Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-03
URGE HOME RULE
FOR THE DISTRICT
Senator CIapp and Represent
alive Cary Cite Need of
Change.
Government SHOULD
NOT DODGE OBLIGATION

(! WI 0O0N1 O011OVI WV
Minnesota Legislator Upholds Half
and-Half Plan Before Northwest.
Citizens Association.
| Home rule for the District of Column
bia has friend and advocate In Sena-
tor Moses E. Clapp OF Minnesota, and
| also In Representative William j.
Cary of Wisconsin, a member of the
House committee on the District OF
Columbia. Both declared their convic-
tions at meeting Of the Citizens
Northwest Suburban Association. which
they addressed last night, In Masonic
Hall, TenIeytown.
Every community is dominated by Its
electorate. or in the absence OF an
electorate by a small clique OF in
fiuential, wealthy men with special in
| terests in some part Of the community.
Senator Clapp declared. He would
rather trust his interests to the electo-
rate than to any such clique of men.
| The people should have q voice in
| this government, he said, and without
the national government lodging any
Of its obligation to pay It's proper
Capital The federal government. he
said. has no right to put the burden on
the people who have surrendered
their rights.
/ The people Of the nation at large, he
said. have no idea and would not enter
| tain the thought that their contributions
| to make this the greatest capital city In
the world We're resting upon the surren-
der of citizenship by the people of the
District OF Columbia.
For Half-and-Half Plan.
| Government by dictation" ne desig-
mated the method of administering the
affairs Of the District Of Columbia. He
declared he would no more impose a gov
ernment upon the District Of Columbia
| without the consent of its people than he
would take away their government with
out their consent. Regarding the half
and-half plan of dividing expenses be-
tween the national government and the
| taxpayers of the District of Columbia, he
insisted that the government should right
eously adhere to its part OF the compact;
he could see no reason why playground
appropriations should be exclusively
charged against the people OF the District
OF Columbia any more than any other
rational expenditure for the District of
Columbia.
Washington is a peculiar city, he said,
commenting upon some OF the many idio-
met his eye. There are more blunders,
considering it as the capital OF the nation.
than in any city he has ever known or
seen. he said.
Urges More Conscience.
| He urged that there be more con-
science injected into the administra ton
of the government Of the District OF
| Columbia. The people OF the United
States, he gave assurance, are ready to
| spend their money to make this the
| first capital on earth, but there must
be something more than marble for
their money. or there would not be the
same willingness forever.
Congress-. he declared, is anxious to
properly represent the District OF Colum-
bit. But it is no more than human
strongest force applied to them. The
electorate, he said, Is always the strong
est force In any community, and where
there is electorate. the suburbs are as
is there that the voter dwells. In the
absence Of the electorate in the District
Of Columbia, business and aristocratic
interests are apt to direct the greatest
force against the legislators.
Senator Clapp. said that his views coin
cided with those expressed by Senator
Clapp. He was In favor Of having the
members Of the District Of Columbia
committees OF Congress selected from
residents of cities as large or larger
than Washington. The country congress-
man, he said. had no appreciation or ex-
perience OF the needs OF the National
Capital.
Of the District Of Columbia remember
who are their friends on the District
Of Columbia committees and back them
In their own congressional districts.
when the time came that their re-
election might be threatened. He ad-
vocated direct vote for Commission
ers by the people Of the District OF
Columbia He urged citizens and their
associations to come to him with their
grievances. now that he is ranking
member Of the House committee.
Points Out Their Duty.
Their duty to tho National Capital
was pointed out to the members of
Congress by Louis p. Shoemaker in
the course of an argument In support
Of a resolution presented by him. pro-
testing against what he considered q
violation Of the organic act Of us.
The charge Of an appropriation for
Fairgrounds exclusively against the
revenues of the District OF Columbia.
| as proposed In pending legislation. he
regarded as a breach Of faith and q
violation Of the agreement Of the gov
eminent to pay half the expenses of
the administration.
The Commissioners Of the District Of
Columbia were charged with ''qutbbling''
| by DR.. J. w. Chappell. With 100000
| for country roads at their disposition. he
| could not understand why they should in
| sist that Congress must provide appro-
| priation for street Improvement, justified
| by conditions. +. r. RObey also COM
| planned against the failure to improve
ouilt-up streets. declaring he lived on a
pairs obtainable. no sidewalks, no asphalt,
| no letter box. no electric lighting.
4 resolution presented by II. w. Wal
| ter was adopted, declaring that streets
had been donated to the District of Co
| lumbia with the expectancy that they
| would be graded and improved. SO that
sidewalks could be laid and houses built
| and urging the Commissioners to see to
| it. and include estimates In the annual
| budget, as Congress has so far failed to
| act.
Other Resolutions Approved.
| Approval was given in resolution Offer
| ed by F. F. Robey Of the proposed law
| providing for suspension Of traffic during
professions on highways. Another reso-
| luton. offered by j. T. Allison. proposed
| the use of public schools as civic centers.
Prompt action by tho Commissioners
| in laying a promised sidewalk on 4lst
street from FeSSenden to Garrison