Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-09
REFERENDUM
FOR WASHINGTON
Initiative, Referendum and Re-
call No Panacea for
National Ills.
GENERAL APATHYS ARMY
MILLIONS OF NON-VOTERS
The Republics Deadliest Foe to Be
Attacked. Routed and Dis
persed.
El,l"eia. CORRESPONDENCE uf The Star.
BY THEODORE w. MOVES

Editorial Corresl"ndence az The Star
BY THEODORE w. MOVES
Because the scope of application and
| the usefulness of the initiative. reieren-
dunn and recall have been exaggerated it
does not follow that they are of no value
whatsoever and should not be utilized at
all These devices are of the most
! value in the smallest political subdivi-
sions. where their effect corresponds to the
action of a town meeting. as in connec-
tion with city government. They are of
less value i'll the states and are hardly
claimed as Yet to be applicable at all ma
tlonally.
The initiative. referendum and recall
may also have valuable application as
supplements of representative govern
ment I'm special cases where public opin-
ion should be taken into account in leg
islation and administration, and where
the securing of that expression of public
sentiment through the ordinary forms of
representative government is denied by
the Constitution-for example. in the Dis
trict of Columbia. where Congress in act
ing for the people under the Constitution
should heed and give effect in local con-
Germs to local sentiment and yet is de-
prived of power to learn this public sem
from the District of all representative
elections and all elections of any kind.
These devices might in contingencies serve
a very useful purpose in securing express
sions of local public sentiment. to which
Congress, as exclusive legislature, might
respond.
Congress has on occasion in the past
adopted the referendum for the District
to the extent of permitting it's people to
vote upon some question vitality affecting
Rnnhanan'S admin
istration, in 1853, when the people of the
capital voted on a proposed code of laws.
Congress has not always needed these
expressions of local public sentiment
after they have been rendered. especially
in cases where it had not authorized the
election and where the corporate author
tiles had attempted to exercise the mi
tiative For instance, in JOhnsOn's ad-
ministration the President vetoed an act
of Congress affecting the District which
in its terms disregarded and reversed the
almost unanimous voice of the commun-
ity expressed in an unauthorized referen-
dunn vote, and Congress passed the law
over the Presidents veto. The act in
question established negro suffrage in the
District and in the local referendum vote
which preceded the Houses action it was
favored by only thirty-five votes in WASH
ngtOn and one in Georgetown. Presi-
dent JOhnson'S message yetoing this act
1860 is clear and interesting discussion
of the relation of Congress to the capital
and of the obligation of the Districts con-
stitutional legislature on American princi-
pies to heed and give effect to reason
able local sentiment and wishes.
Local Referendum and Recall.
AS long as the nation liz the Districts
multimillionaire citizen, by far the larg-
est property owner and quasi tax
payer in the capital it will not surrender
control of the tax-raising and tax-spend-
ing function in the District. and the eX-
elusive legislative power of Congress will
be maintained, and probably also the ap-
pointing power vested in the President. 1t
has been affirmed by several Presidents
and is generally conceded that all Amer
lean rights should be given to the Amer
leans in the District of Columbia which
are consistent with this full national con-
troll of the nations city. There would
be no interference with such control even
If the Americans in the District of Co
lumbia voted for President, or If the Dis
trict had representation in both houses of
the Congress which exercises this unlim-
tied national control. 1t is, however. gem
orally held that a constitutional amend
ment is necessary to enable the District
to be represented in the House, Senate
and electoral college: II this is conceded
there is practical denial of such repre-
sentatior for many years to come. With
out amending the Constitution ii is pos
Sible, however, for the prosressives of
all parties in Congress to experiment
upon the District with the initia-
tive, referendum and recall in man.
ner which will recognize some Amer
lean attributes in the Americans at
W ashington. and which Will promise
benefit rather than injury to the local
community. For instance. all three Com
missioners might be required to he APP
pointed from the District (as is now the
requirement in respect to the two civil
ians), and power of recall might then be
given to the District in respect to these
Commissioners, or any of them, such re-
call not being operative In itself. but ad-
dressed with powerful persuasive force
to the President. the appointing power
who would fill the vacancy caused by the
recall. With the Commissioners thus Sc
lected from the community and indirectly
responsible to ii, the power of initiating
local legisla ton and requiring a vote b.
Congress Oh such propositions. and Of
referendum to the limited extent of ad-
Vising infiuentially upon local bills com
pulSorily referred to them. might be vested
! in the Commissioners. The Commission
ers now have under the law bower OF
initiative in respect TO the local appro-
priation bill, and in practice other local
bills have been perfunctorily referred to
them by District committees for their
opinion: but the Commissioners are not
now responsible in any way to the local
community which they represent and
the power of recall in respect to them
even though exercised indirectly through
the President and subject to his Veto
could hardly fail TO he beneficial in its
effect. The President now has practical
~ absolute and unlimited power of recall
in respect to the Commissioners. which h,
would not lose if the community hai liz
addition the SugPt sted limited power oi
recall. which might on occasion require
him to name a successor to some fncum-
strong displeasure-
Possible Slight Help to Voter.