Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-06

IL
right to vote for President and repre-
sentatives in Congress and enjoy the
rights which are now had by all other
American citizens.
Thinks Law Will Be Farce.
If the Sheppard bill is enacted into
law without giving the citizens OF the
District a chance to register their stand
either for or against it by means OF
referendum vote, it's enforcement Will
not be supported by the people OF the
District and the law will become a
farce, according to a statement maze
by former Gov. ONeal.
eff the Sheppard bill becomes a law,
the people of the District will be calle1
upon to enforce it," he said You Will
be called upon to serve on grand ana
petit juries, before which cases grow
ing out of arrests made in connection
with the law will be brought.
But remember that no jury is strons-
err than public sentiment, and If the
bill is forced upon you without your
consent, without first giving you an
opportunity to say whether you want
it or not. it will not receive the sup
port of the people.
Gov. O'Neal said he believes the Su-
preme Court of the United states woui9
find many portions Of the proposed q
Sheppard law unconstitutional II IL Is
ever brought to test
THE bill ignores some of the funda-
mentals of common law; it changes
rules of evidence that have STOOD me
tests of years. 1t actually changes the
universally accepted theory that a man
is innocent until proven guilty.
Gov O'Neal came out strongly in OPP
position to the Anti-Saioon League or
America and its practices. He told OF
TT1dn r.
wood has been condemned in his state
by anti-sa loonists because he INTRO
duced a bill providing for a referendum
vote to settle the prohibition question
in the District of Columbia. Contrast
ing government by the people of the
District and that by the national Con-
gress, he said:
IF evil exists, cannot local govern,
ment correct 1t better than central
body which was created to handle ma
tional affairs and not those Whlcn df 9
purely local?"
Time Now to Protest.
TT seems to me that we of the DIS
trict are being treated as If we were
inmates of St Elizabeth said Mgr.
Russell in his address.
well, then, fellow inmates of this
national institution for disfranchlsed
Americans called Washington. l sub
nit that it is time to protest
at is readily conceivable that. this
being the National Capital, there are
national interests to be safeguarded
At the same time it is 1nconcelVapie
that these national interests cannot De
safeguarded without wholly disfran-
chising our people.
I'VE should have the right to decide
purely local issues and an emo snoulo
be put to the prostitution OF our local
offices to the political ambition of those
who have nothing at stake in the DIS
trict of Columbia.
1T is said that we are better OIL
without the right to decide our own
affairs. If this is true. may 1t not be
urged as an argument against our
whole republican form of government!
If the citizens of the District of Co
lumbia. who are. at least as intelll-
gent as those of the average American
voice in their own local government.
why should not the citizens of Boston,
New York and Philadelphia be better
off without a vote?
THE people of the District have hith-
erto been frightened by ghoSt-this
ghost is not white. but black. 1t is
said that the negroes would rule the
District if We had a vote. Let us face
the issue squarely. l contend that every
man who has property interests in the
District sufficient to make him re-
sponsible should have a voice in the
District. whether he be white or black.
Baltimore, Richmond and New Orleans
have large colored populations. yet
they are able to settle their own in
ternal affairs without difficulty, and 1
contend that we can do the same
Our present form of government in
Washington is not only unreasonable.
but ridiculous Let me illustrate. Mr..
"A" is elected to Congress from some
far-oH western state. He has not in his
whole constituency single city as
large as Washington. He remains long
enough on the District committee to
become it's senior member. He forth
with becomes chairman of the commit
tee. Then a certain number of his con-
stituents write him that he ought to
introduce a bill in favor of some radi-
cal measure like prohibition. the pre-
cfntion of smoking or the enforcing of
a grape-juce law. Now, our congress
man from the faraWay west. Mr.. "A"
would not dare to advocate such a
measure a home. because he would be
sure to meet defeat, yet, to win the
votes of certain small number in his
own state who wish to force such leg
islation on US, he complies with their
request-he tries it on the dog"
Views of Rev. DR.. Simon.