The Washington herald., 1916-11-14
FRANCHISE FOR
DISTRICT URGED
Board of Trade Hears Its
Presidents Report.

Urging each member Of the Board a
Trade to constitute himself q special
committee to secure the franchise for
citizens Of the District OF Columbia, Pres
ident Edwin c. Brandenburg addressed
that body at its annual meeting at the
New Willard last night Decrytng any
change that would deprive Congress Of
its right and Jurisdiction over the Dis
trict President Brandenburg argued that
citizenship in the District should admit
TO the right to participate in the discus
sions regarding the Union as well as inn
posing the obligation OF contributing to-
ward its support with taxes and It's De-
fense with men.
The meeting was attended by more thai
500 members Of the Board of Trade
A resolution was introduced at the
meeting by Isaac Cans calling upon Con-
gress to advance by 25 per cent the SAL
aries now paid Federal department clerks
to enable them TO meet the demand for
necessities and commodities Of life that
have seen such a marked advance in
price during the last ten years
A report read by ]. Harry Cunningham.
secretary OF the Board OF Trade showed
the organization TO be on a sound finan-
cial base and noted an increase Of s3s in
membership. bringing the total up to
,43 members.
A wave OF applause greeted Mr. Bran
denburgs declaration that:
Taxation without representation has
always been obnoxious to the American
mind, and as the city has developed ana
the demands increased, so has the desire
TO participate through representation in
Congress in the affairs OF the Union
President E2--aF DO,
measures passed by the last Congress.
declaring they were inequitable and un-
necessary and were passed as riders 10
appropriation bills without granting hear
ings TO representatives from the Distr q
Interested in or affected by them. They
were also passed, he said. without recon-
mendation by the District Commission
ers.
Hits BOrland Amendment.
Among these he included the Borland
amendment assessing owners OF abuttinz
property for improvements of streets to
the center Of the roadway. the tax on in
tangible property and the charging Of
rent for space occupied under sidewalks.
He condemned generally as unjust and
irregular in analysis the practice by Con-
gress Of passing legislation by tacling il
as riders onto appropriation bills
Speaking OF the adjustment OF fiscal
retauOIs between the lDstrict and Fed
eral governments. he said a special COM
mittee OF the Board OF Trade had been
! able TO show that the per CAPITA taxes
OF the District as well as otherwise are
In excess Of many cities eqlIsi In size
and population. and that the citizens Of
the District were not mere mendicRnts."
He stated this will set at rest once and
for all the important question Of the
amount to be contributed by the govern
ment toward District affairs in return for
what il has and does receive.
The following board OF directors vas
elected following the meeting: Cuno II.
Rudolph. Charles F. Crane. William T.
Galliher, Edward F. Colladay, John B.
Larner. E. C. Graham. H. Clifford Bangs.
Walter c. Clephane. Z. J. Murphy. and
Walter H. Klopfer.
The directors will meet next Monday
afternoon at Ais O'Clock in the Board
OF Trade rooms to elect officers for the
coming year. The Offices to be filed are
president, two vice presidents. a secre-
tary, a general counsel a treasurer and
an assistant secretary. So far no can
didates for the offices have been declared,
and II is not known how many OF the
officers will run for reelection.