Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-03
TWO LOCAL DELEGATES
OF BILL OFFERED BY
REPRESENTATIVE KLINE.

One of the first bills thrown into the hop
per this morning was a measure of pecu-
liar interest to residents of the District 1t
was introduced by Representative Kline
Of Pennsylvania, a member of the House
District committee and a man who has
shown great interest in local affairs. The
measure provides for the election Of two
delegates to the House of Representatives
from the District of Columbia, these
delegates to serve their constituency in
the same manner that the delegates from
the territories now serve on the floor of
the House.
II noticed last year." said Mr.. Kline to
Star reporter today, that there was a
great deal Of District business before the
House. and that the member who wanted
to keep informed on all matters concerning
Washington upon which he was called
upon to vote had little time for anything
else. The District isn't as big as any Of
the other territories, but it certainly has
great deal of business with the legislative
branch of the government, and should be
represented on the floor of the House by
two delegates who could keep Congress In
formed on all District matters in the man.
ner that the delegates from the territories
now serve their people,
The bill as introduced by Mr.. Kline pro-
vides that the delegates shall be chosen by
qualified electors of the District OF Column
bia in the manner and at the time fixed
by the bill. Any person to be qualified for
election as a delegate must have been for
five years a citizen of the United States,
for one year resident Of the District,
and must be not less than twenty-five
years old. The Tuesdays following the first
Monday in November, 1907, is fixed as the
first election day In the District, and the
bill provides that all other election days
shall fall upon the day when the congress
sional elections are held throughout the
country.
The first two delegates elected shall hold
Office the bill says, during the remaining
term Of the Sixteth Congress, and after
that the other delegates shall serve for
the regular full term. All male residents
of Washington twenty years old over
who have resided in the District of Co.
lumbia for one year and in an election pre-
cinct for sixty days are permitted to vote
under the terms of the measure. The
Commissioners are instructed to divide the
city into election precincts, which shall
thereafter remain permanently so, with
the proviso that there must be at adj times
at least 200 qualified voters in each election
precinct. and are further directed to pro-
vide at least thirty days before election
adequate polling places. to appoint three
judges and two clerks for each election
precinct. and to publish in newspapers and
by posting at least once week for three
weeks all salient facts concerning the
election.
Mr.. Kline believes that the suffrage prop
os!tion would not meet with the -avor that
He believes that the good sense of the idea
will appeal to Congress and the public
alike. and he Is hoping for quick action.
Commissioner Mcfarland who was at
the Capitol this morning for a while, de-
clined to comment on the Kline bill.
THE board of Commissioners will report
upon the bill when 1t Is sent down to
Them" said Mr.. Mcfarland.