Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-05
URGES REPRESENTATION
OF DISTRICT IN CONGRESS
Roy C. CIaf|in Submits Rea-
sons to Park View Citi-
zens' Association.

committee Of the Park View Citi-
zens' Association is to consider the
propriety of the District of Columbia
being represented in Congress by a
delegate, and submit it's conclusion at
the next meeting of the association.
A resolution. declaring it the sense
of the association that the District of
Columbia should be so represented
was submitted by Roy c. Clafiin at the
meeting of the association in Whitney
Avenue Christian Church Friday night
Mr.. Clafiin set forth the following
reasons for the demand for represen-
tation:
Because it is right and just as an
American principle for a community
Of citizens to have voice in it's local
government.
THE Constitution does not imply
that Congress should deprive the Dis
portion of the nation. whose citizens
pay taxes into the public Golfers.
The general trend of decision has
been that the District of Columbia is
nondescript-it is more than a terri
tOry-distinguished by the trainers Of
the Constitution by dignity peculiar
tp itself 1t is therefore entitled to
even more consideration than a terri
tory or possession. AS it is, it does
not nave as much in the matter Of
representation.
Every thinking man in the District as
vel as every thinking man in Congress
realizes that the District does not receive
fair treatment from Congress under the
present arrangement
Necessity Is Emphasized.
The presence in the House of Repre-
trict would insure more definitely an
open ear of Congress for our needs. The
necessity is emphasized by the fact that
not one District legislative bill has been
passed during the session just closing;
thus the accumulation of much needed
legislation has not in any wise been re-
lieved. but added to.
mo other city of 100000 population
could make progress with it's city coun-
Gil meeting but one or two days a year
and then not producing results. Any city
this size requires very busy council
working almost constantly to keep
abreast Of the times
Conservatism cea SEES to be a virtue
when our acting city council turns
deaf ear to our earnest appeals for the
necessities of community life-when We
find that body immovable by appeals to
their logic or to their sense of justice
people. though living in the realm of
American liberty.
when in 1878 the predecessors of the
present members of Congress assumed
the responsibility of performing the du-
ties of a city council for us, deprlvinS
the District of suffrage, it was done
through patriotic motives, and was hail
ed by the residents as a relief on ac-
count of circumstances then existing
Did those men foresee the increase of
the national demands on Congress- time
| that today renders impossible the proper
consideration of legislation for the Dis
trict, whose needs also demand greater
thought?
Essence of Injustice.
"One of the stated objects of our Con-
stitution is to establish justice. The
present predicament of the District-at
he mercy of and dependent upon the
charity in time and good will of the
members OF Congress-is at once con-
coded by all to be the essence of in
justice. Our interests are obviously not
lii,lr interests and consequently suffer.
Congress as whole has demonstrated
conclusively-not her inability to cope
with our local problems, but her absolute
unwiIlingness to do
"A delegate representing the District
could devote his entire attention to Dis
trict matters and engage himself in a
systematic education of members of Con-
sress, rendering them intelligent to vote
on local affairs. He would relieve the
citizens and also congressman of the
time and labor now necessarily spent in
lobbying. 1t stands to reason that man
living the year around in Washington,
being local citizen. will be in closer
touch with the sentiment and needs of
| IN capital than congressman residing
here only few months of the year with