The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-12-03
THE OPEN FORUM


Municipal Democracy Not a Failure.
To the Editor: One of the most com.
mon objections raised against suffrage
! in the District is that other cities, where
the people go through the form of voting
! have worse governments than we have in
Washington. In point OF fact. these cities
are badly governed. not because the
people vote, but because they are not
Ia:Iowed to vote independently and ef-
fectiveIy in cities like New York, Pitts
burg. and St. Louis popular government
has for many years been little more than
farce. The misunderstanding corpora
tons and the big taX-dOdEers have own
ed and controlled the political machines
and have dictated nominations and
policies to such a degree that the only
political freedom left to the people has
been the privilege of choosing between
two rival sets Of corrupt machine can
didates for city offices
These cities like Washington. have their
tax dodgers. their murderOus slums, and
their privileged and grasping corpora
| tiOns. Washington is governed by a
, board of commissioners who are not
responsible to the people and by irrespon-
{ sible committees of Congress, while these
other cities are governed by irresponsible
political! bosses. What is needed in Wash
ington, as well as in the other boss
ridden cities is the restoration of respOn-
sible government under popular control.
The modern Instruments of popular con-
troll are the initiative. referendum, and
recall. Herbert s. BigelOw was un-
dOubtediy right when he reminded us in
recent address. in Public Library Hall,
that suffrage without the power to con-
troll the elected officials would be Of very
little benefit to the people Of the District.
Mr.. BigelOw ought to be an authority
on this subject. for the credit is due 10
him. more than to any other man, that
the initiative and referendum now form
part of the constitution Of the State
OF Ohio.
Several Western cities ar" solving the
problem Of eliminating corruption and
boss RUE by eleCtinE their commits siOnerS
and controlling them through the init a
tive referendum and recall These other
boss ridden cites will sooner or later be
compelled to follow their example and
adopt modern charters. 1t is immaterial
whether they shall be governed by elected
commissioners or by mayor and city
council Popular control is the prime
essential In Washington. where We do
not vote at all. what is needed is the
right OF suffrage for both men and wom-
en- safeguarded by the initiative, refer
endum and recall. About year ago. at
banquet of the Monday Evening Club,
la United States Senator expressed him
self in favor of submitting District
measures to a referendum vote of the
people of the District.
The cure for the evils of democracy is
moro democracy" and not the denial of
democracy Democracy has been denied
to the District since 1874. As a natural
result. a large majority of the residents
of Washington are indifferent or apathetic
about their municipal affairs. In some
respects. the government of Washington
is more efficient and honest than that of
some other cities, hut we can have very
little of public spirit or of the civic
mind" without self-government. No city
in fact is well governed in which the
citizens have no voice in the government
Before cur dreams of a greater and bet
ter Washington can be realized in any
degree, our system of local government
must be modernized and made genuinely
democratic as well as efficient
". D. VI.