The Washington herald., 1913-12-07
Strong
FOR Home rule
National Popular Government
League Urges Suffrage
for District.
RESOLUTIONS ARE PASSED
Prof. Johnson Demonstrates Use Of
Preferential Ballot-Senator Owen
|, Elected President.

The National Popular Government
League. an organization made up oi
Senators, Representatives. and influential
political figures from all sections of the
country, went on record yesterday as
favoring local self-government for the
people of the District OF Columbia, with
the initiative, referendum. and recall.
Resolutions in advocacy, of franchise
for the people Of the District were passed
unanimously by the league at the closing
session of its annual convention al
Memorial Continental Hall last night
These resolutions were passed with many
members of the Senate and House sit
ting as delegates.
DR.. A. ]. McKelway. of the National
Child Labor Bureau, offered the resolu-
tions. which were cheered and immedi-
ately passed.
Chairman Frank Walsh, of the Federal
Industrial Commission, recently appoint
ed by the President to investigate the
causes Of Industrial unrest, made his first
appearance as a public speaker in Wash
ington. Secretary Bryan also was among
those who spoke.
SchooIhouse ns Forum.
Mr.. Walsh championed the use of the
public schoolhouses as a center for the
discussion of all public affairs by the
people.
He predicted the disappearance OF party
primaries In the United States with the
establishment of the schoolhouse as the
neighborhood forum OF political opinion
"the permanent primary"
Former Senator Obadiah Gardner, of
Maine, pledged the support Of the Ma
tional Grange to the league.
Prof Lewis Jerome johnson, of Har-
ward. demonstrated the use OF the pref
erentiaI ballot. with its voting columns
fcr first. second. and third choice by
holding an election for mayor" Senator
Owen got % first-choice votes, which was
less than a majority. but when the sec
ond choices were added to the firsts he
won with 30 votes. Senator La Toilette
was second. with a total OF 81 firsts and
seconds; Woodrow Wilson had d: Bryan,
"A; Roosevelt, Is: Clark. s: Folk, ::
O'Gorman. ., and Aldrich, none
Prof. Johnson urged this preferential
system in place of party primaries for
elections.
Incidents of the conference included de-
Of Senators Lodge of Masss-
Penrose of Pennsylvania, and
Smith of Maryland by various speakers
as defenders of special privilege and foes
Of free government
Woman Challenges Bryan.
secretary Bryan was CnallenRe0 on the
issue as he was leaving the
platform after a eulogy OF the prin-
ciple of popular government. Miss Helen
Todd, of California formerly State fac
tory inspector in Illinois, compelled him
10 answer her repeated question, How
about women-are not women people?"
Mr.. Bryan was much disturbed, but
stopped long enough to say solemnly:
Il have no doubt, madam. that in all
your work you are guided by your con-
science and your Judgment; have sought
10 be guided by mine"
The league proposes to organize a con-
.inuous campaign in and out of Con-
yress for the Gateway amendment"
making the Federal Constitution subject
20 easy amendment by popular vote.
Seven members of Congress pledged
themselves to work for an easier method
II amending the Federal Constitution.
They are: Crosser. of Ohio; Keating and
Of Colorado; Bryan, Of Wash
rgton; Kelly and Rupley. OF Pennsyl-
'ania. and Fitz Henry. Of Illinois.
A suffrage plea was made by Miss
Tanet Richards, of Washington. who de-
Jared that votes for women were a
,ecessary condition to the abolition of
white slavery and the promotion of
'Ocial justice.
Senator Robert L. Owen, of Oklahoma,
vas elected president, and Judson King.
f Washington, executive secretary.