Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-22
IS COLDLY RECEIVED
Proposition to Change Form
of District Government.
FOR LOCAL SUFFRAGE
DIR. REYBURN SUBMITS ARGU'
MENT TO COMMITTEE.
Claims That Our Present Form of Gov
eminent for the District is Tyran-
nical and Unconstitutional.

Cla1IQS nat OuI 1IcSchl VI III VI wv
eminent for the District is Tyran-
nical and Unconstitutional.
Special Dispatch From STAFF Correspondent.
CHICAGO, June 22.-An hopes of suffra1-
lists In the District of Columbia for recog-
milton by the national republican conven-
ton are past Delegate Robert Reyburn
has made his plea. and has failed to secure
a single supporter.
The committee on resolutions met at 10
o'clock today and approved the action or
the subcommittee on platform. The sub
committee did not even think 1t necessary
to take vote on DR.. Reyburn's proposition
for suffrage. BY common consent they kept
1t out of the platform.
No Sympathy With the Movement.
The subcommittee was made up or nine
senator's and four others. They were men
who are quite fully acquainted with the
affairs Of the District. Senator Lodge was
chairman while Senators Gallinger, Forak-
er and Hansbrough all members of the Sem
ate committee on the District of Columbia
were among the members OF the supcom-
mittee that agreed that suffrage In the DIS
trict was not proper matter 10 enter illo
the platform Not only did they express
themselves as believing that 1t should not
go into the platform, but they gave no IN
dication of sympathy with the movement
on the ground that 1t was not practlcdole
proposition.
Suffrage in the District of Columbia has
not secured nearly so much attention as mas
the proposition for woman suffrage ne
latter has received considerable attention,
has been backed up by very enerSelic
delegation and caused some division In the
subcommittee. 1t would have received
support OF votes, and perhaps have gone
into the platform, had it not been for the
fact that an attempt was made to conThe
the platform to a limited number OF sup
jects and to the cardinal principles or 'he
republican party. DR.. Reyburn, while re-
ceiving no support or sympathy in the COM
mittee on resolutions, did not give up ms
fight without carrying 1t as lar as posSipie.
He not only presented the matter luily ~
the subcommittee, but made plea Tor IL
before the full committee at 10 O'Clock thls
morning.
Will Keep Up the Fight.
Even with this failure to secure support,
he proposes to keep up the fight after he
returns to Washington. and 1t was for that
purpose he said today that he ac-
cepted the position of national committee
man to represent the District of Columbia
His position as member of the naliona'
committee VIII give him considerable stand
ing with the party leaders next ran ana ne
u
committee of fifty or one hundred to
carry on propaganda in favor OF sur
frage He will seek to have hearing be
fore the Senate and House District COM
mittees, and to get on record full state
ment of his case. From there he Will carry
II to both houses, if possible, and will en-
deavor by working up sentiment, poth
among the people of the District and among
senators and representatives. to obtain
some action which Will give the District
some form of representative government
DIR. Reyburn said today that he was not
inclined to be particular about the nature
of the representative government to be
secured for the District. He would be
ready to compromise on any proposition
which would give the people some voice in
the control of their affairs through the cleo
tive franchise.
DR.. Reyburn Hopeful.
DR. Reyburn spoke very hopefully of the
outlook for accomplishing something He
will attend all the meetings of the ma
tional committee and will endeavor to Sc
cure friends for his proposition in the fu-
future.
He proposes TO devote the next four years
to active work along this line. While he
hoped to have the suffrage plank inserted
in the platform when he came here, that
hope was far from being a conviction and
the only thing that disappoints him now Is
the fact that apparently the principle for
which he has fought is without any sup
port i'll the convention.
Dr. Reyburn's Argument
DR. ReybuIn yesterday afternoon pre-
scented to The convention his resolution
asking for suffrage for the District of Co
lumbia. The resolution was referred to the
committee on resolutions 1t was taken
up by that committee and again referred
to the subcommittee on platform, of which
Senator Lodge is chairman. DIR. Reyburn
made extended argument before the
committee in favor Of his resolution.
"A large majority of our citizens and all
the members comprising the labor organi-
cations of the District he said have con-
sistontly and steadily opposed our present
unrepublcan form of government, for the
following reasons:
First. That the present government of
the District of Columbia is arbitrary, tyran-
ncal and exists in direct violation of all the
principles on which this government was
founded, and of the Constitution of the
United States.
Second. That the present government of
the District of Columbia is by far the most
expensive municipal government in the
United States.
Third That the immense sums annually
levied upon the citizens of the District of
Columbia by taxation are most unfairly
distributed, the rich corporations and prop
erty owners being systematically favored
by the reduction of their tax assessments
thus Imposing a greater burden upon tho
smaller property owners of the District.
Form of Government Denounced.
II believe the form of government now
existing In the District OF Columbia to be
among the worst that could possibly be de-
vised, and its existence and perpetuation
will always remain as blot upon the his
tory OF the republic. When 1t is swept
away Gas 1t soon must be- the only wonder
TO future generations will be that such a
system of government could for day or
an hour have been tolerated.
More than fifty years ago" he continu-
ed. when boy living In the city OF Phila-
delphia, | determined to visit the old state
house to see the room where the Declara-
ton OF Independence was declared and to
inspect the old liberty bell which hung in
the belfry.
81 climbed up the dusty stairs and when
reached the liberty bell read the letters
cast upon its surface. which formed the
following inscription: Proclaim liberty
throughout all the land and to all the in
habitants thereof
AS l read these prophetic words II never
entered into the widest dreams of my i'm
agtnation that IL would ever be necessary
for me or any one else to advocate the
cause OF suffrage in any part of the United
States. | believed then, and believe now
that this question was forever settled more