The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-16
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKIN. Dlrecsor.
Washington, D. G.
THE VOTELEss CAPITAL CITY

forth that such a disaster would have
been far less likely to occur in a city
governed by responsible officials.
: In other cities government officials
are elected to office by the people,
land if they prove to be inefficient the
people have it in their power to elect
/ new ones. In Washington, the en-
I tire municipal government is in the
hands of federal officials who are oc-
cupied with affairs of nationwide in
terest. The selection of the commits
/ sioners of the District is one small
detail in the work of the president,
who may or may not thoroly under
stand the needs of the capital city.
| Whoever is appointed to office in the
district must be accepted by the peo-
pie.
So, in the talk of more rigid build
| ing inspection, renovation of old
buildings, compulsory removal of
snow from the sidewalks and roofs,
land other safeguards against another
disaster, there are also voices raised to
urge a more fundamental reform-a
responsible government for the dis
I trict.
Two bills and a resolution for =
constitutional amendment, all de-
signed to improve the lot of the cap
ital city, have for some time been
| before congress- Several senators
that one of these measures be passed
as memorial to the former con-
gresham and other residents OF
Washington who lost their lives in
! the knickerbocker disaster.
! The senate committee on the Dis
| trict of Columbia recently held hear
| ing on the three measures for enfran-
| chising the district, and it is believed
that one of the bills will be reported
/ out favorably.
Constitutional Amendment Proposed.
! OF the proposed measures, the con-
I 4 ses fI,a ouf
likely to win approval of congress. It
| would give the district two senators,
two representatives in Congress, based
! on population, and votes in the cleo
| toral college. Control of the city's
affairs by congress would be continued
| as before, but the people would have
representatives with voting powers to
back their interests in the capitol.
! Remembering the long and stormy
/ battles which put thru the woman suf-
frage and prohibition amendments, the
, adherents of district suffrage see little
/ hope for any amendments to the con-
stitution in the near future. 1t has
never been easy to amend that docu-
ment. and the controversies over pro-
hibition will lead congress to scrutin-
/ lie suggestions for changes more eau
tiously~ than ever before.
! Getting two-thirds of the members
, of both branches of congress to APP
! prove an amendment concerning a city
which few of them regard as home
7 would, it is realized, prove a difficult
undertaking. And getting three
| fourths of the states interested in rati-
j fyiuG such an amendment which seems
TO concern them only indirectly would
! be equally difficult. 1t is said that
! the ma iority OF senator and represen-
I satives firmly oppose the idea of CIV
! ing the capitol suffrage in this way.
! The advocates of freedom for the
I district, therefore. are pinning their
! hopes on the other measures. One of
/ these would give the district two dele
I gates in congress and almost complete
! self government The people would
( be allowed to elect the commissioners
| to direct the citys affairs, the board
! of education and the public utilities
/ commissioners. There is some senti-
ment in congress in favor of this wide
latitude for the district, but probably
not enough to insure passage
The most promising bill, so far as
enactment is concerned, is the least
liberal. 1t leaves congress in control
| of the city and allows the district peo-
PIE to elect one delegate to congress.
/ This official would be on a par with
/ the delegates from Hawaii, Porto
! Rico, Alaska and the Philippines. He
would have voice in congress, but
no vote
A voteless delegate is obviously. not
so desirable to q city as a full-fledged
representative! But the District of
Columbia has got to the point where it
will accept any measure that gives it
| munity.
Washington Aroused Slowly.
1t has taken Washington some time
| to beoarouSed to interest in this queS-
| ton. Any other city would have long
ago opposed the idea of having its at
| fairs administered for it by a body,
no single member of which was direct
y concerned in its welfare. But
! Washington has a large proportiQnTof
transient residents. The government
clerk, diplomat politician and army
and navy officer tend to regard life in
| Washington as a camping out expert
| ence. In the past few years, however,
business men and citizens associa-
! tons have succeeded in interesting
this casual population in the capitals
/ worries.
A few wealthy men who are inter
4 ested in banks, real estate and utilities
and who are powerful under the pres
/ emit system are said to be the main
stay of the opposition.
The need for a change in the gov
eminent of the capital is a common
! topic about the city. When the Dis
! trict' appropriation bill comes up, con-
gress is told how many schools are
| needed. Crowded conditions arc
pointed out. congressman are taken
] 10 see schoolroOmS with every desk
taken and children sitting in chairs
| too high for them or at the teachers
! desk. Perhaps the committee is SYM
pathetic, and pares down the request
! ed appropriation only a little But
/ somewhere between the committee
! and the presidents signature the.
! funds for adequate school accommo-
i dations are slashed so that conditions
Remain much as they~sere
Washington shrugs its shoulders
and remarks that it wouldn't happen
anywhere else. BIT of course con
/ gress, aside from a few members. pos
sibly, isn't vitality interested in the
/ District. and it is easy to economics
there.
rms goes on in every phase of
! Washington's government. The fire
chlef is now lamenting that he needs
a searchlight truck-should have had
one long ago. A powerful light thrown
on the Knickerbocker theater while
/ rescue work was feyerishly going on