The Washington herald., 1913-09-20
MACKENzIEGIVES
SUFFRAGE VIEWS
Member Of Suffrage League
Discusses Measures Pend
ing in Congress.
EARLY ELECTION URGED
Proposed Referendum Should Take
Place at Earliest Possible Date,
1t Is Urged.

The introduction of the Tsvenner bill,
providing for an official referendum vote
on questions relating to the form Of
District government, has aroused great
deal of discussion on the general sub
iect of suffrage and local self-goVern-
ment
William d. Mackenzie, who is care
full student OF District problems and who
is a well-known member OF the District
Suffrage League. said yesterday:
The Tayenner bill was introduced at
the psychological moment 1t has at
tracted a great deal OF newspaper notice,
beginning with the scoop in Thursday
Herald. This bill will at least serve as
a reminder TO the District people that
the present situation demands something
more than a bill for District delegate
coupled with a stringent property quali-
fication for suffrage.
Delay Meets Opposition.
'"rhe District Delegate Association is
quoted by The Herald as fayoring the
principle of the Tavenner bill, but the
Spokesman for that organization sug-
rests that the proposed referendum
questions be submitted to the District
voters in the fail of 1914. when 1t is eX-
pected that the first election Of Dis
trict delegate will be held. or in the PHI
mary elections preliminary thereto
In my Judgment, the proposed refer-
endum, II II Is to be held at all, should
take place at the earliest practicable
date. in view Of the fact that early IN
the next session Of Congress. Judge
Prouty, of Iowa, will introduce a Dill
| for District self-gOvernment. and tnat
another bill may be introduced by Chair
nf the House IlEtTlEI
Committee.
THE purpose OF the referendum pro-
| posed in the Tavenner bill, is to permit
the District people TO submit their rec
| concentrations and express their prefer
ence before Congress takes action on
any of the proposed measures for the
lbetterment of political conditions in the
| District. and the proposed referendum
should, therefore, not be postponed, as
suggested by the District Delegate Asso-
| citation.
zone OF the criticisms leveled at the
Tavenner bin is that the proposed ref
erendum would create a vast amount OF
additional work for the District Com
missioners. II the critics will examine
the bill printed copies of which are now
available, they will discover that the
| Commissioners are relieved from routlhe
! work in connection with the referendum,
as the bill provides for the appointment
by the commissioners Of board OF
three referendum officers, who will make
all necessary arrangements for the REF
erendum and carry them into execution
| subject only to general supervision on
| the part of the Commissioners.
Effective Suffrage Wanted.
| "Wbatsver NAV he the fate of the
Tavenner bill, the District delegate bill
which has been introduced by Senator
! Poindexter. has several Objectionable
features. II sets up an antiquated party
| system. which is liable 10 be used here
as elsewhere. TO pave the va, for ol
partisan political machine which VII
block popular control. The District peo
pie do not want TO vote merely for th'
fun OF drc ping slips OF paper into
ballot box. They want effective Suffrage
and that means suffrage re-enforced b!
the initiative. referendum, and recall
There is some reason TO fear that II tn
District delegate bill is enacted into Law
in its present form IN advance of othe
legislation its machinery would be useC
| by certain special interests to defeat IN
! peopIe's measures which are essential &
real. popular control in municipal sf
fairs.
In the fall of 1872 the District Suf
frage League took a straw vote, whicl
showed that nearly 81 per cent of thos
voting favored suffrage and local self
government The league now is conf
dent that II Congress will authorize al
official referendum, after proper publicit!
and free discussion. a large majority o
n the ! 'idents OF the District will go oil
record as demanding a modern and dem
Ocratic form OF government, with repre-
sentation in Congress and municipal af
fairs Sc. ured by equal suffrage for mel
and women and by those modern safe
guards of demOcracy-the initiative, ref
erendum, and recall"