The Washington herald., 1913-09-19
INTEREST Shown
in TAVENNERBILL
District Citizens, if Given a
Chance, Would Declare
Wish for Delegate.
VIEWS OF MIR. CLAFLN
Doubts Whether Plan to Have Resi-.
dents Vote on Questions Would
Work Out Satisfactorily.

Given an opportunity to express
their will regarding representation in
Congress, the people OF the District
will declare by a large majority that
they desire a delegate TO keep the Ma
tional Legislature informed OF the Cap
ital's needs, 1t was asserted yesterday
by officials of the District Delegate As
| ISOLATION, in discussing the bill intro
duced by Representative Tavenner Of
Illionis to provide a popular referen-
DUN in the District on the general
subject of home rule. At the same
time numerous objections to the bill
were voiced.
Chairman Roy c. Clahin, of the Dis
trict Delegate Association, said:
1T is already clearly evident that
the people of Washington desire to be
represented in Congress. The throw
| ing open of all these questions to be
decided by indiscriminate voting would
be productive of very unsatisfactory
results. For instance, II stands to rea-
son that the vote would be against
any qualifications whatever for the
franchise One could predict almost
exactly what the vote would be on
each OF Mr.. Tavenner's eight ques-
tions.
Calls Principle Excellent.
"Mr. Tavenner's principle of having
/ the people of the District consulted on
the various proposed changes In their
government is excellent. The District
Delegate Association has been urging
this all along, but we propose to ac-
complish this end in more practical.
expedient. and satisfactory manner. A
! referendum election for the sole pur
| pose of voting on these questions
| seems superhuous. II would be an
enormous task for the Commissioners
to plan and execute all the details of
this initial election, especially in view
OF the additional duties that are con-
| stantly being imposed upon them.
The most practical method for a
! referendum OF questions such as these
] is to have them submitted TO the regu-
| larly qualified and registered voters at
the frs election of the District delegate,
which il is proposed shall be held in No
yember. 1914, or at the primary election
preceding this.
THE passage Of the bill for a District
delegate in Congress should precede the
! passage Of other reform measures, such
as those OF Mr.. Tavenner. Mr.. Prouty.
/ Mr. Caraway. Mr. Crosser. and others.
/ because IL is only fair that the Districts
voice should be heard in the molding
OF laws that are TO govern ii. believe
these gentlemen. who evidently have the
best interests OF Washington at heart,
will agree with this"
Conference Is Planned.
| II is announced that a conference on
the Poindexter delegate bill will be held
/ in the near future. The conference will
be participated in by the executive
council OF the Delegate Association. the
] Joint committee OF the Federation of
| Citizens Association, a similar commit
| tee from the local branch of the w. c.
| T. L., which also voted unanimously in
! favor of a District delegate. and with the
representatives of various citizens as
! sociations and other organizations which
| have indorsed the campaign OF the Dele
| gate Association.
The conference will not be held until
after the Chamber OF Commerce and
the Retail Merchants Association have
/ had an opportunity TO pass on the propo-
sition and to appoint joint committees II
| they so desire
The purpose OF the conference will be
particularly to discuss the property quail
hcation clause and other provisions OF
! the bill.
The District Delegate Association yes
! terday received protest against the
Poindexter bill from an organization of
twenty-five colored men, The Anti-Re-
duction of Representation League" II.
A Clarke, head OF the league, who pre-
scented the protest in person, based his
protest principally on the provisions for
| qualifications of voters. He stated his
belief that a large portion Of the colored
race would be disqualified from voting
/ by the restrictions imposed by the bill