pre-
ferred to have no police regulation on the
subject, and, as announced in the news
papers, did not desire to be influenced by
the Interference of other people. OF course
the committee does not care who has the
influence, provided the people have the
benefits. The report concludes:
We are verbally advised by one of the
Commissioners that several interviews
have been held with the b. and o. officials
looking to the elevation of the tracks with
in the entire District: and inasmuch as a
bill requiring the B. and p. Company to
change its grades in South Washington is
practically agreed upon, as we are inform
ed, we have strong hope of an early adjust
ment of the grades of the b. and o.
tracks,
By way of explanation, Chairman Friz-
zell said that this improved condition of
affairs was brought about after a struggle
lasting about two years. During these
years, he said, a great many interviews
with the Commissioners had been held.
Lately, he said. the Commissioners have
been in consultation with the railroad Off
cials, and the latter preferred that no
regulation should be passed, as they did
not want ii to appear that the company
was being driven to the better protection
of the grade crossings.
President Tucker said he desired to call
the attention of the committee to the
Monroe street crossing in Anacostia- In
a letter 10 tne SOmmlSSlO:leTs, ne sdib.
counsel for the railroad company pointed
cut that there were only two slow trains a
day over this crossing. and that protection
is not needed. President Tucker recalled
the recent accident on the crossing in
which an Anacostia horse car and an en-
gine on the Baltimore and Ohio figured in
a collision. 1t was stated, he SAID, that
the steam railroad train was going at the
rate of about twenty-five miles an hour.
and number of persons came near being
killed The suggestion was made that each
of the two trains over the road every day
be stopped and the train be tagged over
the crossing.
The report of Chairman Frizzell was
adopted.
Additional Facilities.
Mr. ]. B. Burke, chairman. said he had
no report to make for his committee, but
he did want to make few remarks.
Among other things, he spoke of the
necessities for a road running north and
south through Northeast Washington ana
said he hoped such road would be built
in the near future.
Mr.. Davis suggested that as the ColumbiG.