The Washington herald., 1921-05-06
No anonymous cOmmunt-
cations will be printed in
the .Open Court column.
THE EDITOR.
OPPOSED TO BALLOT.

To the Editor. The Washington Herald:
The National Capital is a very
handsome city, destined to be the
finest and fairest in the world. The
Capitol edifice, the Treasury Depart
ment and the Interior Department,
perhaps better known as the Patent
once, are grand and splendid speci-
mems Of architecture. The Library of
Congress is the most beautiful struc-
ture on the continent. The streets
are ample in width, excellently
paved, and while not as clean as
they should be. yet they are the
cleanest any town in America can
boast. The park system is eXten-
tensive. and the day will come when
they will give radiant effulgence TO
the most charming capital in the
world.
And yet our people are not happy.
They are a-hungered and a-thirst
for the ballot. They have per-
suaded themselves that they are
slaves. They are convinced that the
rabble can purvey for US abler and
more honest governors than the
President and Senate. They long for
diminutive Tammanys in all the
four quarters of the town, domi-
mated by little political bosses, such
as rule scores of cities in the
States. They ignore the fact that
had the ballot and so corrupt was
the use made of it. that Congress
in disgust and in indignation took
the ballot away. since when Wash
ington has been the least ill-gov-,
erned town in our glorious Union.
Those who plead for a Mayor, Sc
lected by the bosses and elected by
the rabble, shed soft tears as they
bewail that the ballot is not given
the citizen of Washington to protect
his life and secure his liberty. 1t
sounds fine and arouses some folks
to frenzy: but there is nothing in
it. The law protects, and amply pro-
tects. the citizen of voteless Wash
ington in his life and liberty, and
life and liberty in Washington are
as safely guarded as in any city of
| the entire Union. We have courts
| of Justice. with grand and petis
| iuries lust as Baltimore has, and as
every other city has.
A city ought to be run as a bank
| is run. 1t is a business affalr, and
! there is no more reason for the
election of city officials by popular
vote than there is for the election
\ of hank officials by the ballot in
| the hands Of the rabble. i agree
| that the District of Columbia should
have at least one Representative In
| the national House of Representa-
| tives with a vote on all questions.
I lust as Maryland has, and that
Representative should be chosen pS
the people of the District Just as
| Representatives are CHOSEN ny tne
States. But there is a heap OF uil
ference between the government Vi
the United States and the govern
| ment of a city. The United s'ates AZ
government Is a political al1alr' me
! government of city ouSh' ~
| business enterprise.
The American people nave ,i
ed many wonderful and ekceilen
things; but So far as concerns -
government the Americans are uL'
most helpless blunderers any CIV
ilized people can show. Ihere oush
to be no more, politics IN Slt!
ernment than In the churcn' OF 'l
theater, or the hotel business v
1.-THE banking business. Yet IN eNer'
American city the government c
:, 1t is run by a political Tamman!
Hall. II in national AFFAIRS 'hf
town is Democratic, the hoss o
the town is a Democrat. II IL o.
Republican city, like Fh'laaei
phia, the boss is a Republican. An
so II was in Washington in lSI
when Congress wisely abollshe'
elections. Our city governmen
then was q national scandal, an