Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-12

are not on parity with citizens of
states in the matter Of access to tn"
federal courts. Mr.. Brandenburg
cited another Illustration Of the un-
when he called attention to the fact
that District citizens in petitioning
Congress for their needs have not their
own legislative representatives to
whom they can go. 1t is necessary.
he showed. for the Washingtonian to
to obtain those things needed for
the development of Washington. and
in many instances. he asserted. the
state representatives are too busy
with affairs back home to give the at
tention to local matters that is re-
quired.
Taxation without representation is
going to stare this Congress and every
Congress in the face" declared MI.
BraDdenburg. We are coming back
to Congress after Congress until We
get what we are entitled to-
Voices Appeal.
Mr.. Brandenburg disclaimed any in
tention on the part of advocates of the
resolution to change the present local
form of government in the District.
He concluded with the plea that mas
much as suffrage has been granted to
women, and Washingtonians were the
only helpless people in the land with
respect to their political rights, Con-
gress should once more amend the Con-
stitution to Americanize all the people
and submit the amendment to the
states for ratification.
In an impassioned appeal Chaplin
Brown presented the resolution filed
for the Chamber of Commerce. He
said that this organization. repre-
senting at the present time HOO
business men. took up the suffrage
issue in 1914 and has been hammer
ing away on it ever since. The
acted on the matter favorably at
least half dozen times and that
sentiment back of the proposal was
unanimous.
Mr.. Brown also said that he had
presented the question of District
national representation TO the AS
sociation Of Oldest Inhabitants, which
had approved it unanimously
Asked by Representative Gard If
he thought there should be a quali-
fication for voting in the District.
Mr.. Brown replied that he personally
would favor small property qualifi-
cation, probably not to exceed 5000,
which would put the right of suf-
frage within the reach of every man
who earnestly desired to exercise his
rights as an American citizen.
1T is almost impossible to believe
establishing territory ten miles
square as the seat of government for
the nations capital intended that the
future residents of that territory
should not enjoy national representa-
ton the same as other Americans
eff every man and woman in
Washington were opposed to national
he continued, lit
would be the duty Of the states to
thrust enfranchisement upon them. II
ls an unsafe thing for Congress to
allow this city to exist under an alb
solute rule Of Congress without some
voice being allowed the people in the
forming Of the national laws which
govern them.
TT is dangerous to suggest that an
absolute despotism is better than q
representative government in this
country.
Although the people may be quiz
escent and not DESTROYS Of the bur-
dens of citizenship. it is the duty of
the people of the nation to say you
shall have it,
Columbus Presents Petition.
Charles J. Columbus presented the
resolution for the Merchants and