The Washington times., 1917-08-11
For the People and By the
People,
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Hearing Before District Commissioners Dyer Referendum b
Should Be Msde Impressive Occasion

The District Commissioners have been asked to grant
hearing the Dyer BILL which, if passed. would give the
people Of Washington opportunity to say in referendum
whether not they want the right to vote 1t would
also enable them say among other things whether they
want to their public utilities, which ownership
would better street service better telephone
vice, and cheaper electric light rates. 1t would give the
people, in other words opportunity to say whether they
want government to be conducted for them at present
under system of guardianship benevolent autocrac as
the within of Presidential appointment always make it.
whether they want do all redbOoded American citi-
zens, government by the people.
The fact that 100000 or more Americans must plead
for the right to vote free America IN itself hunat
ing commentary the boosted democracy of this country
but that the number should be denied the right to de-
clare their willingness unwingness to have the system
of government changed is unthnkab Yet unless the
pie of the District of Columbia manifest through public
meeting or demonstration their desire to have that reere
dunn set into operation it will go the way of reform
measures which have died in embryo heretofore.
So when the District Delegate Association, organiza
ton numbering between 10000 and 5000 members formed
secure the right of suffrage in the District asked the Com
mssoners give them the right to be heard in support OF
the Dyer bill which would gain in prestige if the CoTms
recommended it to Congress- they took wise and
timely STEP Roy ClaAin president of the association
speaks for the people of Washington when he In his
letter the Commissioners that he does not anticipate they
will "make adverse report any measure designed to
give the citizens of Washington official voice In their CIVIC
affairs"
The Dyer bill would be infinitely stronger, of course
from struck the provision which seeks to reopen the
liquor question in the District of Columbia. The merits OF
law in connection with which the peoples desire to express
themselves by referendum deliberately ignored really
have nothing Immediately to do with the broad questions OF
efgovernmen which the citizens of the District seek to
have settled It will avail the of District suffrage
nothing to have the Dyer bill pointed out by opponents
effort of the liquor dealers to perpetnate their trade In
Washington which is to end November l. the people
want repeal the prohibition law they will have oppor
tuny to do by pressing for separate Such
thing should be dealt with separately and not in conjunction
with the vital and necessary question of suffrage In
Congress- well among the people of the District the
Dyer bill would be popular it confined entirely
to the question of government
For after ALL the referendum is merely the exercise Of
privilege possessed by democratic communities from time
memoria-the privilege Of public petition guaranteed by
the Constitution of the United States Admittedly there
two sides to the suffrage question Some Washngtonians
conscentousy but mistakenly, oppose it. But that
minority surely would not object to the passage of bill
that simply would afford opportunity to determine whether
their point of is indeed, held by minority
majority If the people denied the right to express their
own wishes advisory way they denied the most
have been deprived of their sovereignty Strictly speaking
them they will continue to have little to do with the
choice of their rulers the people of Germany have with
the selection of their emperors.
Fundamental questions of political liberty are involved
in the attitude of the Federal and District Government
toward suffrage To reinforce their plea, the District Dele
gate Association should plan big demonstration at the
hearing when it granted Thousands OF people should be
exhorted to appear human argument on the merit OF
their cause Let the advocates of suffrage make impress
sive occasion