The Washington herald., 1909-05-10

All Washington had common topis
for discussion yesterday
That topic was the citizens dinner ID
President Taft Saturday night and the
dramatic outcome OF IL
Considered wholly as a clash OF words.
| II was Of intense human interest. a
President OF the United States In mas
terly ofhand speech. oouched in telling
phrases and convincing sentences. CON-
batting the views and goOd-naturedly
ridiculing the fears set forth In q fn-
ished and studied rhetorical defamation
by an accomplished 3urist OF the District
Supreme Court-an this was worth hear
ing and seeing. and worth remembering.
But It was more than a clash Of words.
L resolved itself into the sounding OF
a slogan on burning District issues-ths
enuneiation OF a policy by the highest
authority Of the land
The City Of the Nation.
Washington Is a national city. The na-
I ton. through Congress. viii forever con-
! troll It's affairs People resident here must
| rely upon petition, not expect the ballot,
to redress their wrongs. real OF fancied.
/ That was the slogan sounded IN brief BY
/ the President. Coupled with the assur-
| ance. however, that purely local AFFAIRS
/ are not 70 be taken out Of local hands.
/ the slogan was deprived OF the harsh
ness Il might otherwise have had. Then.
( .oo h=c eo--aS4 Fo-.o--s5~- - $780,,
| Washington stirred local pride 20 the
| depths. and his cordial good hunor kept
the banqueters in hearty accord with
him. whatever their individual views
! II vas q sumpfuous, as vel as
memorable snd historic, occasion. Other
cities have given notable dinners 10 ths
President-ciJies South. North. East and
west-but this function. under the aus
pices o. the Washington Board OF Trade
and washington Chamber Of Commerce,
was admittedly as well-planned and elab-
/ crate as anything IN the dinner-givins
line could be. This was the opinion ot
/ guests and participants alike. and Wash
/ iagTon. therefore. did itself proud n
! honoring its foremost resident Regret
/ was expressed et the close Of the dinner
by many present that the decorations
could not be kept intact over sunday. n
order 70 permit Washingtonians generally
70 see the magnificent banquet hail
/ Form of Government
4 morning newspaper inclined toward
sensztionalism printed q flaming hesdlins
over the report OF the dinner, Taft for
Single Head. thus misleading its readers
4 into the belief that the President Rad
/ declared himself in favor Of change in
the form OF District government OF
/ course ne made no such declaration He
simply stated the arguments briefly. pro
and con. touching 2 ore-man head OF
/ triple-headed government. and announced
I that he had reached no conclusion This
vas what he said on the subject.
( an s--7-Siy n favor q retaining The muzi-ipsI
I form fsprIzusea 50 that everything vhich s1al
a-fect tas ,ity q Washington sasI bs done uni--
the chief executive ot that city and b that chist
1 execrtivc-
In o,her words. vu-ld gre an eurity - ths
citv q Washington. q The Distric- q Columbia.
and axe ali Of that entity cvt q he orestion q
| the b-s--aps II the general gove-nnent-
I That i what understand % b Lhs EorsTusnt
/ to-dzv and the only question that has been moots1
/ Is really whether ore man sho,lld be Tuc a. -
\ head n that government IS a msycT. T Ehether
/ -oss should have three-
I 7 sr-es that urohshlV tEras mgn be-rcr fzV-
rizuscYvhsre you have rsaI legislative functions 10
am iscsised 20 think that vhs-e the Iezsslstivs
f1rctions are reiucsd % minimum ard corsisr n
IlrtIe nor thzn mere executive regulation. thss
possibly TIE oIsheaded i0-m Is the better. fo- *
sc-7ti7e rE1rTrses and tx the responsibility; hst
an culv thinking ont zloTld. and only bscauss rs
are here taking riSht o5It II meeting telling
you the reascus as they have been brought - ne
ReynoIds' Plan ImprOsabIe.
He has not determined what recon-
mendation. II any. he viii make 70 Con-
gress on the question Of the form Of the
I District government. That he viii giva
| approval TO the cumbersome plan fOrmu-
lated by James 3. Reynolds and involv-
/ ing radical changes is regarded as al
( together unlikely
Citizens who attended the dinner gen
orally agreed that the results Of it would
prove most wholesome and beneficial, an5
/ that far from having anything 70 fear
at the hands Of President Taft the Dis
I trict would find IN him a stronger and
more helpful friend at the White House
/ than it had had since the administration
/ OF President Grant.
His strong position against local suf-
! frage undoubtedly viii put a quietus upon
/ that phase Of the agitation that gave lie
I TO the propaganda 50 industTiOusiy pro-
NOTED by selfish Interest last year 70
overturn the District government because
! OF resentment OF the Commissioners Of