The Washington herald., 1908-02-07
VOTES FOR DISTRICT
Sentiment in Congress for
Local Civic Control.
NEGRO POPULATION A BAR
One senator Believes that but for
This Obstacle Suffrage Would
Speedily BE Giyen-Proposal for
Qualified Franchise Meets Ap-
prOvaI-Change Within Five Years.

While no definite move toward that end
has been taken in Congress. and no such
move is contemplated at present. there
is some sentiment among Senators and
Representatives for a change in the form
of the government of the District of Co
lumbia.
The change. should Il be made, would
probably be along the lines of a more
or less restricted franchise for citizens
of the District.
Two or three Senators who have long
shown interest in the affairs and we'll
being of the District and its people are
anxious to see such a change made. and
believe IL would meet the appreciation
Of large number Of the residents of
Washington. The movement would be
put on foot IN the near future. Il Is
declared, were # not for the difficulty
which the large proportion OF negroes
resident here would present to any effort
to provide a satisfactory basis of suf-
frage for residents Of the District.
Dislike Present system.
Many Senators. while they will not ex-
press their views for publication. be-
lieve that the present system In the Dis
trict is un-American and illogical from
the American point of view. They aver
that they can see no just reason why
the 100000 citizens Of the District Of Co
lumbla should be deprived Of the chief
privilege Of American citizenship; but
they admit that little local support could
be secured from conservative people for
such a movement at present, unless some
means could be devised whereby the su-
premacy Of the superior race could be
assured.
It is believed 10y those who favor rep
resentative government in local affairs
that such Il change not only would bene-
mt Washington and avert much Of the
friction which has developed in some de-
partments Of the local administration and
between them and Congress, but also
would relieve Congress Of burden,
which they consider the care OF .he Dis
trict represents.
want Conditional Suffrage.
Also. they say, il the people Of the Dis
trict could be endowed with a suffrage
based upon an educational or a property
qualification, or both. thereby eliminat-
ing from a voice in affairs the less re-
sponsible element Of the colored race. Il
would be a benefit. inasmuch rs the peo-
pie themselves could decide their affairs
and ill their civic needs. and such delays
as the city Is now witnessing in the mat
ter Of securing the muCh-needed com
munlcaton with the Union Station. and
such situations as that which has ex-
listed IN the administration Of the public
schools, would be largely obviated.
None Of those who express a favorable
attitude toward the proposition 10 endow
the District with the right "a govern il
self desire that unlimited suffrage be be
slowed upon the entire population. They
realize that the fact that the c0lUred race
Is represented bv practically one-third Of
that population renders this not only un-
desirable. but impossible from the point Of
view of the white race.
May Come in Five Years.
"Of course" said one prominent sena-
tor recently. in discussing the proposition
with a representative OF The Washington
Herald. Il do not believe that such a
change as has been suggested viii come
in the immediate future. But I am viii
ling TO predict that it VIII come sooner
or later, and perhaps in the next five
years It may come sooner. The mutual
attitude toward each other which Con
gress and the District now maintain can
not work smoothly"
THE Dolliver school law" said another
Senator. "and the outcry which some Of
It's provisions have aroused, is an argu-
ment IN favor Of a change. and there
are many members of Congress in both
Houses who believe that the people OF
Washington and Of the District OF Co
lumbia have as much right 10 decide
their own affairs for themselves as have
the citizens Of any other city or county
in the United States. The one obstacle
is what to do with the large negro popu-
lation. Unless the balance Of power
which they would WELD if the District
had the franchise could Rbe controlled
we all know that not only the cOnserva-
tive white people of the District but the
majority Of the members Of both Houses
OF Congress would be averse TO the
granting Of suffrage 20 the District.
Gould that problem be satisfactorily
-.