The Washington herald., 1909-05-09

| iRcurabie defect Of the present system.
/ Keep your three Commissioners II you
/ viii, or substitute for them single head.
/ improve the machinery ot municipal sd-
/ ministration all you can. until IL runs
I with the regularity OF q Swiss watch
I you have not t0uchsd the trouble.
What is needed IS two men IN the
I House and one man II the Senate; real
Z i've men with blood in their arteries and
brains in their heads, men who have lived
/ long in the District OF Columbia and be
I long 10 her. men who know her needs
and her capacity. who know the history
[ and condition OF her institutions, her
charities. her prisons. the views and
aspirations OF her people; men who are
proud OF their connection with her. and
proud that 10 her soil has been commit
ted the ark OF civil and religious liberty.
What We need Is members OF these
bodies with the prestige that belongs to
members, not igureheads. not lobbyists.
not delegates. but member Of the SeS-
ate and two members OF the House. able,
enlightened. informed. ft 70 represent the
VIII and Judgment OF 81. go citizens gath
cred within these bounds.
An Amendment Needed
But that requires an amendment OF the
! Constitution. So II does An amendment
in strict accord with the principles OF
the Constitution, made necessary by the
changed conditions Of I'D years. made
unavoidable and inevitable by the changes
thar VIII take place in the fifty or one
hundred years 10 come Do you imagine
that when 100000 o. I51o.00o shah be
swarning in our borders they VIII be the
only people in this broad domain 20 have
no hand in the government of this mag
nifcert republic, no word in the election
OF its President. no tongue in the IA
tional assembly,
When 1,ooo,ooo men are there. when
they ask why they alone can have no
part IN a republican form OF govern
msnt. do you imagine they viii call il q
sufficient answer 20 be told Because you
live in Washington
# you lived in Pumpkin Hook or
Bloody Gulch. you might. but not while
you live here
Bear in mind. am not speaking OF
municipal suffrage I am speaking Of
the right o. million Of simple American
citizens TO have a share-iess than q
ore hurdre6th part would be-in the
legislation that concerns their country
ard It's Capital
Suppose they have no more right than
the same number Of people who live
anywhere else in the United States.
Have they not as much2 And that Is
all the right OF which I speak
Believes In Humanity.
But hear It said. The people Of the
District DO not care for suffrage, Wei,
all can say tc that is this. II the peo-
pie OF the District OF Columbia do not
really care TO have a part IN the gov
erRnlent of this splendid country. they
co not deserve to have II. and nobody
need fear that il will be thrust upon
them But I cannot believe that state
ment
Say. seignors. are the old Niles dry
Il cannot believe that the human heart
has changed
7 cannot believe that principles have
lost their power.
'T cannot believe that the deep in
stincts that built up this wonderful fabric
OF free government have died out here in
the very seat Of it's majesty. and that
here alone the bright consunmsts flower
OF liberty has gone 10 seed.
There is no doubt that they need
quickening. There is no doubt that they
have sunk into the torpOr OF faculties
6isused. But hold before their eyes the
hope Of what I am describing, and you
shah see whether self-respect and the
desire for self-government are dead
Sir, If ! had il IN my power tonight
10 dispose Of this matter as ! would. do
you know what would dO2
- =.
i would not give the people Of the
District suffrage
What would do is this;
i would set TO their dry hearts the
fame Of that old Promethean torch. the
love Of liberty
7 would fiji them with divine unrest
at then condition.
I would set beside that condition
picture OF the dignity and power they
might enjoy as real citizens OF their
country.
Il would move them first TO desire and
then to demand their portion Of our her
itage.
I would nerve them 10 toll for Il and
fight for Il through years OF bitter oppc-
sition-snd then at last. when the agita-
ton had created q new Washington. when
90, ,o0e or 590eoo people we're calling as
with one mighty voice for the great prize
OF representative government-then 7
would bestow It on them.
And. sir, believe that is exactly what
the god OF time viii co.
a city Of the dumb, SIR Chairman,
have heard you speak OF little village
OF an island of the New England coast
inhabited entirely by deaf mutes.
They live unto themselves
They marry and iatermarry and rear
children who are dumb as they.
They 20 about their tasks. but speak
no word.
The busy bum OF life goes On