The Washington times., 1917-02-14
WOMAN ASKS RIGHT
OF VOTE ON LIQUOR
Miss Mary 0'TooIe and John G.
Capers Appear Before
House Committee.
Continued from First PageD

| CONTINUED from First Page)
! believing that prohibition would
beneft the masses and react for the
good of the community generally, j
! would vote in favor OF it.
| Prohibition is an invasion of ones
personal liberty to eat, drink and be
merry: therefore. even to many who
favor its passage. it is unwelcome un-
less they and their neighbors have
voice in imposing il on the com
munity. We bow lightly to the rule
! OF the ma jority and gayly accept the
fortunes of the ballot box.
! IF prohibition is imposed by Con-
gress on the District without a refer
endum, there will not only be the in
vasion OF personal liberty in a des-
potic fashion. but property rights
will be impaired without due process
OF law, and it is quite possible that
such a measure would be declared un-
| constitutional.
However, ii is for the inherent
principle of a referendum that 1 am
here to argue-a referendum on every
question, prohibition, taxes, or what
not, anything and everything affect
| ing the rights OF the people of the
District of Columbia.
Some Of the Rights.
What are some of these rights?
A share in government: immunity
from the exercise of arbitrary power.
equality of taxation; freedom of re-
ligion. For rights such as these, :hn
masses, at various times. have stool
with their backs to the wall and de-
fed the ruling classes.
This is the right for which the
women of the country are contending
today, and in this they are on a par
with the people OF the District of
Columbia. We find in studying gov
ernments and history that human So
ciety is governed by two principles:
Obedience and independence. The his
| tory of Europe shows that the tend
ency is to obedience, which easily
/ leads to despotism. On the other hand,
independence carried to excess, leads
to anarchy.
Popular government is the happy
mean. II each has a part in making
the laws, each is stimulated to bear a
proper share in keeping the 1aw. Dis
satisfied minorities are always dan
gerous-as witness the recent rebel
| lion in ireland.
THE masses during the course of
the ages gained right after right. yet
anarchy has nowhere found a foot
hold, no place in the scheme of things.
Why? Because power and RESPONSE
bility go hand in hand. opportunity
evokes intelligence, power kindles
zeal. Trust the people and they will
quickly justify your trust has been
the watchword of those who carried
the torch of constitutional reform.
Offspring of Mass Meeting.
THE referendum is the offspring Of
the primitive mass meeting. and is .
mere retention by the sovereign peo-
pie Of certain important powers. 1t
IL IN the nature of a communicate
by the legislative body to the people
and their reply.
'Massachusetts in 1914 used II to
submit to the people the question OF
whether magistrates and Legislators
should be paid. New Hampshire.
Rhode Island, and Connecticut all set
tied by English-speaknig people. have
used il from the earliest times. In
1880 the Declaration of Independence
was submitted to the people by ref
erendum. Brookline, Mass. a city OF
1900 inhabitants. Is a notable eN-
ample of a model town under the ref
erendum.
Used In England.
"It is used in England today in
submitting such acts as the public
libraries act; for purchase or lease
of tramways, parish meetings and
the like. 1t is called the National
Veto and used to meet the conser-
vatism OF the house of lords. New
Zealand, Australia, and Canadian
cities use il.
Il have given this resume OF the
L.
that 1t is absurd for the people OF
the District to ask for the vote
people TO me meaning men and wo-
men.
Il want to point out that il is abb
surd that the people OF the District
do not have the vote. To the argu-
ment that 1t is against the Constitu-
tion / say that II so Congress should
lose no time in taking the necessary
action looking to the amendment of
the Constitution, for IL is an anomaI-
Gus and absurd situation to find the |
people, American citizens. in the capi. |
tai OF their country disfranchised |
The last stage will be I'VE knew IL |
all along
I'VE are not asking to run the Dis
trict exclusively. we are only asking |
a share in running 1t. II belongs to |
the United States? Very we'll. we
are citizens OF the United States. and |
want TO be on a par with the rest !
OF the United States and have a say
as to the laws which govern us.
Let US hasten the day when the |
District of Columbia shall have a |
new birth Of freedom by sharing in |
a government OF the people, by the |
people and for the people"