The Washington herald., 1911-05-13
Local Primaries and Recall

Ffum the Evening Star.
1t is proposed to provide primary cleo
tons in the District for Presidential
candidates. for instructed delegates to
national Presidential nominating con-
ventions and for national committee
men. The District is now allowed rep
resentation in Presidential nominatin
conventions. though its people may not
vote for the candidates when nomi-
mated. The proposed law would make
these local elections more orderly and
dignifed than at present and give them
greater representative force. The only
certain objection to the project is that
the game is not worth the candle; that
1t Is not worth while to incur the expense
and labor involved for representation
In convention to nominate candidates
for whom the District may not then vote
To meet this objection II is suggested
that a primary election for this pur-
pose, which does not count, may lead
to primary elections for other purposes
which do count. AS long as the ma
ton Is half taxpayer and approximately
half property owner in the Capital. 1t
will not surrender control Of the tax
raising and tax-spending function, and
the exclusive legislative power of Con-
gress will be maintained, and probably
also the appointing power vested in the
President
1t has been affirmed by several Pres-
dents and Is generally conceded that all
American rights should be given to the
Americans in the District of Columbia
which are consistent with full national
control Of the nations city No inter-
ference with such control is threatened
by local primary for Presidential con-
vention delegates. There would be no
such interference even If the Americans
in the District of Columbia voted for
the President after they had helped to
nominate him. or If the District had rep
resentation in both bodies of the Con-
gress which exercises this unlimited ma
tional control 1t is, however geneI-
ally held that a constitutional amend
ment Is necessary TO enable the District
to be represented in the House, Senate
and electoral college; and If this is true
there is practical denial OF such rep
resentation, for we all know that II L.
almost impossible to secure constitutional
amendment
Without amending the Constitution it
is possible. however. for the progress
ives of both parties in Congress to ex-
pertinent upon the District with direct
primaries. initiative, referendum, and re-
call in a manner which will recognize
some American attributes in the Amer
leans at Washington, and which will
promise benefit rather than injury to the
local community.
For instance, all three Commissioners
might be required to be appointed from
the District (as is now the requirement
in respect to the two civilians and power
of recall might then be given to the Dis
trtct in respect to these Commissioners,
or any of them, such recall not being
operative in itself but addressed with a
dent, the appointing power. who would
fill the vacancy caused by the recall.
With the Commissioners thus selected
from the community and indirectly re-
sponsible to it, the power OF Initiating To-
cal legislation and requiring a vote by
Congress on such propositions. and or
to the limited extent of ad-
visins influentially upon local bills COM
pulsorily referred to them. might be vest
ed in the Commissioners.
The Commissioners now have under the
law power of initiative in respect to the
local appropriation bill. and in practice
other local bills have been perfunctorily
for their opinion. but the Commissioners