Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-07
IS FIRMLY OPPOSED
TOD. c. SUFFRAGE
Commissioner Gardiner Out
lines Views to Board of
Trade Committee.

Suffrage in the District of Columbia.
either national representation or the
vote for municipal officials. was OPP
posed by Commissioner ". Gwynn
Ga 6diner in speech last night at a
inner OF the public order committee
of the Board of Trade, held at the Ma
tional Hotel. To the very body which
has worked assiduously for national
representation the Commissioner ad-
dressed his maiden speech against the
project.
This is the first time I have ever
expressed my views on the sub!ect
publicly" said the Commissioner ana
l feel that my views will not meet
with the favor of the gentlemen here
and with large percentage OF the
residents. of the District of Columbia:
but 1 have always been in the habit OF
saying what l think and this is not the
time to mince words. I am unalter-
ably opposed to suffrage In the District
Of Columbia as long as the federal
government continues to be our bank
err. If I believed it was to the best in
terest of the District to have the vote.
l would vote with you and stand with
you. but l am going to stand against
suffrage as advocated by your board.
Residents Who Vote Elsewhere.
More tnan ~ per cent OIL tne "Hlte
residents OF the District of Column
bia have a voting place in some other
state, thus preventing them from rot-
ing in the District. Less than per
cent of the negro population of the
city votes elsewhere. and according to
reliable statistics the negro population
constitutes one-third of the population
of the District. Therefore. gentlemen,
I ask you. who will control the politics
of the District of Columbia? That is one
4 SUFFRAGE
the District.
Another is the matter Of public in
terest in municipal affairs. Do you
suppose that a man with legal voting
residence in Texas cares a great deal
about the local issues in the DISTRICT"
Increase of Police Pay Advocated.
Increases in the salaries of mem
bers of the police force were urged by
Commissioner Louis Brownlow rather
than expenditures necessary for the
erection of a central police headquar-
tiers near the municipal building. as
recommended in the annual report of
the superintendent of police. Letters
from the public order committee to
congressman will be sent in the hope
that these increases soon may be eff
fected.
THE large increase in the cost of
living hits the members of the police
force just as hard as any one else.
otneT employers nave Talseu tne sal
aries of their employees all along the
line. but the salaries of members of
the force. except for the 5 per cent in
crease given by Congress. remain the
same as they were three years ago. This
small increase is not enough to COM
bat the present cost of living.
Washington will never again be
merely pretty residential city" said
Commissioner Brownlow. II under
stand about $4,000 new residents have
come to the city since last April, and
/ believe that the larger percentage
Of them will stay. Washington is now
the capital of the world. the central
power plant of the war. Don't let any
Of us put sand on the tracks. Wash
ington must set up an example of pa
triotism which Will inf1ame the nation
with war fervor from end to end.