Evening star., 1898-01-13
SUFFRAGE
Hearing Before the House District
Committee.
SUGGESTION OF 4 REFERENDUM
Present Form of Government De-
nounced as a Failure.
COST DECLARED EXCESSIVE

The House committee on the District of
Columbia gave a hearing today on the bill
authorizing a special election to be held to
determine whether the people Of the Dis
trict of Columbia desire a change in the
form of government of the District.
Among those present were Thos. G. Hen
sey, DIR. Robt. Reyburn, NJ. l. Weller, ]. II.
Hewlett 1. n. Rollins, DR.. c. b. Purvis.
DR.. T. E. Lee, Jerome B. Burke Col. w. s.
Odell, r. ]. Beall, W. H. G. Simmons and
Milford Spohn.
Mr.. HenSey's Argument.
Mr.. Thomas G. Hensey addressed the
committee in behalf, he said, of the central
&C mmittee on suffrage.
Mr.. Hensey said that the basic principle
Upon which this government was founded,
as set forth in the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence, is that governments derive their
just powers from the consent of the gov
erned,' and the preamble to the Constitu-
ton says, to secure the blessings of lib
erty to ourselves and our posterity," this
Constitution is ordained and established.
The right of franchise cannot be denied if
the explanation OF the founders of the
Constitution are admitted
He said the exclusive legislation alluded
10 IN the Constitution was to divest the
states or that power, and invest Congress
with 1t, in the same sense that a stare leg
isiature exercises power over the ierrit,rv
OF state, and was not intended TO deprive
the citizens of their right to vote at Least
council.
He claimed that the District of CoIunh,a
was not intended to be treated as a reser-
'atloh, or none of the land would have
been sold. '
The Constitution of the United States ba
s@iu, guarantees to each state in the Union
republican form of government and hav
ing recognized the right of the District of
Noluhiola 10 a republican form of govern
lisr nisir ior seventy Years, it cannot now he
c,ainieu lnat because she has not heen
clothed with statehood, that her Iitizens
are not entitled to the rights grained Tho
inost a favored citizens of the states .rhe
haan ,,4n fn, VI taxes since 1SIS, which has only
S In lalr ana equitable between the Irnitnd
states and the District of Col.,mhia non
i'o' oe Hade an excuse for political slavery
DIR. Reyburn's Views.
Ut robert Reyburn followed Mr. Hon
seS- lie held that the present form Of
government III the District has proved an
tiiiiiitieated failure. DIR. Reyburn devoted
'iie greater part of his remarks to an at
t''eh upon the powers possessed bv tho
1oliitniSSlohers. He said a resident of tho
Distrct Is often called upon to wander
'',,i,, miiGther ne IS really a citizen of the re-
Pd"iic vi Il subject Of the Shah of Pcrsia
II ReEburn maintained that the cost of
the clty government was excessive 10
said II was the most extensive of .nv ae
,H rme tarEe cities He produced statistics
"'iicH ne SalG, subStantiated his state
nehts DR.. Eeyburn based his aIIa,-atio'
uio. the expenditures compared with nov
ulaIoh. He said the immense amount nf
,t.on.s NECESSARY to conduct the govern
ieii' oi the District was not levied enuita
bly,. He cited cases of assessrant du.aa- ,
large properties where the assessmants
were lower. he claimed, than the vaIi,e of
the properties. "'e VI
Isn't CITY
less than its true value?" asked Mr 90;
mer of the committee i>o'
Dr' Reyburn replied that in most cities
p pf i'c ~ Is assessed at about two-thirds
oi i.S Ealue- He would be entirely satis
Iled , II that plan were followed in this civ
ne ne salh ne was paying taxes on about
s,''"'o worth of property. 1t was assessed
up 10 10 per cent of its value He oh
JeIteh 70 paying taxes for rich cornor,
tions. avn eoi Pofa-
" nat guarantee do you offer" asked
Judge Jenkins. that a change of govern
compain?" WIN" Sou
We could turn the fellows out if thew
uIe @ not DO right replied Dr. Reyburn
II lhe assessors of taxes were eIected nv
me people, no discrimination would he
tolerated." "iu pe
why. we have a republican form of
government in all the states" said Mr.
hatlmer and yet there is always the
same complaint as to assessments
Mr.. NJ |. Weller inter-1Inted Dr p.,
purh 10 say that under the existing system
appeals for redress from unjust assessment
must be made to the same people who
made tine error -0
heas0n for Low Valuation
MI N. l. Weller, replying to the aues-
ton by Representative White explained
that the tax assessors justified the low val
uatlon of high-priced business properties
compared with the valuation put upon low
priced residences by the statement that II
residence were put up at forced sale its
market value could easily be computed
because there would be MANY bidders far
IL There would be a wide difference be-
tween the real value of a figh-class bus
ne ss property and the price which it would
be few bidders for it,
Mr.. White suggested that this was the
same KIND of reasoning used by assessors
everywhere else.
rs 1t not true" asked Mr. s T E'apue
that great deal of property is actually
conflscated by the special assessment and
permit SYSTEM"
THAT is unquestionably true" replied
DIR. Reyburn.
As l understand you said Representa-
tive Curtis to DR.. Reyburn. 1.-The average
assessment upon property in the District
thirds of its value"
That is what it ought to be-" said DR..
Reyburn. but l cannot say that 1t is al
ways so.'
DR.. Purvis' Denuncintfon.
DIR. c. b. Purvis then addressed the COM
mittee. He said II was immaterial whether
the District government is properly ad-
ninistered not; whether the Commits
sioners are angels not. The only uues-
ton is whether tie people of this city shall
have self-government, and If any member
of this committee would be willing to have
his constituents ruled as the people of the
District of Columbia are governed
do you know, asked Judge Jenkins,
that this fern of government is SO pop
Far that people all over the country would
like to share it?'
DIR. Purvis denied this and said no con-
SresSman would dare advocate such n
thing. DR.. PurVis said the District was a
dumping ground for political reward The