The Washington herald., 1912-09-15

Washington Correspondents New Yot Post.
For the first time In long years resi-
dents of Washington, D.. c. will vote
this November in a Presidential election.
Disfranchised 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 10000 population OF the
District OF Columbia favor Mr.. Taft, Mr..
Wilson. Mr.. Roosevelt. Mr.. Chain, Mr..
Debs. or any sixth or seventh or eighth
party candidate.
The sad thing about this election. how
ever. is that it is not legal. 1t is an ex-
perimental elections fake election. Its
purpose is to determine, first. how many
citizens Of voting age want to vote;
second. TO show to the country. includ-
ing Congress, that a cityful OF Ameri-
can citizens want the right to vote; and,
third to test the sentiment for home
rule for Washington"
This "direct-action'' scheme Is the
plan of the Suffrage League OF the Dis
trict OF Columbia The executive COM
mittee OF that body held a meeting a
few days ago and mapped out its cam
paign Ancient ward lines which exist
ed when Washington did vote will be
retraced. Booths will be set up in
schoolhouses. drug stores, and corner
grocery shops. Watchers will be pressed
into service, statisticians employed to
figure up the results, and all the ma
chinery OF a November election will be
assembled and oiled up, ready for rum
ming. The big preliminary job. however.
is TO rouse public interest in the scheme,
and TO educate a citizenry which has
fnrCnrrar hnu the nHCpSSity
OF turning out and making their x marks
before sunset on the experimental Tues
day.
Women Can Vote.
Already nine organizations, including
civic, religious, and political bodies,
have become affiliated with the new or
ganization, and ii is the purpose Of the
Suffrage League TO invite citizens asso-
Citations TO join in. Dues range from 81
up TO the extent of the individuals de-
sire for the ballot, and the size Of his
purse. 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 a
preliminary step. When the desire for
self-government is made clear by direct
action. the league plans to take its
grievance to Congress. For this reason,
it is pointed out, how Washington votes
may in reality be significant, for. should
the majority of ballots cast in the dis
trict declare for the successful candidate
the next administration might become
favorably inclined to the cause of the
local DISTINGUISHED citizens. while. should
Washington vote. say against Roosevelt.
and should Roosevelt next occupy the
White House, 1t is possible that the
cause of suffrage would lose support.
The traditional reason given to new
comers 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 population is only
a trifle over 125.o00. or a little more than
one-third Of the entire population Of the
District.
Open-aIr meetings are taking place in
various parts of the city, in an endeavor
to stir up enthusiasm for the expert