The Washington herald., 1909-05-13
THE NATIONAL CITY.
DISCUSSION AROUSED BY PRESIDENT TAFrs
VIGOROUS SPEECH

voters now resident ia Washlneton-gov-
eminent employees. in fact-are registered
voters IN various States and therefore
| could not vote in Washington. nor did
/ ne dwell upon the assured recalcitrancv
/ OF the fashionable SCI" who never re-
l,Srn 20 their homes until December. nor
/ did he say very much about the con-
ditiOn that would ensue with the suf-
/ frage conferred and nobody 70 exer-
I else It but few retail merchants. a
handful Of students and the vast popula-
/ tion Of the purlieus and the slums He
addressed himself 10 higher and more
essential things and showed that Wasn-
ington. the capital OF the nation and Ii
fact a mere Federal reservation, sb~ I'D
neve- be surrendered 10 the muta ions
and caprices OF a local electorate with
nothing at stake and no inspiration 10
patriotic action
Mr. Taft made his speech-Qnite IN
prepared. BY the way-and we shall prob
ably hear no more OF District suffrage
agitation during his term IN Office.
very wholesome and attractive prospect.
b. the way
From the Brooklyn e6zss-d-Uaion-
The rapid growth OF Washington within
the past decade and the dream OF its mer-
chants OF great commercial future, coz
pied with dissatisfaction with the con-
mission form OF government under Fed
eral supervision. have resulted in an agi-
tation for the right OF suffrage. II has
been found that the tr1ple-header CON-
mission plan, which went into effect IN
lssi, 10 longer suits the larger Washing
ton The town has OUtgrown Il, and
under the previous administration a com
mission was appointed TO investigate and
plan reorganization OF the District
machinery Of government II reported IN
favor Of single head. and this recon-
mendation was approved and sent to Con-
gress by President Roosevelt No action
has yet been taken, and President Taft
is pondering what recommendation he
viii make
On Saturday light Mr. Taft attended
dinner IN Washington, given to him by
the business men. who wished to i'm
press upon him the reasons why the peo-
pie OF Washington should be allowed 10
manage their own affairs The banquet
ers evidently had not learned the PresI-
dents views. for II they had they doubt
less would have been very reluctant 70
spend money 20 hear their cherished
plan assailed. Nr Taft most emphat-
ically stated that he was opposed 70 tax
ing control from the Federal govern
ulent. and gave as his reason that local
authority would necessarily mean a mar
rover view than under the present ar
rangement Mr- TAFT IS undoubtedly right
X the people Of Washington were vested
with the authority which some Of them
are clanoTing for. probably the very first
thing they would 90 would be TO convert
as far as possible. the District into a
manufacturing and commercial center.
and forget al about the desires and am
Billions OF the S4,O00.oo0 people who have a
personal interest n the District and take
great pride IN It's development. Instead
o. carrying out the great schemes OF
Identification, with the purpose OF pleas
ing citizens OF al sections. North, South.
East and West. the selhshness Of local
Interests would Inevitably intrude under
the suffrage plan. Washington for Wash
ngtonians does not sound near so well
as Washington for the nation