The Washington times., 1917-02-22
URGE CAMPAIGN FOR
DISTRICT SUFFRAGE
Oregon Senator and Kansas
Congressman Pledge Support
to That Cause.

Strong pleas for suffrage in the
District were voiced by Senator Cham
berlain OF Oregon. and Congressman
Phillip Campbell of Kansas in ad
dresses last night before more than
800 members of the Washington Board
of Trade, who packed the small ball
room of the Willard to overflowing,
and applauded vociferously when each
speaker pledged his support to the
people OF Washington in their fight
for representation in Congress.
Members of the House and Senate
are so busy looking after the interests
of their own constituencies, Senator
Chamberlain said, that they pay no
attention to the needs of the District.
The one way to get representation, he
declared, is to keep hammering away
at Congress.
Cites Example of West.
"You are entitled to this represen-
tation, and you are entitled to have
some one speak for you on the floors
of the House and Senate" Senator
IL yOu "AAA ohAg
clamor for 1t as the people of the
West do for their rights. there is not
any fear in my mind as to what the
resultwill be ehere-Congress will even
tually yield to the demands of an In
telligent citizenship"
Congressman Campbell pointed to
the fact that the United states ID
larger, richer and more powerful TO-
day than the founders of the republlc
ever dreamed 1t would be, land yet,
said he, when II comes to legislation
for the National Capital, you would
think we had a country that was
stricken with poverty and in penury'
legislating for a lot of mendicants
when matters concerning the home
of the Government are at issue"
Referring to the question of taxa
tion in Washington, Mr.. Campbell said
that the District Commissioners
should impose every tax that is borne
by the people. The Commissioners
should say how much taxes should be
raised by the people of Washington"
Mr.. Campbell declared, "and then the
Federal Government should come
along and make 1t a '1fty-fifty' propo-
sition on top of that without asking
questions"
Raps Intangible Property Tax.
Under existing conditions Washing
ton is nothing more than a legislative
experiment station, Mr.. Campbell said.
"You cannot make great city and
at the same time have an experiment
station for untried laws. These laws
should be tried out In communities
where the people have the right to
vote"
Ono ~ the rnore recent exnerfments
the speaker said. was the intangible
property tax, which he described as
most unjust to the people OF Wash
ington. This Is the kind of expert
ment that would not be tried on the
people of Oregon or Kansas" Mr..
Campbell said. There would be such
a howl, IL a thing like this were at
tempted, that Legislators would not
dare to do it,
Dr. James S. Montgomery. pastor of
Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church, |
spoke of the present international
situation and the possibility OF this
country becoming embroiled in the
war.
Pointing. TO a large American flag
which draped a picture OF George
Washington, Immediately back of
President Brandenburg's seat on the
platform, Odell S. Smith said: "our |
boys are coming back from Mexico |
who left their homes to fight for that |
flag Many of them are out of jobs, |
and il any of you here tonight know |
of positions, l ask you to consider |
them"
Gen. william f. Harvey also made |
a plea for assistance for the return
ing guardsmen who are out of posi-
tions.
President Rrandenburg added, at
the close Of General Harvey's plea, |
that he hoped every member of the |
board would appoint himself a COM
mittee of one to do all in his power |
for the returning guardsmen.
Wants Citizen Teachers.
At the business session reports from |
standing committees were read. They |
included the annual report of the COM |
mittee on charities and corrections, |
of which Louis a. Dent is chairman; |
the annual report of the committee |
on transportation, Charles Francis |
Wood. chairman, and a special report |
from the same committee, and reports |
Of the public health committee, DIR. d. |
Percy Hickling, chairman, and the |
committee on universities, Charles |
Ray Dean, chairman.
Chairman Fred 4. Fenning sub |
mitted a special report from the |
committee on public schools. and on |
his recommendation the board |
adopted a resolution providing that |
no person shall be employed in the |
public schools of the District who is |
not a citizen OF the United States, or |
who has not declared his intention of |