Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-01
Referendum Benefits,


benefit the people of Washington, not
only by Strengthening observance of the
just principle which bases local legisla-
ton upon local public opinion, but also
by demonstrating the political strength
of the capital community and thereby
e1pediting the grant to it by eonstitu.
tional amendment of representation in
Congress and the electoral college
The District is seeking to demonstrate
the strength. the intelligence and the
resources of the American community
collected at the capital. This demon
stration is essential to the speedy en-
actment of constitutional amendment
giving the Americans of Washington
American voting representation in Con-
gress and the electoral college. Such a
demonstration will assure to the District
Immediately greater legislative consid-
Grafton from Congress, even if the con-
stitutional amendment is not quickly
adopted.
That the District may enjoy the maxi
mum of this benefit it is essential that
the full vote of the capital community
as it exists today shall be developed.
The referendum law should therefore be
so worded as to insure this full repre-
sentative vote, including women as we'll
as men, and including government
clerks and our workingmen in public
and private employ, whether they do or
do not vote on state and national issues
in some state. There is nothing in prin-
ciple in this participation in an advisory
municipal vote as residents in the
unique "Ten Miles Square" to affect in
any way whatever legal residence in a
state and the voting privilege which ac-
companies it.
If the referendum law is so worded
that all District residents may without
disadvantage vote under it, the vital
nature of the moral and material issue
involved IN liquor referendum will
guarantee heavy and representative
vote at the polls of the 100000 Ameri-
cans of the District of Columbia.
The voting constituency disclosed by
such vote would cause the District to
rank, numerically, morally, Intellectual
ly and materially, we'll up in the list of
small states and to surpass number Of
them. The last national census (1910)
shows that the District exceeds in popu-
iation six of the states. In valuation Of
realty for local taxes it makes a remark
able showing in comparison with the
states and other much larger cities. In
national taxes like internal revenue
taxes, including the excise, corporation
and individual income taxes, the District
contributed more than twenty-five Of
the states, and the per capita con-
tribution of the Washingtonian was
greater than that of the citizens of
thirty-six of the states.
The argument for full and adequate
national representation for such com
muaity and not merely for the mockery
of the tender of voteless, negligible,
almost impotent delegate in the House
would be irresistible. For the fact
would be made plain land in no other
way would this demonstration be pos
sible) that our business and profess
sional men, the educational, scientific,
literary and artistic elements of our
population, our workingmen in public
and private employ, our government
clerks and other government employees,
our winter residents in process Of con-
version into Washingtonians combine
to constitute one Of the strongest, most
intelligent. most public-spirited and
most American communities in the re-
public.