The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-11-12

EreSs and Electoral College with
Mankind Suffrage for Citizen.
District affairs specially relating TO
possible changes in the form Of its gov
eminent were thoroughly discussed at
the meeting OF the committee investigat-
ing that subject. at the headquarters of
the Chamber Of Commerce last night
This committee OF the Chamber has
been engaged several months in an in
vestigation into the suggestion made in
tho Reynolds report to President Roose-
welt, and the meeting last night is I'M
derstood to be the last at which public
addresses on the subject viii be heard
The speakers last night we're Hon.
Julius Kahn. OF California. and Thomas
c. Noyes. Of this city. While going over
the same ground to some extent the
speakers came 10 almost Numerically
opposed conclusions.
Wants Little Change.
Mr.. Kahn prefaced his speech with
positive disclaimer against one-man rule
for the District. He thought Il would be
an abominatlon under the circumstances
which would please nobody. especially
the people OF Washington. He said that
a reversion 20 that form OF government
here would be the swinging back OF the
pendulum twenty-five years, and was not
70 be thought OF in this progressive Pc
Rod OF the Capital City.
Among the changes suggested by Mr.
Kahn were giving the Commissioners
complete authority and making them
personally responsible for the actions OF
the departments over which they have
control. Mr.. Kahn favored dividing the
departments OF the local government
among the Commissioners. and making
the individual Commissioner head OF those
departments with authority 70 enforce his
VIII and making him take the response
bility OF his course to Congress and tho
people.
Have Charge of Work.
Mr.. Kahn said the present Engineer
Commissioner should either be supplant-
ed by another civil commissioner or his
position RELOCATED 10 that OF the engineer
IN charge Of the public works service.
He said this officer should not be regard
ed as a member OF the Board OF Com
missioners, or allowed 10 sit at the coun-
Gil table. Mr.. Kahn declared that the
board meetings Of the Commissioners,
always when they were consider
ing matters Of public concern, should
be public and open 10 the at
tendance OF any citizen who might care
to be present He advocated this for all
meetings OF the board. except possibly
those purely OF an executive nature.
Mr. Kahn spoke earnestly against the
principal OF home rule for the District
He said Il was the Federal CITY. in which
all the people 81 tho United states had
an interest. He thought that whether
the District should have a governor or
a commission. the oIilcU should be filled
/ by the President from selections drawn
/ from any part Of the nation. the appoint
ment TO be made upon the ground Of
special and undlsputed fitness for the
administration OF municipal affairs. The
chief reason advanced for this was that
I the outsider would have few friends IA
/ Washington 70 serve and no axes 10
grind He would know only the law
and would give everybody a square deal.
/ Mr. Kahn is opposed 20 the franchise,
/ basing his view upon the fact that the
Federal City Is under the control OF the
| Congress Of the United States and there
/ fore suffrage is out Of place.
Board of Education.
Mr. Kahn suggested the creation Of a
board Of education OF not less than three
men nos more than FIVE, 10 be paid good
salary and 10 give their entire time &c
/ the administration Of the schools. much
in the same way that the commission
does TO the District as a whole.
/ Mr.. Kahn urged greater activity upon
the trade bodies and citizens associations
OF the District. He said these bodies
should not be content with sending com
| muniCations and resolutions TO the COM
mittees Of Congress, but that their cred
] tied representatives should go there in
person 70 present their petitions. explain
1 them. and defend them II necessary He
could see no other way, under the cir
] cumstances, for them 70 impress upon
| the committees Of Congress the special
needs OF special localities.
Mr.. NOyes Against Standardization
/ Mr.. Noyes took UP several Of the rec
| concentrations of the Reynolds report
TO all of which he was opposed In the
course Of his speech. he made it clear
that the government had gone quite far
enough in the direction Of separate bu-
reau Of the national government He {;
unalterably opposed TO any further sd.
vance toward Matchmaking the locR
rule. Hence. he opposes one-man rule
and with equal force he is opposed C
the appointment OF men 10 high position,
in the city government who are no
bona flde citizens Of Washington.
Mr.. Moves said he could not accept
the other extreme OF mayor and city
council elected by popular franchise
This form Of government ne is certain
would not work under the divided ar.
rangement OF regulating the Distrio
finances.
He Favors Suffrage.
But Mr. Noyes IS in favor OF suffrag,
for the District OF Columbia He saic
It was contrary to all idea Of the Arneri
can commonwealth 70 keep 100000 clu
zens forever without the ballot and Iii,
right 10 express their Will In the afalri
Of the nation. Mr.. Noyes would have
representative for the District IN Con
gress elected by the people and h,
would have the privilege exercised of vot
ing for tho President and Vice President
with representation in the electoral col
lege
Mr.. Noyes said it was not the intention
OF the founders Of the republic 10 kee,
the citizens from voting. for II was giveI
I them and they exercised It for sevent,
years. relinquishing it voluntarily in 1875