Evening star., 1916-04-14

the residents of the District upon the
same footing as the citizens Of the sew
era1 states. The District
would be placed in certain respects
on a level with the states. Taxed
| like them. it would have, like them, a
voice in the disposition of the general
| taxes. 1t would not. however, stand upon
precisely the same footing with them,
general government only in certain de-
fined particulars, whereas the District
would be subordinate in all respects. This
inferiority would be indicated, it has been
suggested, by giving the District one in
stead of two senators, and by corre-
spending reduction in it's electoral vote.
! Enjoying representation in Congress and
participation in the choice of the Presi-
dent. who appoints local officers, Wash
ington would resemble in it's 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
ments between the District and the gem
eral 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
the rights of the residents of the District
as American citizens would be recog-
nlZed in a manner which would inf1ict
the smallest possible injury upon the in
terests OF the city as capital of the
United States, and this body of national
territory with all it's patriotic associa-
lions would be preserved to the Union.
1T is conceded that the best method
by which Congress can regulate the
n in
details. with altering circumstances,
but there is no urgent present neces
s1ty for change in this respect. The
more important question is, Shall not
the people of the District, who now
largely exceed the number of persons
represented by each member of the
House, be admitted to the Union as
citizens of q quasi-state and be granted
representation in the national legisla-
ture and the privilege of voting for
President" Without disputing for the
present the proposition, proved absurd
by experience, that they do not need, as
citizens Of the District, distinct repre-
sentat1on in Congress as local legis-
lature. because they are represented in
that capacity by all senators and repre-
sentatives. do they not, as citizens of
the United States. assembled in suffi-
clent numbers in a limited space and
paying national taxes. require repre-
sentation in the body which imposes
and disburses these taxes?
while the asking and granting of
these rights may be in various ways
reasona bly, delayed. they cannot be in
definitely postponed. Though repre-
sentation in their national and local
legislature, which alone makes laws for
them and taxes them, and may send
every man of them to war to be wound
ed or killed. be denied to the 225,000
District residents of the present IsSS),
viii the same denial be given to the
half-million of the near future, or TO
the prospective million, toward which
hgure as goal the Districts popula-
tion is pressing?"