Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-24
SUFFRAGE ASKED FOR
Citizens Committee Prepares
Memorial to Congress.
GOVERNOR AS EXECUTIVE
Legislative Powers Entrusted to
Board Of Ten Commissioners.
FIVE CHOSEN BY PRESIDENT
Representation in Congress by One
Delegate-Plan Submitted
With Appeal.
GOVERNOR AS EXECUTIVE
FIVE CHOSEN BY PRESIDENT

i ne coHlflllttee representing the SUI
frage convention. composed of delegates
from fourteen citizens associations in the
District of Columbia. met late yesterday
afternoon at the office of the chairman,
Louis P. Shoemaker. 612 l4th street.
In compliance with a request made at
the last meeting of the committee, +. w.
Oyster submitted the draft of a memo
rial for submission to Congress asking
for suffrage in the District. The memo
rial was approved. and will be presented
to the Senate and House at IL O'clock
next Tuesday.
1t is signed by the following members
of the committee: Louis p. Shoemaker.
president, Brightwood Citizens Associ-
alton; S. McComas Hawken, secretary
z. w. Oyster, Petworth Citizens .AsSoci-
alton: Judge c. {. Lancaster. Northwest
Suburban Citizens Association: w. NJ.
Potter, East Washington Citizens ASSoci-
alton. and J. Walter Mitchell. Randle
Highlands Citizens Association.
Text of Memorial.
A bill is to be drawn up and presented
to Congress later The memorial recites:
Whereas it is declared in the Declara-
ton of Independence that all men are Gre
ated equal: that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain inalienable
rights: that among these are life. liberty
and the pursuit of happiness; that to Sc
cure these rights governments are inStt-
tuted among men. deriving their just pow
erS from the consent of the governed; and
whereas our revolutionary forefathers
rightly contended that taxation without
representation is tyranny: and
Whereas 1t was truthfully stated by
Abraham Lincoln from the steps of the
Executive Mansion during the civil war
that we cannot have free government
without elections; and
Whereas 1t is conceded that in form
the present government Of the District of
Columbia is an absolute autocracy, not
legally responsible to the people; and
Whereas such a form of government is
undemocratic. unrepublican. un-Ameri-
can and contrary to the fundamental prin
ciples in defense of which our brave and
liberty-loving ancestors pledged their
lives. their fortunes and their sacred
honor;
Therefore resolved, That 1t is the sense
of this convention that Congress should
speedily re-establish republican form
of government in the capital Of the re-
public. the political heart of the nation
government of the people. by the peo-
pie and for the people-and respectfully
submit the following plan as best suited.
In our opinion, to the needs and desires
OI d majority OIL the legal RESIDENTS OF the
District of Columbia, to wit:
Governor to Be Executive.
'First-In place of three Commissioners
there shall be governor, who shall have
been a resident of the District Of Column
bia for not less than four years prior to
his election to such Office by the qualified
voters of said District.
''Second-There shall be elected by the
people five commissioners. who shall have
resided In the District for not less than
three years prior to election to such Office.
and the President of the United States be
authorized to appoint five commissioners,
other than those elected by the people, to
represent the people of the United States
on said board of commissioners, and that
the five commissioners elected by the peo-
pie shall be selected from five different
sections of the District.
-'Third-The term of office Of the gov
ernor and. commissioners shall be three
years.
"Fourth-The governor shall exercise
all the executive powers and authority
now vested by law in the three Commits
sioners, and such other authority as Con-
gress may delegate to him. He shall have
a vote in case of a tie in the board Of
commissioners. The board OF commission
ers shall have all the legislative power
and authority now exercised by the board
tive authority as Congress may delegate.
Delegate to Congress.
"Fffth-Inasmuch as the District of
Columbia contributes more in taxes to the
support Of the general government than a
number of the states of the Union, there
shall be delegate in the House of Repre-
sentatives. who shall have been a resident
of the District not less than five years
prior to his election to said office.
Sixth-No person shall be a qualified
voter in the District of Columbia who is
not twenty-one years of age, and shall
have resided in the said District for not
less than one year and in the ward or
election district not less than three months
prior to the day of election. He shall be
able to read and write the English Ian
guage, or shall have paid taxes on not
less than $500 assessed real or personal
property not less than thirty days prior
to election day. No person who is a quail
fed voter in any of the states shall be a
voter in the District of Columbia.
iSeventh-That all elections in the Dis
trict shall be held under the secret ballot
system and stringent registration and
election laws, with severe penalties for
fraudulent registration of voting
Whisky Held for