The Washington herald., 1916-04-26
A Just Appeal for RECOGNITION.

All Washington should unite in supnort of
the recommendation of the Board of Trade OF
an amendment to the Constitution of the United
States which shall give to the people Of the
District of Columbia the rights of the people
OF State in relation to Congress, the Electoral
College and the courts of the United States Not
single sound argument can be advanced %1bv
the inhabitants of the District now numbering
more than $4,000, should be doomed to a status
inferior to that of aliens, without voice in
the government of the country though contribut-
ing their full share of taxes for its supnort
While the law makes provision for the alien to
gain the rights of citizenship at present the
resident OF the District may only envy the
stranger from another county who lands upon
our shores the prospect that the future holds
tor him. AS suggested in the report unani
mously adopted by the Board of Trade If couId
only have been through oversight or uninten
uonal omission that the authors of the Consti
tuition tailed to make provision for the political
and legal rights of the people who make their
homes in the District of Columbia 1t could
never have been intended to doom forever to
the status of mere tax-paying voiceless subjects
the thousands OF Americans who it was clearly
foreseen would occupy the territory set anart for
the seat of the national government,
1t seems strange that so MANY wears shouId
have elapsed without a concerted and dets-r,i,,.d
cnort being made by the residents of the Dis
Ilct 10 nave their rights recognized and proner
provision made for the exercise of them Com |
gress would scarcely have resisted a serious de-
uiand properly presented at any time in the last
score OF years or more when the popuIation Of
the District has exceeded that of several of the
States Now that two such influential and rem
resentatVe organizations as the Board of Trad.
and Chamber of Commerce have moved for The
of the citizens success NAV
surely be counted upon if the people as a whole
will lend their aid.
The report of its special comnitte. or n.
status OF residents of the District of
Columbia which the Board of Tad. .nth,.;
astcally approved gives evidenc. of . tbororsh
study OF the legal and technical reou;ren,entsI
necessary to achieve the desired end and &c :,
every respect an admirable document II CON-
HinS JUST hint OF apprehension lest delav or
oPpoSiuon be encountered in Congress- bptI
surety II IS without justification Congress- can II
iot lah 10 appreciate the justice of what is asked
'nu II IS olnicult to conceive of grounds rnon
which opposition can be based. The cIa;rr Isl
he people of the District is entitled n rsroon;
ION without dissent in Senate or House. and a..
ne question Is submitted to the legislatures of
ne states prompt approval of proposal tba, is {
80 upon inc fundamental principle of Ameri- I
On government may confidently be relied uoor
80, an alternative to granting the District /.
senatorial representation. through the const;t I
ion direct the Board of Trade suggests that !
congress be empowered to grant such rsn-a. Q
entation when in its judgment the cond;t;ons ?
nntfng the District to this status and This -
esentation have been met" 'ep-
1t may well be hoped that Congress will ~.
eem it necessary to adopt such an aIterr.,;,.
nd mat IT will authorize the submission of ~ C
mendment to the Constitution that shall - Il
onditionaily confer upon the citizens ~ - s
district the right to full representation in
re- House and Electoral College and b.for. R
ne courts of the United States lo
"a