Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-17
The Presidents Special Message.

On the 10th of November last, in antici-
nation of the Presidents annual message
to Congress in which it was reported DIS
trict affairs would be dealt with at length,
The Star said:
WASHINGTON hopes that the President
will in the message make no recommenoa-
ton whatever in pursuance OF those prop
ositions of the Reynolds report "nich
wander from sociology into politics ana
suggest local government by single
commissioner, to be appointed by the
President at his pleasure, without tne
present statutory restriction OF appoint
ment to three-year residents of the Dis
trict.
with the welfare of the city in view
the President will not make this recon-
mendation: "a Because it Is a slap In
the face to local public sentiment Instead
of desiring less representation IN thelr
government, Washingtonians want more
Many go so far as to demand not only
that the Commissioners or governor snall
be Washingto nians. but that they or ne
shall be elected by Neutrality-suspicious.. Ihe
proposition to deprive them of the last
yestige of guaranteed representation In
their local government and to substitute
an imported carpet-bagger governor Tor
the local Commissioners would be bitterly
resented by Westinghouse, If pushed by
the President for enactment. CD Because
it proposes the destruction and rebuilding
of the structure of District government
ana the exposure OIL Ine community " OIL
the dangers incident to this process,
merely for the purpose of making minor
changes in it of theoretical and dubious
utility.
The President should not employ his
great influence to break down in any re-
spect the government which exists un-
less he will lead in campaign to OBJ
tain the most vital of American citizen
ship rights for the people of the District;
not a sham local legislature, impotent
tho fra ming of npfifiOnS
Congress. and voteless and futile ter
ritorial delegate. but full representation
like that of other Americans in both
houses of Congress and the electoral col
lege. 60 Because it is untimely. The
same legislation which destroys the COM
missionership government must Substi-
tute something in its place. The question
of the exact character Of this substitute
will be a fruitful cause of bitter and ir
reconcilable wrangling among citizens
and in Congress. The advocates of bu
reaucratic despotism of the Reynolds
school and the champions of unlimited
popular suffrage will be at one another's
threats. Advocates of suffrage with
property or educational qualification; adj
vocates of unlimited popular suffrage; ad-
vocates of elections for national repre-
Sentation. but not for municipal govern
ment, and opponents of elections in any
form and for any purpose will engage in
q Donnybrook fair shindy. Progress in
practical local legislation will be impos-
sible. If the President opens up the SUBJ
ject of change in the local government
at the approaching short session which
ends the Sixtieth Congress, the only eff
feet of this will be to waste the few
hours which the committees and the
houses will give to proposed District leg
1slation and to block the way to enact
ment of propositions for the city's bet
terment. like the Presidents own socio-
logical reform measures, for example, and
like the proposition for cheaper and bet
ter gas
The President has done what The Star
hoped he would not do, namely. submitted
to Congress in one message recommends
tons for a change from a three-headed to
a one-headed government for the District
and for the institution of reform meas
ures for the amelioration of physical and
moral conditions in this community. The
institution Of these reforms does not de-
pend upon the form of the District gov
eminent. 1t Is now in the power of Con-
gress TO enact, and of the Commissioners
to execute. the measures necessary for
the cure of the conditions which the
President mentions in his message, con-
ditions which undeniably tend to lower
the moral and social tone.
1t is unfortunate that the recommended
tions for these measures Of betterment
should have been coupled with the propo-
sition to change the form of District gov
eminent, which, as The Star said month
ago, inevitably opens the door to dis
cussion as to ways and means, the end of
which no man can foresee. On this ques-
tion the people of Washington are not OF
one mind, and should the measure pro-
posed by the President be laid before the
two houses and pressed seriously as the
most vitality important item OF legislation
no other business could possibly be en-
acted for the benefit of the District of
Columbia.
Far better would it be to separate en-
tirely the propositions for sociological
reform, which can be considered on their
merits, from that for a change of gov
eminent, the necessity and the wisdom Of
which are seriously doubted by a large
proportion OF the community. But sub
mitted together as they are in this mes
sage, 1t is still within the power and
right of Congress to separate them and
consider them distinctly and independ-
emily. with the sociological questions
given first place in discussion and legis-
lative action.
Debs must be given credit for some ac-