Evening star., 1921-12-10
voteIess District Delegate Of
Dubious Value as Forerun-.
ner Of Real Representation t It. Q ]
and HurtfuI as Substitute.
Without Constitutional Amend
ment, No Possibility Of vot-
ing Representation.
THEODORE w. MOVES.

The actual measurable benefits to be
derived from a voteless territorial dele
gate are, as we have seen, very re-
stricted. even IL such delegate is in
tended to be used in good faith as the
helpful forerunner Of voting representa- :
the voteless territorial delegate In rEla:
tion to the winning Of genuine national
representation to counter-balance these
meager benefits? What are the condi-
torial delegate project hurtful to the
campaign for national representation
through constitutional amendment, even
when the territorial delegate project is
pushed in good faith to help this cam
paign?
1. Voteless delegate leEialation ex-
poses the District to the risk that
many Legislators will treat 1t n sat.
isfaction in full Of the Distriet'a
claim to real national fePFeseAta-
tiOn, will use assent to 1t a. 4 pre-
text for shelving or rejecting genuine
the District through constitutional
amendments or will treat this grant
of somethine negligible and almost
worthless ~ q pretext for sinking Ol
repudIatinE leEislative responsibility
in respect to the capital. The imme-
gate, coupled with the suggestion OF
the grant of real representation later;
thus involves the danger that many
congressman will treat the grant OF
a voteless territorial delegate. almost
impotent, as satisfaction in full OF
resentation to the capital community
as a natural result of which pro-
cedure the constitutional amendment
may be shelved and . .voteless dele.
gate In one house may become ths
permanent substitute for adequate
e.
Dangers From voteless Delegate.
2. By causing District election
before anything worth while is to be
voted for, it would expose the District
to the risk that the capitals voting
constituency will be minimized on
the showing made at such an elec-
ton, and that the meager voting ex-
hibit at such an election will be used
by those who are hostile to real rep
resentation to prove that the District
constituency is unfit for national
representation.
Many of US believe that the real test
Of what shall be granted ir national
representation to the District is found
in the national opinion concerning
the quality anu extent OI Tic SAcS-
torate, the voting constituency here
Many Of US think that when the quail
ity Of that electorate Is put to the
test it should be under conditions
which will give us the full beneht OF
all that is valuable in the present
makeup of our capital community
that will attract as voters in fhe Dis.
trict practically all the hfgh-grade
Americans residing voluntarily In the
capital. Those of such Americans who
enjoy the voting privilege in the ma
tional elections in the states will be
slow, many Of them, to surrender thai
right merely to vote for q svoteles.
territorial delegate, when they wouic
surrender readily that right II they
might vote in the District as in :
state for senators, representatives ane
presidential electors. 3
warning Of Territorial Experience.
Moreover, voting for q voteless, al.
most inpotent delegate in the House
win tend to disclose by the results oi
the election the political and partisan
status or leanfngs Of the District
After this disclosure is made the ter
ritory seeking admission to statehood
whatever its population and dresources