The Washington times., 1907-03-17
SHOULD WASHINGTON BE GOVERNED By THE BALLOT? 1q05H

vain attempt to snap up the shadow of
the meat in the water.
We have here real self-government.
We do not use the conventional method
OF expression by paper ballots, cast by
a minority once a year, but we have a
daily and more effective expression of
public opinion through the Newspapers.
through the citizens organic atoms. and
by the individuals, which is used by all
Intelligent citizens, and which accom-
plishes results. Wherever there is a
general agreement the results follow.
even though they may be delSyed.
Nowhere else can the individual taxpay-
er make himself felt as he can here.
This is for the reason that the suffrage
always means partisan politics, n di-
vision Of the citizenship on national party
lines. maintenance by the city in some
form. either by Offices or graft of the
professional politicians. headed by the
bosses, absolutely necessary to form
and run the party machinery between
and during campaigns and partisan
Newspaper organs. This not only costs
more money which the taxpayers must
pay in salaries, rake offs" or black
mail, but what is far worse; II means
that public opinion Is divided, confused,
and rendered ineffective, and that the
worse, instead Of the best, elements of
the population practically rule
Those who go lightly advocate the
breaking Of the compact of 1878. and the
restoration of the suffrage. cannot know
what they are doing, for none Of them
would want to retard the progress Of
the National Capital or injure its
municipal life. Yet they have only to
examine closely what is revealed from
time to time by the operation Of par
tisan politics in other municipalities TO
see what the reintroductiOn Of it here
would mean.
Because the Commissioners realize II,
they have opposed the proposition to
give the District a delegate in the House
Of Representatives, to be elected by
manhood suffrage, whether qualified or
unqualified. and It is hard TO see how
any but universal manhood suffrage
could ever be given here. certainly by a
Republican Congress.
Delegate of No Use.
A delegate, even if he were allowed to
vote on District matters. would not be
would have no more opportunity to
represent the Districts views in the
committees than the Commissioners
now have, which is a full and adequate
one He could make speeches on the
floor OF the House, but he coud, Of
course, do nothing in the Senate that
the Commissioners cannot do. Looking
back over the six years In which
have been officially advocating District
measures at Congress, l can say that
in no instance would II have helped
practically to have a delegate on the
floor OF the House, although two or
three times it would have been a per-
sonal satisfaction TO have had the Dis
trict critics answered moro fully on the
floor Of the House. Ii is not true that
a delegate could have gotten anything
that was not gotten. or prevented any
thing tEat was not prevented in the way
Of legislation or appropriations. The
needs OF the District have been fully
presented and as fully met as could pos
sibIy be expected. The chairman Of our
committees and many OF the members
have represented US on the floor OF both
houses with great devotion and effec-
tiveness after giving US every chance TO
be heard ir the cOmElitteees. OF course,
we have not secured everything we have
recommended But even President
Roosevelt. unequaie6 IN the enthusiastic
support Of the country and in his per-
sonal influence with Senators and Repre-
sentatives, has not secured all the leg
islatiOn and appropriations which he has
asked.
What was given on the recommended
ton of the Commissioners In the last
Congress alone makes what The Times
described as an impressive" list of
things done. Where Congress denied or
deferred action II was often because
public opinion was not united or fully
ripened or else because Of the natural
and habitUal attempt to keep down the
total Of the appropriations. A reason
that seemed good and had nothing 10