Evening star., 1923-02-20
DEBATE ON VOTES FOR DISTRICT
STIRS MONDAY EVENING CLUB
E. c. Brandenburg Opposes Leslie NJ. Shaw
Remarks Upholding Enfranchise-
ment Plea Find Response.

menC Flca T.
The Monday Evening Club was en-
livened by q debate on the subject.
should the Residents OF Washington
Be Enfranchised? at the meeting Of
the organization held last night at
the Cosmos Club. e. c. Brandenburg
Of the Washington Board Of Trade
upheld the affirmative, while Leslie
NJ. Shaw. former Secretary of the
Treasury, upheld the negative.
No Decision Given.
There were no judges and so no
dent from the sentiment Of members
OF the club, when discussion from
the floor was called for. that the club
was overwhelmingly in favor Of ma
tonal representation for the District
OF Columbia
MIR. Rrandenburg opened his argu-
ment by, taking exception to a
sentence in the program of the even
ing announcing the debate. The
sentence read: There are those who
believe that the people of Washing
ton are fortunate in that they are
spared the task Of government"
Incumbent Upon Few.
dIl uot u Dc put tHS
class of shirkers." Nr. Brandenburg
said. II have the same rights and
l ought to have the same rights as
any citizen in the United States. Until
eight years ago I was one of those
who thought the District was get
covered how it was we got what we
do, how it was incumbent upon a
few men to hunt around and find
senator's and representatives to get
what the District needed.
'Is 1t right-do you know any good
reason why the men here should not
have the right to vote?" he queried.
Attacking the proposition to allow
the District a delegate in Congress.
MI Brandenburg said that delegate
would be about as much good to the
District of Columbia as an appendix
to the human anatomy"
Says voteiess Man IL yalueIess.
"A man who would go on the floor
as delegate, with no power to vote.
isn't any use whatsoever" he con-
tinued. "A delegate is the most dan
gerous thing we could have. If you
once get delegate you'll never get
a representative"
Answering the question Are we
entitled to national representation? ?"
Mr.. Brandenburg quoted figures to
show that in 1910 the population Of
the District was larger than that of
SIX states and that in 1920 1t was
larger than that OF seven, and within
a small per cent OF the populations of
two other states, so that the pop lla-
| ton here is really equivalent to that
! of each of nine states.
Millions In Taxes,
Many people in the states think that
the federal government feeds and
clothes u.s." Mr.. Brandenburg said,
declaring that in 1918 the District
Int noJ =
| miscellaneous taxes to the tune of
| $l2,S62.000, and in 1919 the sum of
| $lS.645,053. This tax, he said. was
greater than the tax of North Dakota,
New Mexico. Nevada, Wyoming and
vermont The District pays more in
| federal taxes. he declared, than any
| one of fifteen states.
| Ihere is no good reason why we
| should not have the right to vote for
| electors for President and Vice Presi-
! dent. MIR. Brandenburg. asserted
touching upon the question of the
colored population. the speaker de-
1 clared that this part Of the popula
| ton here will come nearer meeting
| the requirements of citizenship than
many other citizens of this country
| The question of right is not in
yolved, was the opening shot of Mr.
| Shaw. THE Congress of the United
| States acquired this District with the
! distinct agreement that it should con-
tFOl IL. IL mas the rlSnI COntrOl
No man has the right to vote in the
District because the Constitution for
| bids 1t.
'"The United States Of America made
this city," continued Mr.. Shaw. The
| people Of Detroit made Detroit. The
you ought to do Is go to Congress and
ask them to make this city the won
| derful city 1t ought to be. If you
| want an appropriation. start at the
right place-the budget bureau.
/ A Mecca, He Says.
IF the people outside knew how
/ little taxes you pay. you couldn't
dpaW up titles Ties to endo lots fast sRSugh
mecca. this is! You have only the
| federal tax here. while In the states
they have both federal and state
| taxes"
Mr.. Shaw declared that in twenty
had grown from 5OS.OO0 to $4,000
! people, or A per cent increase; its
| budget had increased 583 per cent,
from ss,ooo.ooo to s56.ooo.oo0. and its
per cent. Detroit. he declared, had
grown in population, from 2s5.0o0 to
| $4,000, its budget. from $4.00o.000 to
/ $68,00O.O00, or 1900 per cent, Its rate
| Of Of. ta'.aS taxation . from ON, II to 22 mills.
population of 900 to $4,000, it's
! budget, from s6.000,OO0 to $4,000, 900,
| it's rate of taxation, from IL mills to
! 16h mills. Buffalo, he asserted. had
| increased its population, 43 per cent;
! it's budget, from 100000 to $1S,000,-
| 900, its rate Of taxation, from II to
81 mills.
! Says Tax Has Decreased.
| The population OF the District. Mr.
| Shaw said. had grown in the same
! time, 81 per cent; its budget, from
/ $9,000,000 to $22.000,000. or IA per
| cent and its tax rate has decreased
IF the people of the United States
knew this is the place to come to, :
the speaker asserted, they would
come by the millions. This city has
the best government in the world. II
! is the cleanest city, has the bes,
| society, is the most economical!
managed, and will remain SO until
| you get suffrage.
! "Then the colored man, and tn,
| government clerk-who is notabl.
| without experience in affairs Of thi!
kind-will give you the worst city IL
the world. The good conditions will
continue until you are so foolish as tt
get the franchise.
Scores "the Highbrows."
"The people Of the United State!
will never turn their city over tc
you," continued Mr.. Shaw. He de
clared that "highbrows and people O
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