Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-24
WARM LETTER; HOT REPLY
Rumpus All About Proposed Change
in Government.
MEETING TOMORROW EVENING
Attorney Says He May Express
Views as Citizen, Although of
Counsel for Gas Company.


Should the meeting of delegates from
citizens associations of the District OF
| Columbia. called for tomorrow evening to
discuss the question of change in the
form of the local government, be hit by
a spark from a hot little flame, which
| fared up this morning between A. F..
Woods, president of the Takoma Park
Citizens Association. and Wilton J. Lam
| bert of the Brightwood Citizens Associa-
ton, there is every possibility of a warm
| meeting. Mr.. Lambert was appointed
chairman of committee of the Bright
wood association to arrange for a general
| discussion of the proposed changes of
| form of the District government that
| have been talked OF in many association
meetings, but which have never been dis
cussed in a meeting similar to the one
called for tomorrow.
When the committee met the members
went on record as favoring a change in
government-suffrage with educational,
property and residential qualifications and
representation in Congress
Letters of invitation to a general meeting
were sent to all the citizens associations
about thirty-five. Ten had responded by
noon today, all with the exception of me
Takoma Park association expressing the
intention of sending delegates. 1t is ex-
pected that the other associations will
send delegates without acknowledging the
invitation.
Letter That Struck Spark.
/ The letter that struck the spark which
kindled the flame this morning from Mr..
Woods to Mr.. Lambert. is as follows:
II have your letter of November 20.
inviting me to appoint committee Of
the Takoma Park Citizens Association,
| to participate in a meeting called by your
committee. to be held at the Riggs House
November %, to consider the question
OF change in form of government of
the District of Columbia, and the adj
visibility of having qualified suffrage in
the District
The Takoma association has placed
itself on record as favoring no change
In the present form of government
favorng the election by the properly
qualified voters of the District of a
delegate to the Senate and one to the
House of Representatives, to assist the
looking after the affairs of the District
in Congress-
"The Brghtwood Association has advo-
Gated the so-called 'one-man-rule' plan
senting the Washington Gaslight Com
pany. AS you are chairman of the Bright
wood committee. and also an attorney OF
record for the Washington Gaslght Com
pany in its attempt to increase its CAPT
talization contrary to the wishes of the
citizens and the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia, feel that the &C
ceptance of your invitation would place
the Takoma Association in a position con-
trary to what it has already taken In op-
position to the movement which the gas
company Is making through the Post in
favor of a change of government. I will,
therefore, have to decline to appoint the
committee"
Mr.. Lambert Evolves Reply.
Mr.. Lambert did not know until about
noon today that this letter had been pub
lished In morning paper even before the
mail brought 1t to him. and had sent mis-
copy of it to Louis Shoemaker, president
Of the Brightwood association. Some one
called Mr.. Lambert on the telephone, d.
rected his attention to the publication of
Mr.. Woods declination, and then the
sparks began to fly. When they were
| through flying the following, addressed to
Mr.. Woods, had been evolved:
Your letter of November % is at hand
1 was utterly at a loss to understand
how it were possible for one to misinter-
pref the courteous invitation of the
Brightwood Citizens Association to at
| tend and discuss the advisablity of suf-
frage. or to have fallen in the grievous
| error of overlooking the facts as they
exist, until enlightened by the appear
ance of your remarks in the public press
this morning, the data for which had evil
IDENTIFY been furnished by you in ad-
vance.
II assume that as president of a cfti-
| Zens association you would keep in touch
with what work Is being done by organi-
cations of that character. If YOU had
done you would be aware that the
Brightwood Citizens Association has for
several years past expressed itself as in
favor of suffrage, having taken such
action long prior to the expressions of
opinion by any newspaper. and long prior
to the inception of any litigation between
| the gas light company and the Commits
sioners. You would also know and
ought to have known, that October O.
1908, at a regular meeting of the Bright
wood Citizens Association. a resolution
was passed directing the president of the
association to appoint a committee to
confer with other committees from other
citizens associations upon the subject
of change in the existing form of gov
eminent.
Did Not Present Resolution.
You would also know and ought to
| have known. that l did not present the
resolution, nor was 1 present at the meet
| ing which passed it. and that In pursu-
ance of the resolution a regular meeting
of the committee was held, and the fol-
| lowing resolution was unanimously
passed:
"'Mr. Shoemaker moved that the COM
| mittee resolve that there should be
change in the form of government in
| the District, and that qualified suffrage
with education, property and residential
| qualifications should be provided and
| that the District of Columbia should be
| allowed a delegate in Congress-
This resolution was published in the
public press on the 18th day of Novem-
Der. and from it you ought to have known
| that the Brightwood Association had gone
no further than to declare in favor of
qualified suffrage and a delegate to Con-
gress. not having In any way touched
upon the question Of governor Com
| missoners of the District and the Bright
| wood Association not having itself de-
| clared for or against such a plan. your
| statement to the contrary Is not only, to
put 1t mildly. inaccurate and misleading,
| but Is an exhibition of gross carelessness
| on your part and reckless disregard of
| Justice and fairness to a sister associa ton
| and each and every member thereof.
Allegation Of Inconsistency.
| You further make the inconsistent
statement that the Takoma association
has declared against a change in the
| form of government and yet state that
1t has declared in favor of suffrage and a
delegate in each house Of Congress- 1t
| is impossible to conceive how suffrage and