The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-09-20
A TEST FOR THE
DISFRANCHISED
Experimental Election to Be Held
In Washington
RESULTS NOT TO Be OFFICIAL
Residents Of a City Whose Government
Has Been Termed an "Absolute Au-
tocrscy,- q 'Despotisnr" and an "oli-
garohy" viii Vote In November.

tocrscy," 'pespotisnr" and an "oli-
garohy' Will Vote In November.
For the first time in long years resi-
dents of Washington will vote this No
vember in presidential election Dis.
| franchised inhabitants of the national
! capital will be able to register their
political opinions at the polls, and when
the returns are counted Washington
and the country will know whether the
army of government clerks and others
who make up the 100000 population of
the District of Columbia favor Mr..
| Taft, Mr.. Wilson. Mr. Roosevelt, Mr..
| Chain, Mr.. Debs or any other candi-
date.
The sad thing about this election,
however, Is that It Is not legal 1t is
an experimental election-a fake"
election. Its purpose Is to determine,
first. how many citizens of voting age
want TO vote; second, to show to the
country. including congress- that a city
| ful OF American citizens want the right
to vote, and, third, to test the senti
ment for -home rule for Washington"
Lulb ulIeNl uCliOu SEDeIue rs the
plan OF the Suffrage league of the Dis
trict of Columbia. The executive com.
mittee of that body held a meeting re-
Gently and mapped out its campaign.
Ancient ward lines which existed when
Washington did vote viii be retraced
Booths Will be set up in schoolhouses,
drug stores and corner grocery shops.
Watchers will be pressed into service,
stadstcians employed to figure up the
results, and all the machinery of a No
vember election win be assembled and
oiled up ready for running. The big
preliminary job, however, is to rouse
public interest in the scheme, and to
educate a citiZenry which has forgot
ten how to vote to the necessity of
turning out and making their Y marks
before sunset on the experimental
Tuesday.
Women Can Vote.
Already nine organizations, including
civic, religious and political bodies,
have become affiliated with the new
organization, and 1t is the purpose Of
the Suffrage league to invite citizens
associations to join in Dues range from
81 up to the extent Of the individuals
desire for the ballot and the size Of
his purse. A feature of the plan is
that every citizen over twenty-one will
be privileged to vote-and the word
citizen includes women as well as men.
There Is no color line.
This election is declared to be but
preliminary step When the desire for
self government is made clear by di-
rect action, the league plans to take
its grievance to congress.
The traditional reason given to new
corners In Washington in explanation
Of the present votelessness OF the city
is that the negroes are in a majority.
The latest statistics, however, do not
warrant this view. They show that
the entire black and mulatto popula-
ton Is only a trifle over 125,0O0, or a
little more than one-third of the en-
tire population of the district.
Washinston's Kind of Government.
Open air meetings are taking place in
various parts of the city, in an en-
deavor to stir up enthusiasm for the
experimental election. At these gath |
erings, held on street corners, speakers
quote various worthless to support their |
view of th9 deplorable political condi-
ton OF residents Of the city, where |
some of the biggest politics In the ma
ton is played. For instance, 1t is
pointed out that former commits |
sioner Of the District, Henry B. F. |
Macfarland, once stated that the people |
Of Washington are governed by an |
absolute autocracy, not legally re-
sponsible TO the people" and that Sen
ator Blair stated on the floor of the !
senate that the District was a "vast |
community of political slaves"
Sayles ]. Bowen, who was mayor of |
Washington when Washington had .
mayors, is quoted as Of the opinion .
that the government of the District is |
"a despousm more complete, and an
oligarchy more antagonistic to Repub-
lican institutions than any which ever
existed under an absolute monarchy"
1t is urged by the agitators that the
present appointed commission form Of
government 'fayors some classes of
the wealthy, the burden Of taxation be-
ing maintained by the poor people"
DR.. Thomas L. VIII Of the Peoples
church in Washington is secretary and