The Washington herald., 1913-09-04
Poindexter Defends Delegate Bill
Present Conditions in City Decried
Washington Senator Says
HelpIessness Of Community
Is Responsible for Lobby
Rumors-Mea Pro-
vides Election Machinery
to Extend Political Rights.

A forceful statement as to the needs
for representation of the District by
delegate in Congress was issued last
night by Senator Miles Poindexter of
Washington, who is the author of bill
providing for such an arrangement.
The statement was given out at the
request of the District Delegate Associa-
ton, which is commencing a vigorous
campaign to bring about the enactment
of the PoindeXter measure. The Senator
decries the present condition Of affairs
in the District, and says that the dele
gate plan would solve many problems
With which the people of the District and
of the nation are now confronted
THE District delegate bill" reads the
statement should be enacted for two
general reasons-hrst, in order that the
10000 inhabitants Of the District may
have the right to choose some one to
represent them in legislation which so
vitality concerns them: and second, in
order that other delegates and repre-
sentatives may be relieved to some ex-
tent of the burden and responsibility of
taking care of local District matters. As
the situation now is, Congress has a good
deal Of ats time taken up sitting in the
capacity of a city council for the city of
Washington. With the interests of their
members of the District committees in
the House and Senate can scarcely be ex-
pected 10 give the requisite time and at
tention, which the present arrangement
calls for, to District matters
Local Matters Involved.
"Of course, in a sense, the government
of the District is a national concern, in
which all Congressman might well have
a responsibility and interest. However,
the government of the District also in
wolves a vast number Of matters which
are largely of local and, in very slight
sense. of national concern. There should
by all means be a special delegate, whose
chief concern and responsibility would be
10 study these questions and present
them properly in the House of Repre- /
sentatives. 1t would be a relief to the
rest of the country by freeing Congress
in general from the anomalous situation
Of being called upon to decide upon so
many questions which it is no ones espe-
cial business to care for.
1T is not edifying at this day and age
to witness the spectacle of so vast a num- |
Der of people politically sterilized and
without the slightest voice in deciding |
the multitude Of momentous questions |
which concern their condition of life, the |
rearing OF their children, all of those |
personal and property rights which go !
TO make up human liberty and happi- |
ness. In their own interests and in the |
interests of the rest of the nation, they |
should have voice in their own govern |
ment. II they do not desire it, they |
should be required TO have it and TO ex- |
ercise the responsibility which it will en- |
tail upon them. I am satisfied, however, |
that they do desire it. This bill pro- !
poses only to give them a voice in Con- |
gress. Whether or not they shall have :
a vote there may be reserved for future |
consideration.
Bill Gives District Right.
The entire helpIessness of the people |
of the District in deciding any of their |
own affairs is responsible for the con-
tinUed reports which We hear, of local |
Hobbies with special interests concerned |
in the exploitation OF certain real estate |
or other property interests through Con-
gress. Giving the people of the District
an election. altogether aside from the
advantage of Delegate in Congress. /
would well afford an opportunity for
the formulation, in specific and distinct
form, of public issues effecting the Dis
trict and for their decision in the great
est of all tribunals, a general election by |
all the people.
This bill, while it only authorizes the
election of a delegate in Congress, con-
tains complete election machinery, so
that If hereafter II should be decided TO
extend the political privileges Of the
District, the election machinery will be
already provided therefor. The bill pro-
vides for a carefully worked out sys-
TEN of registration, sets forth the quail
fications of electors, and, what is per-
haps Of equal Importance as the cleo
ton of delegate, it provides by law for
d system OF party government placing 7
the several political parties in the hands
of the people who constitute their mem
bership. by enabling the membership OF
the party to elect under the regular
provisions Of the law their own precinct
committeeman, their own delegates to
national conventions, and giving the
people the right to declare for them
selves in a regular election their pre-
ference for the nomination for the Presi-
dency in the political party with which
they are affiliated"