Evening star., 1921-11-15


| of the best governed cities In the
United States. It's officers are honest
and have the best interests OF the
people at heart. The dissatisfaction
in Washington is not on account or
it's local government. but because OF
the fact that the people are not rep
resented in that government and have
no voice in it's councils. With one ac-
cord they come to you now, asking
that they may have the right to vote
for presidential electors and for rep
resentatives in both branches of Con-
gress. They wish to be recognized as
citizens. with the rights that are at
tached to citizenship. The President
appoints their Commissioners. They
wish to vote for the officer that
names these Commissioners. Con-
gress is their legislative body. They
wish the right to have representatives
In that Congress.
All Want Representation. !,
In these urgent requests they are
all agreed. and among them there are
no dissenting views. Those who in
dorse the ,Poindexter bill do so, in
most instances. because they believe
II is the first step toward representa-
tfon in Congress and in the electoral
college and because they believe Con-
sresS VIII do nothing more for them.
ihose who advocate local self-govern-
ment and support the Capper bill are
equally anxious to secure the repre-
Sentation asked in the Jones bill. You
nave observed. l am sure, In the
statements which have been made in
favor of the Poindexter bill that none
OF them opposed the Jones bill The
people are seriously divided on the
adVlSabllity of the passage of the
Poindexter bill; but few advocated
the passage Of the Capper bill: but
all. of every class and condition of
our people. favor the Jones bill. If
you give Washington what it wants,
what 1t insists upon, what 1t believes
IN common justice it ought to receive.
bill"
Mr.: Lloyd said that the people
wanted representation because of
that inherent feeling in all Amer
leans that they should have a voice
IN government. The people, he con-
tinued. do not demand the granting
or these privileges simply because
other people have them. but because,
IN the light of present-day conditions.
IL is the right which, as American
citizens. they should be permitted to
enjoy.
The people here. he went on, want
to remain under the control of Con-
sress, but they want representation
in Congress. the same as state. The
executive and judicial branches of
the local government, but. he asked,
Why should not the people here have
voice in the selection of that Pres
ident and in the body which confirms
the appointments of its chief officers?
Not Asking Statehood.
II know how jealous the Senate is
Of its power" he said: II know with
what caution it, has considered the
various applications for statehood in
the past, but the people here are not
asking statehood; they do not want
IL; they are only asking representa-
ton in the Congress and the right to
vote for presidential electors.
II the Jones resolution is adopted
and the proposed constitutional
amendment ratified. Congress and the
executive Will yet have complete con-
troll Of the District, but the people
will enjoy that privilege which they
crave; that right which every Amer
lean covets: they will then enioy
that right which our revolutionary
fathers demanded from England-the
right of representation. They will
have that for which the revolutions
ary fathers fought.
The people come to you in no spirit
OF antagonism. They come with loyal
hearts. asking for that to which all
free people are entitled. in the conf
dent belief that if the Congress will
only seriously consider their plea on
sponse, and that is that the people of
the District shall be given the rights
which free men enjoy in all republics
the right of representation
The Declaration of Independence
asserted as a self-evident truth that
all governments derive their jus. pow
ers from the consent of the governed.
The people here, in all seriousness, ask
what powers have been granted to the
government by the consent of the gov
erned in the District of Columbia. 1t
is ruled absolutely by the will of Con-
people here have not, nor cannot, give
any consent to such governmtnt.
10000 Would-Be Voters in City.
Citing statistics as to the number
of potential voters here. Mr.. Lloyd
said that there are $4,000 people in
the employ Of the government, at least
half of whom have lost their residence
IN the states from which they came
1t is safe to say that there are $780,
600 bona fide residents of the District
of Columbia. of which number there
are at least 100000 of voting age and
have not the right of suffrage any,
where. It is for these 10000 voters
that the various organizations in the
District speak and for them they
make thlS urgent demand.
Pointing out that the only serious
objections urged to the Jones resolu-
ton was the character of the citizen
ship here, he said there can be no
question of the intelligence of the
District voters. He then gave a num-
ber of statistics showing that the per-
centage of illiteracy here was smaller
than for any state north. that the
percentage of paupers is smaller than
any state. and that the number Of
business failures is smaller. He cited
the fact also that the assessed value
of property per capita is greater here
than for any state by several hun
dred dollars.
Considering the District from the
standpoint of it's illiteracy, its fru-
gality. it's accumulated wealth or its
prosperity in business, 1t stands far
fact, from any standpoint the District
may be considered, its ability to cast
an intelligent ballot is the equal of
that of any of the states Of the
justifiable reflection on its .ihtelli-
gence. its business ability and its
patriotism to say. that 1t cannot be
trusted to vote for representatives in
Congress or for presidential electors"
Lauds District Citizens.
If the qualifications for voters, he
continued. are to be viewed from the
standpoint of morals. it is worthy of
note that in church affiliation. at
tendance at their services. support of
their institutions. it is not eaualed
by any city of 100000 population in
the United States. He lauded the
devotion of the District men who
served in the world war and the
manner in which it's citizens respond
ed to every loan drive to help win the
war.
1.-THE people are native-born Amer
leans. They speak the English lam
guage and they are in complete SYM
pathy with American ideals. Then
why fear their ability in the matter