Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-27
Our American Birthright.


Some day the people of the District of
Columbia will, like other Americans. have
fun representation as a state quasi
state in the national government, in the
Senate House of Representatives and the
electoral college. Then and only then will
they enjoy real American rights. Then
and only then VIII they be full-fedged
Americans
This community already possesses the
population. intelligence ard wealth which
pertain to state of the Union. When it's
people decide to demand unitedly and Sc
riously their American birthright they
should earnestly claim the full and genuine
powers and privileges of American
state. at least so far national repre-
Sentation is concerned. They should not
weaken the natural strength of their posi-
ton by Clamoring for something less than
recognition of their full Americanism, as,
for example, for representation by nom
voting territorial delegates in the House
an experiment already tried here with
unsatisfactory results. an eXpedient which
removes responsibility for District legisla
ton from the whole body of the House
and Senate and places 1t upon non-voting
and impotcnt delegate, the scapegoat to be
burdened by Congress with all it's sins of
omission in respect to District legislation.
OF the same belittling tendency is clamor
for local popular suffrage merely in respect
to municipal government. The one con-
spiCuous example of the failure of unlimited
popular suffrage is in the government of
large American cities. Unlimited popular
suffrage in administering the business az
fairs of a municipal corporation is not
logical or just or distinctively American
Let us not cry aloud for a bogus and in
jury working so-called American right
while We neglect the higher. the genuine
American rights of representation in Con-
gress and the college which elects the Pres
ident. of participation on equal terms with
other Americans in the national govern
ment. which may take our property from US
by the taxing power and may dispose of
our lives by sending us to war
The constitutional provision giving Con-
gress power of exclusive legislation over the
ten miles square and. as a logical result of
national ownership and control. the local
condition of government participation in
meeting the expenses of the nations city
have in combination constituted a transaC-
ton which has been slurringly and sneer-
ingly described as an Esau's sale by Wash
ington of its birthright for a mess of not
tage. This pottage. mea' ing thereby ma
tondl participation in the upbuilding of
the nations city. is an absolute essential
or the capitals life and we'll being If
Washington had in truth Gas il has noO
sold its birthrght for a mess of pottage it
would now rise TO the climax of its criminal
folly If it deprived itself of its pottage
without regaining its birthright.
Let US demand nothing less than the Amer
lean birthright of national representation,
and let demand it as not to lose in
gaining it that vital material necessity of
Washington's we'll being. the financial back
ing of the nation, as part owner and ex-
elusive controller through Congress of the
federal city. Assuming that Congress is to
continue in the national interest to exercise
its constitutional power of exclusive legis-
lation in respect of the District of Column
ba. this fact furnishes a powerful addi-
tional reason why this community should
have the fullest and most liberal and most
potent representation on American princi-
pies in the body which thus taxes and
otherwise exclusively governs it.