The Washington herald., 1917-12-03
The Right to. Vote IN the District
By THE OBSERVER

Of the persons who resort 70 thir ar
gument, at least Wen. ~ they ala 20
they would do Just what more than
800 other Representatives IN Congress
are trying TO DO. Bezides. who win
contend that two House members from
the District and two Senators also
from here could 90 influence iegisla-
ton a. 70 dictate the courses Of ne
other 800 odd members7 n the ma
3ority OF ss7 membes In favor OF
those from out Of the District cannot
take care OF, themselves then we need
some such a grant a. this 70 show the
inadequacy Of our present system OF
electing men from over the country a.
large.
Eighth-Ths grants would entail a
greater cost upon the Federal govern
ment-and at q time when we want
TO keep down the cost Of national
government.
res. there might be q few more
salaries to pay. But the benefits 70
De derived would make up the amount
many times. Weighed against the
present plan Of government the pro-
posed plan would bring on an actual
saving in dollars and cents TO the Fed
eral government and to the people who
~ A~AN anu NlotC lHDOfs QlLEIAlN VI
Indirectly. keeps the Federal govern
ment alive. No sane man can contend
against the grants on this ground.
any more than he can contend that
because q surgeon who could save his
life by a high-priced operation. ana
thus allow him TO continue long In the
land TO make hundreds Of thousands
Of dollars for himself and his family.
should be refused admittance TO his
sick chamber and an inexperienced.
cheaper surgeon employed who could
not prevent his death.
Ninth-Nembers OF Congress, II the
grants were given, might be forced
to I've IN this city under conditions
which would be distasteful TO them In
a governmental way. It would be i'm
possible TO bring on such conditions
when Congress remains the city couna
ell of the District
Better, We say. IL II that ss1 mem
bers Of Congress should live where
they do not rule and are uncomfor-
table and where 161. 600 do rule and
are comfortable. than that 5s7 900 shall
not rule and are uncomfortable, and
the 81 members rule and thus make
themselves comfortable at the experke
Of the great majority.
Tenth-The movement for suffrage
in the District is q selfish one on
the part of the merchants Beside
that, II Is, linked with woman suf-
frage.
Neither guess is right The move
nlent here IL unselfsh. The people
who are urging Congress 70 give
them their rights include all classes.
|And IL that right is given them. ward
politics and cheap-john political ma
chimes and the like will not prevail
to an alarming or dominating eH-
tent As for the statement that wom-
an suffrage is concerned, that In not
true. There are woman suffragfsts
who advocate the cause, tits true,
but there are a multitude Of anti
suffragists in the number, as well.
The movement is related TO no other
movements. It stands on its own
merits. And the contention that the
movement is inaugurated now 90 as
to prepare a way for the return Of
the saloon TO Washington is wrong.
too. The movement for suffrage and
for representation Is organized 20
bring about those two changes and
nothing else.
Let Congressman and Senators now
arriving in the city for the forthcom-
ing session give their most careful
consideration to the cause and LEI
them consider IL on it's merits and
apart from any prejudice that is in
1ected by doubtful friends Of the
cause and by those who have been
Its enemies from the beginning.