The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-24
Suffrage Needed
To Permit Voice
On Tax Question
By LOUIS P. SHOEMAKER.
President of the BnghtwoOd Citizens

ASSOCIATION.
It is, indeed, gratifying that The Times
has taken Up the important subject and
propounded the interesting question.
What is the matter with Washington %
Important and interesting because if
Washington is "all right our citizens
have. at your suggestion, an oppor-
tunity to say so, and they are also thus
AFFORDED an opportunity to suggest in
what respect they feel the existence Of
error. Whether there is anything the
matter with Washington or not, your
Invitation for the expression of opinion
is an effort in the right direction and
gives evidence Of the philosophical con-
duct Of your paper. The discussion can
do no harm. and ought to benefit our
community.
e Views upon this subject have been
read with interest; some are superficial,
and unfortunately refer 10 details. Ar
gument upon any question, if founded
upon sophistry, must fail, like the super
structure of every building. no matter
how honestly constructed, must even
tually become impaired If its founda-
ton be of imperfect material. There
fore. fundamentally speaking, any at
tempt to answer the question, What is
the matter with Washington" or, rath-
er, the District Of Columbia, which is
really the City OF Washington, must fail
If we do not first deal with its form Of
government. This we find 10 be IN
American. It's property owners are
taxed without representation; they are
deprived Of a voice in their local or
municipal affairs. and they are not per
mitted to designate those who are tC
act. These conditions are enough to
arouse criticism, II not Indignation and
invite opposition on the part Of every
American citizen imbued with the spirit
OF our republican forms and desiring TO
guard and protect the principles of our
Institutions.
Congress has, and ought to have ex-
elusive jurisdiction over the District Of
Columbia. because II is the home Of the
Federal Government, and the people Of
the District should not be permitted to
make any law or perform any act detri-
mental to the United States or its in
teTests in Washington. bur IL may be
safely assumed that the trainers Of our
Constitution never intended that Con-
gress should deprive our landowners Of
their rights IS American citizens or deny
them franchise and tax them without
representation. Any other assumption
"oAlu bt ItpuE lltltiL W. Lilt llttIN anu
early practice of our National Govern
ment in the District Of Columbia.
The power 20 tax ana the right to be
represented are coordinate and correla-
tive according TO the American idea: we
are proud of Ii. This the civilized world
knows, and many are therefore ashamed
as American citizens of the condition
existing at the National Capital. be-
cause the power to tax without the
right TO be represented carries with il
the power 10 cOnhscate private property
under the guise OF taxation. and this Is
Just what Congress Is doing at the pres
ent time has been doing for many
years, in the District OF Columbia, and
we have every reason to believe IL will
continue to do TO a greater extent in
the future.
Annual taxation has been greatly in
creased every three years. nOJWiIh-
standing there existed no necessity for
such extensive increase. except because
of the fact that Congress refused TO
meet its share Of the expense of the local
government by complying with the COM
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