Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-24
BUSINESS MEN ASK
VOTE FOR DISTRICT
Members of Chamber of Com
merce Appear Before Sen-
ate Subcommittee.
SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE
CHAMBERLAIN RESOLUTION
Chaplin Brown, Theodore W. Noyes
and A. Leftwich Sinclair
Testify.

With the declaration that the
citizens OF the District are Il unit
in their wish for the right OF fran
chise so far as the election OF SEN
ators and representatives and
members OF the electoral college
is concerned, a committee OF the
Chamber of Commerce appeared
today before the subcommittee on
judiciary OF the Senate District
committee in favor of the Cham
berlain resolution for a constit,.-
tional amendment looking to such
an end.
The committee. which consist
ed of Chaplin Brown. Theodore
w. Moves and \. Leftwich Sim
clair. told the Senate committee
that, disregarding all differences
of opinion as to forms OF local
government for the District. the
great body of thinking men OF
the District would support this
amendment.
Unanimity for Resolution.
Roy c. Claflin and William Nick. Clay
ton. representing the District Delegate
Association, who attended the hearing
to speak in support of the Poindexter
District delegate bill, which would give
the District a delegate in the House.
though without the power to vote. bore
out the statements of members of the
Chamber of Commerce committee, to
the effect that there was practical una :
nimity in favor of the Chamberlain
resolution. They were advocating also
the Poindexter bill. they said, because
they wished to have the benefit of a
delegate while working for the consti-
tutional amendments.
All the time Of the hearing today was
occupied by the Chamber OF Commerce
committee. and the announcement was
made at the close Of the hearing that
another day would be set for hearing Mr..
Claf1in and Mr.. Clayton and also Senator
Poindexter. who was present today. on
the delegate bill. II is considered prob
able also that further hearing will be
given on the Chamberlain resolution.
Mr.. Noyes was the first to be heard.
He pointed out to the committee that
the proposed constitutional amend
ment does not propose the admission
of the District of Columbia as a SOW
ereign state: that it does not propose
any change in the fiscal relations ex-
isting between the District and the
federal government: that it does not
lessen in any way the control over the
federal District by Congress. nor does
it propose any change in the municipal
government Of the District
Vote in Other Capital Cities.
Mr.. Noyes pointed out that the capital
cities of the world. in all nations,
where the people have "a representative
government. give to their residents
the right of national representation.
He said that in Argentina and other
South American countries the resi-
dents of their capitals have as a mat
te- Of course been given the right of
full representation in the national gov
ernnent.
rs the United States less devoted to
the principles q. representative govern
ment?" asked Mr.. Noycs. THE peopIe
Of the Distr,ce snouid be given full rep
resentation IN Congress. The American
citizen residing in the District should en-
JOY every American right ard privilege
OF its capital"
"A Il. Woodward in 1901 first sup-
gested a constitutional amendment sub
,Continued an EiFta.n.L D.