The Washington herald., 1907-09-23
WHATHEREALLYOAID
Mr. Mcfarland on District
Form Of Government.
BEST SUITED TO LOCAL NEEDS
Public Opinion Nowhere Else So PO-
tent as Here at the Capital City,
and Overwhelming Majority Of
People Would Vote Against Change.
Text OF His Speeches.

EdHw The Washington Herald.
Twice within "A short time volunteer
correspondents Of The Washington Her
aid have quoted extracts which misrepre-
sent things that I have stated about the
government OF the District OF Columbia.
They did so jgnorantly, doubtless (aI-
though they ought 20 have looked up the
originals. taking what they used from
q leafet published several years ago ov
few sudragists, who carefully cut out
half the truth Of my statements by their
omissions. u seems incredible that any
sane man would believe that I gave only
the half truth attributed 70 me. but. ap-
parently, that is the case. I ask. there
fore that you viii publish for the benefit
OF your readers, including the volunteer
correspondents referred to. the whole Of
what I said in the passages from which
these partial unfair quotations have been
made
The first quotation IS from an article
IN EveTybody's Magazine for August.
1901 I quote from the magazine what I
did say. as follows:
theoretically. they have no voice IN the selection
Of their servants Of their tasks and no power to
reward or punish them But in this. as IN many
other cases the fact Is very different from the form
In 10 place in the world does public opinion govern
SO directly, easily. OF 50 perfectly as IN the Dis
trict Of Columbia. No other government is 50 con-
petely the choice Of the governed or 50 responsive
to their viii Every President since the act Of ISIS
was passed has taken the utmost paias TO choose
Commissioners who would be acceptable To the great
majority Of the citizens. Although the law saws
nothing about the politics q the Commissioners.
every President has followed the unwrtten rule Of
the first choice, and has appointed representatives.
Of the two great political parties. The Commissioners
crs have az been men Of the highest standing. who
have had the confidence Of the community. and as
a rule have served az a peclniary sacrifice. Il has
been universally understood and admitted that tEeT
were above reprCach. Their autccTatic Vowers have
been exercised with a constant circumsIect and
sensitive regard for the wishes as well as the rights
Of the citizens Of the District. They have not al
ways pleased everybody but they have always pleased
the majority Of the people. even though at times
they have had 70 wait time fer thorough apurecis-
ton Not being responsible 70 any political boss
or 20 any political organization they have been free
to be responsive 20 the people without regard 70
partisan considerations The government Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia has been carried on as business
and in an bipartisan spirit
AdaptabiIity 20 Other Cities.
Can the selfsovernment Of the District Of Co
-umbia, thus roughly outlined be adapted to other
municipalities in the United statesg At first blush
it wos'ld seem that such form Of government would
be impracicabe outside Of TIE Federal District with
its racT1iar stains aud c,dffr,z T,.4 :. me-. h. ,.1
while to consider carefully in view Of the success
Of the District system and the failure Of municipal
government elsewhere in the United States whether
government by commission on similar plan could
not be proftably established in cur large cities It
would, perhaps not be 50 difficult as it seems.
The main obstacle would he the average mans pride
in possessing the right to vote, even though he
knows It is useless and half the time Is not even
exercised. The main requisite would be an alert
well-orgauized and ell-directed public opinion
The second quotation is from my ad-
dress on District of Columbia Dav AZ
the Pan-American Exposition. Buffalo.
September 3. 1901. The passage referred
to is as follows:
Ideal Form for District.
Twenty-thre years experience has proved
that this is the ideal form Of government for the
District Of Columbia. This is attested BIZ the
fact that there is no probability that it viii he
materially changed at any time in the future The
fact that it Is an exception to all other govern
ments in the United States, in that it provides
for taxation without representation. and is auto
cratic In form, grie7es some good people in the
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