El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-17

r,rppFSFvTATTvE JOHN N GARNER Of Texas is not
X a had sort by any means Really, he Is very good
eogressman he lines up the night side OF public ques
tons OF what he believes to be the right SIDE and none
his constituents complain that he IS not on the JOB
u need arises for looking out for the best interests OF
Texas and Texans.
hus MT Garner has pressed various departments vgor
ouslv for the lifting Of restrictions on the Mexican Deoef
in the matter Of commerce and passports He has repre-
sented the shippers Of goods from Mexico II ther protest
against the costly umgadOn order Of the department OF
agriculture And he is working the war department
for the construction Of Brownsville Yuma military nigh
way with barbed wire fence accompaniment wren PoIeC
rsnresents an estimated expenditure OF about elOOJJ
He has pushed this matter through the vaous strata OF
department officials until now ne mas II alsl ulS
+ eve Of the general staff and Of secretary Baker and
doubtless he viii his utmost to prevail upon those top
t officials TO give their endorsement Then It gets
into the army appropriation bill he vii campaign Tor II In
committee and the floor Of congress- one takes ior
granted.
Other Texas representatives supposedly much IN
teested as Mr. Garner forwarding the interests Of Texas
but he Is either doing work IN the departments or get
ting publicity In these days sometimes II IS dIcut
distinguish between good Work ana goou
However Mr Garner has helped put the modification
of the passport and labor immigration regulations and IS
undoubtedly working other things TO better border con-
But now and then the best of men, running true to form
and by the clock 90 days out OF hundred, fly of on
tangent, and Mr.. Garner has Just done that.
Recently there has been quite revival Of the agitation
fr the emancipation of the residents Of the District Of
Columbia When 1t comes to voting the women OF ATerica
nonsurage states have II all over me people OF lne
capital district for the women know very well they VIII
be eufraucsed sooner later while the District Of Colu
residents have little hope Of getting vote. There
Is no particular reason why they should be allowed to
vote matters relating exclusively to the district but
they are thus allowed Congress does their thinking
for them shapes their desnies accordingly so Tar as
legislation concerned There to be sure some arg-
uts against allowing the District Of Columbia people the
ballot such the statement that most OF the property
affected By legislation N the district oeiongs 70 te "Oe
nation should be saeguarded appropriately By the co-
gress, which represents the nation.
At this point comes in Mr. Garner Of Texas He says
The satisfied with their
status under the constitution he offer simple remedy
He would the capital Of the United States to the
geographical center Of the United States he would put II
some place IN the Mississippi valley have Maryland re
annex the District Of Columbia and thus settle the vote ag
taOn while placing congress and the departments OF the
government IN central location where they would oe me
focal point for the eyes Of all their counten instead Of
hiding out in the semsecusion Of Washington with Its
rarfied political atmosphere.
Not only that but it is M Gamers idea that federal
zone should established the geographical center Of
the country and that all the land within that zone should
be the property Of the goFeent and have connection
whatever with any state be held by any individual
Under his Plan only government ott1cas departmental
employees and members Of congress would be permitted to
1--we within the federal zone, save for few merchants and
professional necessary to for the physical require
ents Of the federal residents This would Of course bar
mere citizens from acquiring those home and other property
relationships within the district which have been at the bot
tom Of much Of the agitation in Washington
No visitors would Be allowed within the unless pro
vded with permits from the proper authorities stating the
mission that ipeled them to visit the capital Thus lobby
lists would be cut off at the neck Also unfortunately the
business one OF lhe
little acquaintance OF influence woudhave hard time to
get through the gate.
Mr. Garner would have the federal zone controlled BY
commission appointed by the president and confirmed by the
senate The capitol building and other public buildings to
be constructed in this governmental Utopia would be the
very last word IN modern architecture the ensemble
would be In architectural and structural harmony
The Texas Congressman not the only member Of that
BODY who favors the transfer Of the capital elsewhere
Plagued BY real estate boomers to put up buildings
with the nations money and reduce the districts
hared by holduP in the guise Of hoelkeepers and
adespeope and necessarily urged to find some wav to let
the DsIcttes vote small wonder that the notion Of NOV
ing the capital pops into the head possible solution Of
existing difficulties.
But the plan is not feasible. It Is visionary In the e-
IRENE And far M Gamers dream is concerned II
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