Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-02
BOTH SUFFRAGE AND
F-AND-HALF PLAN
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| ton in the selection of these most i'm
portant municipal officials.
The Initiative, referendum and recall
have perhaps their most valuable applica-
ton as supplements or In lieu of repre-
sentative government in special cases
where public opinion should be taken
into account in legislation and admins
tration. and where the securing Of that
expression of public sentiment through
the ordinary forms of representative gov
eminent is denied-for example, In the
District of Columbia, where Congress in
acting for the people under the Consti-
tuition should heed and give effect in To-
cal concerns to local sentiment and yet
is deprived of power to learn this public
sentiment in any conclusive way by ab-
sence from the District Of all representa-
tive elections and all elections of any
kind. These devices would thus serve at
the capital a very useful purpose in Sc
curing expressions of local public senti-
ment. 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 its people to
vote upon some question vitality affecting
their interests. as in Buchanan'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
fties had attempted to exercise the ini-
tiative. For instance, in Johnsons 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
ington and one in Georgetown. Presi
dent Johnsons message vetoing this act
1s66) is a clear and interesting discus
sion of the relation of Congress to the
capital and of the obligation of the Dis
trict'S constitutional legislature on Amer
lean principles to heed and give effect to
reasonable local sentiment and wishes.
Local Referendum and Recall.
AS long as the nation is the Districts
multimillionaire citizen, by far the larg-
est property owner and quasi taxpayer
in the capital, it is not likely to surrender
control of the tax-raising and tax-spend-
ing function in the District. and the ex
elusive legislative power of Congress VII
be maintained and probably also the APP
pointing power vested in the President.
1t is possible. however. for the progress
sives of all parties in Congress to expert
ment upon the District with the initia-
tive, referendum and recall in a man
lean attributes in the Americans at
Washington, and which will promise
benefit rather than injury to the local
community. For instance, al, three Com
missioners might be required to be ap-
pointed from the District Gas 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 adj
dressed with a 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 1t, the power of initiating
! Local legislation and requiring vote by
| Congress on such propositions. and of
referendum to the limited extent OF adj
| vising infiuentially upon local bills COM
| pulsorily referred to them, might be vest
ed in the Commissioners. The Commits
sioners now have under the law power
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 hard fail to be beneficial In its
effect. The President now has practical
| ly absolute and unlimited power Of recall
in respect to the Commissioners, which he
| would not lose if the community had in
addition the suggested limited power OF
recall. which might on occasion require
him to name a successor to some incum-
l IN ha6 n
strong displeasure.
D. c. Representation in Congress.
! Though Congress decides to reafirm
the half -and-half principle Of capital
| maintenance and to retain full leg
| islative control Of the nations city 1t
| should at once place the Americans
plane as other Americans In relation
| to the United States courts and with
the same representation in Congress
| and electoral college. In population.
District is at least on level with he
| average congressional district. and in
intelligent, progressive population 1t ex-
ceeds six of the states. The people of this
national taxes and lighting the ma
TONS battles as soldiers in time of war.
Congress should insist upon promptly
placing them upon the same plane as
other Americans, so Iar as Is consistent
with full control Of the capital by
Congress representing the nation.
President William Henry Harrison
wisely and justly suggested the prin-
ciple which we think should govern
| when he said: 1T is in this District
only where American citizens are to
be found who under a settled system
Of policy are deprived Of many i'm
portant political privileges without any
inspiring hope as to the future. Their
only consolation under circumstances
of such deprivation Is that Of the de-
! voted exterior guards Of a camp, that
safety within. Are there any Of their
icOuntrymen who would subject them
to greater sacrifices, to any other hn-
miliations than those essentially nee
their fellOvv-citisensf"
President Harrison's suggestion puts
the relation Of nation and capital on q