Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-30
ASKS FOR DELEGATES
Takoma Citizens Association
Desires Representation.
DISTRICT AT THE CAPITOL
Thinks This City Should Be Allowed
to Present Needs.
COMMITTEE SUBMITS A REPORT
Question of Qualification for Voters
Cause for Discussion-Railway
Commission Thanked.
DISTRICT At THE CAPITOL
COMMITTEE SUBMITS A REPORT

l ~ d SpeCIdl Illcellil6 VI IhO hoAieh
Park Citizens Association last evening in
Takoma Hall resolution was adopted
| recommending that Congress be petitioned
| to pass an act authorizing the District OF
| Columbia to elect one delegate to the
House of Representatives and one to the
Senate for the purpose of more effectually
presenting to those bodies. respectively,
the wants and needs of the District In all
| matters wherein legislation is desired. To
that end it was urged that such repre-
sentatives be entitled at all times to seats
with the committees appointed to look aft
err the affairs of said District. No change
in the present form of government was
| suggested.
The resolution was in the nature of a
report by the special committee ION the
government of the District of Columbia.
Two members of the observation-disclosures
S. w. Williams and j. A. lie Clerc-voted
in the negative.
The report was submitted by Charles W..
Davis, chairman of the committee. The
other members are Hervey 8. knight
Prof. w. w. Prescott and w. w Dyar
discussion followed the reading of the
report. President Albert F. Woods sur
rendering the chair to Vice President F.
L. Lewton and joining in the debate.
nlEuC Oh xNcpIcSSAIdtAOA.
After reviewing the acts of February
o. 1871, providing for a governor. coun-
Gil and house of delegates. and of June
IL, 1878, providing for the appointment OF
Commissioners. Mr.. Davis said that under
the Constitution Congress can be petition
ed to pass an act comforting on the cit-
Zens of the District the right of repre-
sentation. as indicated in the report
"The choice of men to represent us in
Congress- he continued. ''should be made
by a vote of resident citizens of the Dis
trict, based either on property or educa-
| tional qualifications or both. The law
should also provide that our representa-
lives shall have the right at all times to
be present at all committee meetings ap-
pointed to look after affairs of the Dis
trict.''
In regard to the qualifications of per-
sons who shall be allowed to vote for
such representatives the committee rec
commended that they be actual bona tide
residents of the District, with such re-
strictions as to property or educational
qualifications or both as Congress shall
deem proper.
1t was the latter recommendation in the
report that brought J. A. LeClerc to his
feet, who argued that the report should
state specifically that the educational
qualification Is desired by the citizens,
and that 1t is not to be left to the option
OF congress. he SAID tndL congress might
see fit to strike out this feature of the
proposition for suffrage in the District,
and IL the property clause should remain
large number of citizens would not be
eligible to vote.
At this point S. w. Williams addressed
the meeting on the question Of one-man
government in the District.
w. w. Dyar. member of the commit
tee. said that he personally favored a
one-man government.
District Well Conducted.
President Woods upheld the present
form of government and said that while
he is at times somewhat disappointed
with the management of the affairs of
the city that the business of the District
is probably as well conducted as that of
any other city of It's size.
THE affairs are probably better man.
aged and better guarded than any city /
know Of Instead of being a forward step
! think that a one-man government is a
backward step. The one-man idea is now
out of date and three heads contain more
wisdom than one man can possess. In
stead of our cities being governed by
one man l predict that within the next
ten or fifteen years they will be governed
by a board. He announced that he would
oppose any change from the present sys-
tenn of three Commissioners. and ex-
pressed the hope that the association
would go on record faVOring the present
form of government"
Mr.. Woods paid tribute to Represent
alive S. w. Smith for securing the new
railway law. at the same time expressing
thanks for valuable services rendered in
the past.
Secretary James W. Dyre said that In
his opinion Washington is freer from
graft than any other city. He said
that two or three cities have adopted the
three head plan
oxxytnn cold hot III
now has three-man head and 1t is con-
Homer Query said he does not think
that the District is we'll managed.
Distribution Of Expenses.
Several members INDUCED in a discus
sion of that portion of the report which
recommended that no change In the pres
ent form of government be made. A vote
to reconsider the report was taken, but
was lost. only one vote being in favor of
reconsidering it,
The association also adopted resolutions
supporting the recommendations of the
District Commissioners to Congress rela-
tive to the distribution of extraordinary
expenses and also the recommendations
for appropriations for the District
A vote of thanks from the association
will also be sent to the District electric
railway commission for courteous treat
ment accorded citizens of Takoma Park
at the recent hearing and for the recon-