Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-21
CHANCE TO BE HEARD
CITIZENS ALWAYS WELCOME AT
THE DISTRICT BUILDING.

In response to an inquiry, Commissioner
mcfarland said yesterday that there is no
ground for the assertion that citizens, or
ganized unorganized, are not given full
opportunity to be heard on bills relating
to the District referred by the committees
of Congress to the Commissioners for re-
port.
Instead Of there being practice Of re-
porting such bills to Congress without CIV
ing opportunity for the citizens to be
heard" Mr.. Macfar,and said, the practice
is just lie other way. No citizen citi-
zens' organization has ever asked for an
opportunity to be heard on any bill re-
ferred to the Commissioners without being
given that opportunity. Every statement,
whether made in writing or orally to ,.ie
Commissioners, respecting such bills is
carefully considered by them.
Moreover" the Commissioner continued,
whenever the subtect-matter Of the bill Is
of sufficient Importance. and there is evil
dence of difference of opinion about it,
and an interest in it on the part of the
citizens. the uniform practice of the Com
missoners Is to appoint public hearing
upon it, and without waiting for a request
from anybody for such earring. The Com
missoners welcome every expression OF
public opinion on this or any other sub
ject. and often they need the information
which can best be obtained by a public
hearing, in order to intelligently report
upon bills referred to them. They recog-
nize that this is a government by pubic
opinion, and they want to ascertain III all
cases whether there is general agreement
among the citizens sufficient to warrant
them in saying that public opinion 1nclines
one way or the other on the question at
issue.
Suggestions Are Welcomed.
"They have personally said in public ad-
dresses, at meetings Of all the citizens or
CARNATIONS that they desired to be told
what the citizens want and what their
opinions are on every important public
question, and also that they welcome the
suggestions Of citizens on questions that
are not of general Importance. For my
self I get great benefit out Of. the state
nents made at public hearings, and In the
letters that come here every day.
when bills are referred to US by Con-
gress they are always open to the inspec-
ton of the public and the representatives
of the newspapers. If any desires q
hearing ON any of them he has only to ask
for it. have also said that 1 would be
very glad to arrange SO that If any citizen
or citizens organization desired to be spe-
cially notified of the presence here by ref
erence of Congress Of any particular class
of bills this notification should be sent.
But no such request has been made. 1t is
not necessary to hold a public hearing on
every bill that Is referred to the Commits
sioners. In many cases there Is no ques
ton about the action that should be taken,
and nobody would appear at public hear
ing If 1t was appointed by the Commits
sioners. But l repeat that any citizen or
citizens organization can have a hearing
on any matter at any time simply by ask
ing for 1t, and that II citizen or a c1ti-
zens' organization asks to be notified
whenever any matter is to be considered
by the Commissioners whether 1t comes up
on reference by Congress or otherwise,
that notification will gladly be given.