The Washington times., 1912-08-24

A definite step forward acquiring tho
right of suffrage for men and womer
of the District of Columbia was taker
last night at the rally of 200 persons
to the National Progressive call al
National Rifles Armory. Senator
Poindexter declared in favor of Dis
trict representation, and National Com
mitteeman Frank Hogan promptly
brought forward a bill which, II en-
acted, would give the District voic,
in government ...
Out of much noise. loud cheering ano
continued demonstrations by a gather
ing supposed to do nothing but lister
TO speeches came a very definite plar
for putting the District on the politica
map. Senator Poindexter said that h.
would introduce In the Senate either
the bill handed him by Mr.. Hogan lag,
night OF one similar to it. Congress
man Curry, of New Mexico, who was
an officer in Colonel Roosevelts reSl'
ment during the Spanish war, will take
charge Of the measure in the House.
President Taft. according to Ginord
Pinchot, is hardly an issue in the pres
ent campaign. TO Governor Wilson,
however, much attention must be paid
Governor Wilson is a good man him
self, said Mr.. Pinchot, but he can ac-
compllsh nothing with the party which
is behind him. The Democratic party,
according to the speaker, has showr
itself unfit for the responsibilities o;
government by the course 1t has pur-
sued in the House, where it's program
of conservation has been 50 weak as to
damn the party.
"The election of Colonel Roosevelt
said Mr.. Pinchot, Twill take care OF
itself What we must watch Is the
election of a Congress whick will sup
port him, and be in sympathy with
him."
For Woman Suffrage.
Woman suffrage received much at
tentioD, Senator Poindexter adVocatins
the participation of women in the bal
lot when the District is permitted t.
have representative in Congress.
"G1 eat issues are settled IN inc
home" said Senator Poindexter. THE
most momentous questions there are
settled by the wiser member OF tht
firm-the woman. If she Is wise in the
administration of the home. she would
be wise in the affairs of government
From experience, too, y know that the
bloom is not taken off the peach Dy
her participation in the affairs OF gov
ernment.
The reference to woman's suffrage
provoked much applause. Between the
wild demonstrat ton resulting from the
production of bill for District suffrage,
the cheers which greeted the names OF
Theodore Roosevelt and Gov. Hiram
Johnson and the applause following
Senator Poindexter's equal suffrage eX-
pressions, National Rifles Armory put
in an evening Of such tempestuous char
acter as It has not recently seen before.
nf actual measure
embodying a plan of suffrage for the
District followed with startling rapidity
upon the declaration OF Senator Poln-
dexter in favor of such a measure. He
had hardly completed his declaration be-
fore Frank Hogan. Progressive national
committeeman and chairman or the
meeting, handed him copy OF the fol-
lowing bill which he had drafted:
BE 1t enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives, That Dele
gate from the District of Columbia to
the House of Representatives, to serve
for the term of two years, who shall be
a citizen of the United States. and a
resident of the District OF Columbia, and
shall have the qualifications of a voter,
NAV be elected by the voters qualified
as hereinafter prescribed, and such Dele
gate shall be entitled to the same rights
and privileges as are exercised and en-
loved by the delegates from the several
Territories of the United states to the
House of Representatives, and shall also
he a member of the committee for the
District of Columbia: but the Delegate
first elected shall hold his seat only dur
ing the term Of the Congress to which