Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-29


a population that would entitle 1t to
ask admission as a state If 1t were
upon the footing Of an ordinary terri
tory. The number of persons to be
House Of Representatives is, according
to the last apportionment 212.407. One
representative in the House, and one, at
least. in the Senate. should be granted
the District
This arrangement is found to be equita-
BILE when the population and growth OF
The several states are considered. The
District. with 331 .o69 population, by the
surpassed in numbers Nevada. s1.s75:
Wyoming, 1896: Delaware, 2O2, 322; Ari-
IONA, 20s.34: Idaho. 325, 1894, and New
Mexico. sol. Vermont. a55.a58. and
Montana, 37G.o5s, are in the same class
with 1t. and New Hampshire. 43O572, and
Rhode Island. 542.61o with vermont),
will probably in the future be exceeded
by 1t in population, in view Of the COM
parative rate of increase and other con-
siderations.
National Representation for District.
Much Of what said in 1888 in a Star
article concerning national representation
Tor washington is as applicable today as
It was twenty-six years ago.
Retaining exclusive Jurisdiction, Con-
grees may propose a constitutional
amendment giving the District represen-
tation In the bodies which legislate for
1t and tax 1t, voice as to the Presi-
dent, who is to appoint the Commits
sioners to manage its local affairs, and
in general, except as to the privilege Of
choosing town or county officers, to place
the residents Of tho District upon the
same footing as the citizens Of the sew
erai states.
The adoption Of this plan by Con-
gress would be compromise between
granting only local. qualified suffrage
and conserving to absolute seif-sovsrn-
ment, which involves a surrender Of ma
uonal control over the capital. The
wisdom OF this course 10 sustained by
all the arguments which 90 to show
that the constitutional power Of "sx-
elusive legislation" by Congress should
not be hastily yielded, and also by those
which maintain that taxation without rep
fore the law should not be allowed to ex-
ist. The District would be placed in cer-
tain respects on a level with the states
Taxed like them, it would have. like
them. voice in the disposition Of the
general taxes. It would not, however,
stand upon precisely the same footing
with them, for the states are subordinat-
ed to tho general government only in
certain defined particulars, whereas the
District would be subordinate in all re-
spects. This inferiority would be indi-
Gated. 1t has been suggested, by giving
the District one instead Of two senators.
and by corresponding reduction in its
electoral vote. Enjoying representation in
Congress and participation in the choice
Of the President. who appoints local off,
GERS. Washington would resemble In its
municipal government city which. after
voting for the governor and legislature Of
state. is managed by commission ap-
pointed by the former and approved by
the latter. Under this plan the sug-
gestions made in respect TO the duty
Of members Of Congress as the exclusive
legislators for the capital would still be
applicable; the present financial arrange
Inents between the District and the gen.
era1 government would be maintained:
the expensive transportation Of Office
holding voters to the states. from Maine
to Florida and from New York to Cali
fornia. would. after the abolition Of the
Office apportionment system. be avoided;
the rights of residents of the District. as
American citizens. would be recognized
In a manner which would inflict the
smallest possible injury upon the inter-
ests Of the city as capital of the United
States. and this body of national terri
tory with all its patriotic associations
would be preserved to the Union.
Changes in Municipal Government.
II at the time Of giving the District
the substantial representation suggested
1t should also be decided that Congress
can manage the minor concerns Of the
District more satisfactorily by modifying
In details the present form Of municipal
government. such changes may then be
conveniently made. But every alteration
should be based upon a full recognition,
first. of the absolute necessity of a re-
tentfon by the general government of
such representation in and control of
the management of city affairs as will en-
able 1t to protect its vast interests here;
second. of the frightfui warning from the
experience of other large cities against
recourse to unlimited popular suffrage
as a factor in the decision of purely mu-
niclpal and financial matters.
1t In conceded that the best method by
which Congress can regulate the capt.
tai Ms city may vary somewhat In de-
tails. with altering circumstances, hut
there Is no urgent present necessity for
pOrtnnt question In, Shall not the people
OF the District. who now largely exceed
the numper of persons represented by
each member of the HOuse. be admitted
to the Union ms citizens of a quasi
state, and be granted represent alton in
the national legislature and the privi-
lege of voting for Pendent without
disput1nE for the present the prOpOsi-
ton, proved absurd by experience. that
they do not need, citizens of the
District, distinct repr<sentatiO In Con-
gress ms n local legislature because
they are represented in that capacity
by all senators and representatives, do
they not. AZ citizens of the United
states, assembIed In sufficient numbers
In a limited space and paying national
taxes, require representation in the
body which impOses and disi,urseS
these taxes:
The people of Washington do not
wish an unlimited elective franchise in
municipal concerns or a repeal of the
exclusive legislation" clause. with a
tween the city and the United States.
and many of them in view of the
dangers to be faced in the discussion
by Congress of changes of any descrip-
ton in the present government. will
continue to favor q o-nothinE policy
on the part of Congress. which was
unquestionab1y Wisest as long as the
fixed population of the District not in
government employ. was insufficient to
entitle 1t to representative in Con-
gross. These citizens VIII doubtless.
for the reason suggested. hesitate to
ask the additional rights to be secured
by this constitutional amendment.
Hut while the asking and granting OF
these rights may be ln various ways
re asOnably delayed. they can not he In
definitely postponed. Though repre-
sent alton In their national and local
legislature, WHICH atone makes laws
for them aud faxes them. aud may
send every IMAM Of them to wnr to he
'. oupsled or killed. he denied to the
1000 District residents OF the prcs-
ent. will the same denial he given to
the hnlf-misitOu OF the near future,
or ." the prospective mtsltop. tossars,
~ bicb 0EVre % q goal the DistrIct's
population is prcsslnSs"