Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-17
SUFFRAGE IN DISTRICT
Various Phases of Question
Discussed at Conference.
CITIZENS MEET committee
Chamber of Commerce Considering
Change in Form of Government.
VIEWS OF THE ADVOCATES
Representation in Senate and House
and in the Electoral Col
lege Favored.
CITIZENS MEET committee
VIEWS OF THE ADVOCATES

| Shall the voting privilege be restored
to the people of the District of Columbia
This question was argued in it's differ
| ent phases yesterday afternoon by repre-
| sentatives Of six citizens associations be-
4 fore q special committee Of the Chamber
| Of Commerce on the possible change In
| the form of government here. President
William F. GUIDE Of the chamber mani
| tested his interest in the matter by at
tending the meeting.
| The representatives OF at least three of
the organizations favored the present
form of appointive commssionership. but
declared for elective representation in
| Congress.
William Nick. Clayton, who spoke for
| the Brightwood and the Br1ghtwood Park
citizens associations. said the associa-
| lions of the District are unique, and are
| peculiar to the District of Columbia. be-
| cause of the form of government existing
| here. There are some thirty OF these or
| CARNATIONS, Mr. Clayton said, and their
membership embraces the taxpayers and
home owners Of their particular locah-
ties.
Tests of Eligibility.
IAN these associations the speaker
added. have given careful consideration
to the question of suffrage. The generic
point is an educational or property test
The Commissioners should be elected by
the people" ~
as a bugaboo that is held upA before the
people by the opponents OF Suffrage. ana
said he had yet to hear Of any suffragist
i'm the District advocating a return TO the
common council. Mr.. Clayton declared
he had no animadversion against any
man who has served as District om-
cial
But" he declared. they cannot meas
ure up to the standard they would II they
were elected by their fellow-citizens. IL
our Commissioners were elected they
would strive harder and reach higher
heights than they do under the present
form OF government"
Mr. Clayton said the colored voters OF
| the District had been held up as an
other bugaboo by certain people in the
District. 1t was his opinion that the
colored voters could never secure con-
troll OF the affairs of the District OF CO.
lumbia. He said comparison of the time
of the Feather buster legsature' TO
present conditions was as comparison
| between the feeble glow Of a tallow dip
| to the bright illumination OF an electric
| light. Such conditions are matters Of
| the dim past. In conclusion he argued
| that the present form OF government was
| a bad object lesson for the boys who are
| born in the District and who are taught
| that suffrage Is the foundation stone OF
| the American republic.
| do you favor an educational and prop
erty qualification for voters here?' Capt.
| Arthur E. Randle, member of the COM
| mittee. asked.
"I am i'm favor of the educational test
but not the property qualification" Mr.
Clayton replied.
Commissionership Form Approved.
]. W. Dyre Of the Takoma association
said his organization most unquestionably
favors the present form Of commissioner
ship government.
But in addition" he added. I'VE should
have two representatives in the House
and one in the Senate. to be elected by
the people Of the District. We favor the
property or educational test. or both
The Thomas G. Moves plan as set forth
recently before meeting of the Cham
Der Of Commerce was favored by Pres
ident J. Walter Mitchell OF the Randle
Highlands Citizens Association. who
was the third speaker. He said the
matter Of suffrage had been fully and
freely discussed by his association. ard
the plan advocated by Mr.. Noyes Of
having District representation in Con-
gress and in the electoral college met
with the unqualified approval Of the
members of the association he repre-
| sents. The citizens of Randle Highlands
and Twining City do not believe 1t Is
right to deprive the more than 100000
people Of the District of their constitu-
| tional right to vote.
Plan Before Congress.
E. w. oyster Of the Petworth Citi-
zens' Association spoke Of the meeting
held last year by representatives Of
fifteen citizens associations. and said
he favored the plan adopted by that
committee, which is now before Con-
gress. He read two magazine articles
| on the District, written by Commits
| soner Mcfarland in February, 1895.
| In one Of them Mr.. Mcfarland wrote:
| washington has the best government
in the United States. but 1T could be
improved by the substitution of one
Commissioner for three" Mr.. Macfar-
land. in the other article. said: In
| form the government Of the District Is
an absolute autocracy, not legally re-
| sponsible to the people"
| Mr.. Oyster said he would as readily
| be governed by one autocrat as three.
| He advocated the election OF five COM
| missiOners to serve with the governor,
| and declared the people should have the
| initiative, referendum and recall privi-
| lege.
Mr. Oyster styled Congress as the
| common council of Washington and de-
clared that it was not fitting that the
common council of the District should
| be composed Of 500 representatives and
| senators who are not Informed on the
needs of the community. do not have
| time to give the proper consideration
L
| different to it's needs.
Elective and Appointive.
The plan proposed by Mr.. oyster pro-
vides for a governor and five Commits
sioners to be elected by the people. anu
five Commissioners to be appointed by
the President Of the United States. and
! a delegate in the House of Representa-
| tives.
Evan J. fucker of the Northeast Citi-
| zens Association filed report that has
! been adopted by his organization ask
| ing for suffrage with representation in
Congress.
The Chamber of Commerce commit:
| tee has the matter under advisement.
| 1t held an executive session after the
| hearing yesterday.
EDITOR WATTERSON HERE.
Tn Route IN Louisville From a Tour