The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
L i'm fted Suffrage
Rights Suggested
As Best Thing.
By ROBERT N. HARPER
Acting Chairman of the Board Of
Trades Committee on Commerce
and Manufactures.

Broadly speaking, the answer to
whats the Matter with Washington
is that there's nothing the matter
with it.
There are, however, several things
that could be done 10 improve the vari-
Gus details Of the life of the community,
details affecting the government, the
business. and the appearance Of the city.
am a firm believer in the advisability
and the ultimate advantages of the ex-
ercise of a limited suffrage right in
common with the remainder Of the
United States
am not one of those who believe the
people of the District cannot do as all
other Americans have done, and prove
that they know how TO vote on ques-
tions affecting their own government.
Undoubtedly. & would be a good thing
for the District of ,,~!umbia TO have one
or more representatives in the halls of
Congress elected by the people. The
needs Of this community are so numer-
Gus. so varied. and so complicated that
nothing but benefit could flow from an
arrangement whereby the District would
have some one on the floor Of the House
with power TO speak and work for the
things that the District needs in legisla-
tion.
I do not think there is any necessity
for disturbing the local government as
It now exists so that the number Of
Commissioners shall be changed What
IS most needed is a constant presence
in Congress whose chief duty shall be
the forwarding of the interests Of the
District on the floor at all times.
As things now are. there are the
House and Senate District Committees
who dispose of practically everything
affecting the District. If a disputed
question arises, hearings are given, and
II s. seldom, indeed, that both sides are
not represented. and they are generally
represented by as much protest as they
are backed by Endorsement The result
Is that the committees minds are left
fun Of the arguments Of both sides, and
they are left free TO do as they them
selves think proper
a report is made by the chairman Of
the committee and as a rule the minority
Is not heard from. they having their
minds too much occupied by home
matters It is here that our representa-
tives should be heard. 10 enlighten all
the other members: enlightened by
speaking with authority for those whose
property and home comforts are to be
affected by such legislation, one way or
the other.
Now. these Senator'S and Representa-
tives must. in the very nature of things.
regard the District of Columbia as a
side issue. They are sent to Washing
ton to shape national legislation and to
look after the manifold interests OF
their sections and their constituents
by those votes they are given office
and retained in Office. tt has been adj
n-itted time and again that they cannot
give 10 the District that consideration
which it should have. Their decisions
how ever much they may be REINFORCED
by a desire 10 do exactly the proper and
just thing. are essentially the fruit of
too incomplete information and deIibera-
ton.
1t is to remedy this. to strengthen the
influence Of the District on the Con-
gressional mind. that / advocate the
placing OF one or more representatives
from the District on the floor of the
House. This representative should. and
would, make the District and her needs
the one object of their political life
They would be there TO reflect the seati-
ment Of our people, to furnish the
committee of the House with facts and
to urge just and prompt action. The
result could be only beneficial.
In reply 10 the objection that the ex-
ercise of suffrage here would be unsat-
isfactory, 1 maintain that the people of
the District can vote as inteiligently as
the people of any other section OF the
country There should be, of course,
property and educational qualifications
If the law did not work out properly in
the first elections. changes in Il could
be made from year TO year until we
would have perfectly seryiceabk and
satisfactory franchise regulation
There is another detail of our COM
Tnunity life which I think might be i'm
proved. I refer to the commercial aspect