Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-12
PetWorth Association in Favor
of District Suffrage.
FOR DELEGATE IN CONGRESS
Various Business Interests Discussed
at Meeting of Citizens.
VISITOR SPEAKS IN CRITICISM
Believes Central Organization of Resi-
dents Should Be Formed-Improve-
ments Obtained and Desired.

Suffrage in the District: Endorsement OF
the Kline bill; the appointment of COM
mittee of ten members to attend mass
meeting to secure better car facilities. and
criticism by visitor of the various citi-
zens' associations Of the District were the
principal events at the meeting OF the Pet
worth Citizens Association held last even
ing The meeting was he d at the residence
of Mr. W. F. GUIDE, president of the asso-
citation, 5000 New Hampshire avenue.
Secretary Particle read a communication
received from the District Commissioners
relative to the matchmaking of Upshur and
varnum streets, stating that the improve
ment of these streets was considered in
connection with the preparation Of the list
as recommended for the fiscal year 1908.
The Commissioners stated that the i'm
provement of this street was given the pref
erence and embodied in the list. Nothing
can be done the association was informed
on Upshur or Varnum streets until special
appropriation for their Improvement is
made.
Secretary Particle. as chairman Of the
committee appointed to secure additional
postal facilities, reported that N compliance
with an order from Postmaster Barnes a
letter box had been erected at the corner Of
9th and Shepherd streets. but that he had
been informed by the postmaster that the
only collections which will be made from
this box will be by the letter carrier when
making the deliveries in the neighborhood,
except that a collection shall be made Sun
days and holidays at 4:30 pm 1t is i'm
practicable. he said, for the night collector
to deviate from his route and make colec-
lions from this box.
Railroad Facilities.
The "al-absorbing topic" railroads, came
up under the heading of unfinished bust
ness, and the attention of the association
was called by Mr.. Robert 8. Jones to the
fact that additional cars running on
the 9th street line to the bureau of engrav-
ing and printing, and that better accom-
modations had been afforded at the loon in
the way of additional cars for the subur-
ban passengers
At the conclusion Of the discussion Presi-
dent GUIDE announced the appointment of
the following cooperative committee. in
conjunction with the resolutions adopted at
the last meeting of the association: w. j.
Howard, E. w. Oyster w. NJ Cromwell.
@. W. Stose. William T. Bair. George
Hough, D. ]. Particle, DR.. A. C. Norcross,
r. S. Jones and Henry 8. Selden. The
committee was requested to attend the
meeting of the Brightwood Citizens Asso-
citation, to be held Friday night.
Secretary Particle urged the placing of
box at Brightwood avenue and Upshur
street for the protection of police officers
on duty at night during extreme cold
In the matter. -
REPRESENTATION in Congress.
Mr. E. W. Oyster addressed the meeting
on the subject of representation in Con-
gress. He said that the people of the Dis
trict of Columbia have for thirty years been
deprived of the right of local self-govern-
ment as enjoyed by all other citizens of
the United States. and denied representa-
tion in the Congress of the United States.
the law-making body for this District.
In rafa IN ha yuhi
introduced in the House by Representative
Kline. providing for the election of two
delegates to the House of Representatives
from the District of Columbia. The reso-
luton which he presented stated that the
Petworth Citizens Association regards the
Kline bill as being in accord with the desire
of large majority of the citizens of this
District and in harmony with the spirit and
institutions of our country, and respectfully
but very earnestly requests Congress to
pass it at the present session, with an
amendment providing for secret ballot for
the nomination and election of the dele
gates.
Public Hearing Desired.
The resolution provides further that the
House committee on the District of Co.
lumbia is respectfully requested to grant a
public hearing to such citizens as may de-
sire to present their views this measure
before 1t is reported to the House from the
committee.
warded to the Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives, to the President of the Senate
to the chairman Of the House and Senate
committees on the District of Columbia and
to Representative Kline.
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
Mr. Oyster then took up the subject of
what was regarded as unjust and unlawful
assessments in the District at the same
time referring TO the recent speech made
by Commissioner mcfarland at Ottawa,
Canada. He referred to the editorials which
appeared in two prominent Canadian papers
which stated that even in Washington
where, according to Commissioner Macfar-
land, the form of government Is real
government by public opinion, there have
constantly been and still are mutterings
against the existing system, such as II Is
proposed to be adopted in Ottawa.
Mr.. Oyster concluded by saying that dis
ordinations and negotiable assessments
had been made in Petworth which If an
nounced. would be startling.
INDUCES in Criticism.
AT this point Mr.. Gregor Noetzel, resi-
dent of Petworth, though not a member
of the association, addressed the meeting
criticising the citizens associations of the
District, characterizing the battles fought
by them as waste of forces. He referred to
the associations as branches without a
trunk. He argued that better results would
be attained II a central body were estab-
lished-a mouthpiece, which can make
known the demands of the citizens of the
Olstrlct, not OF a nandful or citizens of one
section. Such body, he said. would repre-
sent forces which no authority could afford
to ignore or treat lightly.
Mr.. Oyster replied to the speaker and said
that efforts had been made in this direction
and that his ideas had all been thrashed
over, but without results.
Mr.. Noetzel, member, said that when
the Commissioners go to Congress- the
members of the various committees are too
busy with other affairs and don't have time
to bother about the District and don't care
for the District. Mr.. Oyster remarked that
the Commissioners do the best they can in
administering bad form of government.
The matter of selecting a public meeting
place for holding meetings instead of at the
residence of President GUIDE was discussed
by the association, and the secretary was
directed to investigate and secure a neutral
meeting place in Petworth.
hIiffat lunch served he a