Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-24
VOTE AGAINST CHANGE
District Government Suits
Rhode Island Ave. Citizens.
OPPOSE GOVERNOR PLAN
Also Any Further Agitation Of Sub
ject at Present.
CONSIDERED A DEAD LETTER
Suburban Association Adopts Reso-
1utions Expressing It's Views on
Presidents Recommendation.

After declaring President Roosevelt 8
recent message to Congress, in which he
recommended that the three Commission
ers be replaced by single governor. a
dead letter" as far as the District was
concerned. and calling attention to its
cool reception by Congress. the Rhode
Island Avenue Suburban Citizens Asso-
cation last night adopted a resolution
to any further agitation of the question
for change in the government Of the
District of Columbia
The meeting. which lasted until nearly
midnight, was held in Odd Fellows Hall.
Goth street and Rhode Island avenue
northeast. and was we'll attended. Presi-
dent S. S. Symons occupied the chair for
the first time since his election a month
ago.
The discussion of a change in the form
of government followed the presentation
of the report of Bristow Adams. the rep
resentative of the association at the re-
cent conferences at the RIGGS House.
After reviewing the work of the meet =
ing held December 10. Mr.. Adams stated
that he submitted a statement to that
meeting to the effect that the Rhode
Island Avenue Suburban Citizens Asso-
citation favored suffrage IN some 1orm'
but was not ready to make definite rec.
ommendation of a change in the present
form of government at this time.
These Favor One-Man Rule.
Benjamin F. Edwards followed Mr..
Adams and advocated a one-man RUE.
He said he was opposed to the present
form, and until we get a better form
would continue to oppose it. Taxation
without representation he said. lis I'M
Just and is un-American. We want a
change and want it bad" II" closed by
referring to the Presidents message ana
expressed the hope that the association
would not go on record as opposed to the
proposition now being agitated.
DR.. J. r. Hamilton Endorsed Mr.. Ed
wards remarks J. r. Knopp in the
course Of his remarks on the subject
commended the Commissioners and al
luded to Washington as being governed
as well if not better than any other city
of a similar size in the country.
Mr.. Edwards moved that no action be
taken at this meeting, but that it be
postponed for further consideration by
the association He finally withdrew his
motion to lay it on the table and rising
vote was then called on resolution sub
mitted by M. F. Sabin. that 1.-The report
of the special representative to the joint
conferences. BristoW Adams, be accepted
and that the association go on record as
peiis oppoSeu ~ any luflilef dSitd ioi
change in the government Of the Dis
trict of Columbia There were four votes
in the negative. The committee was
composed of Bristow Adams, chairman
b. F.. Edwards. ]. l.. knopp, II. Harbers
and NJ. E. Sabin.
Previous to the discussion NJ. F. Sabn.
chairman of the committee on legislation.
was called upon by the association for a
report of the work of that committee.
The chairman referred to the agitation
for change from the three Commission
erS to single head and the recent mes
sage of President Roosevelt to Congress.
which he characterized as a dead letter"
1t was due to the fat reception by Con-
gress and the character of the message,
he said, which persuaded him not to SUBJ
NIT any report on the subject. The COM
mite was. however, urged to get busy
with matters affecting the District espe-
cially the items in the District budget OF
interest to that section