The Washington times., 1923-01-26
A Workable Plan for Suffrage
for Washington
1t Would Give Us Delegate in Congress and the Right
to Elect Our Own Commissioners.

of suffrage for the voteless citizens of Columbia
that the House District Committee considering the
ducon and support of bill that will permit direct election
Of civilian District Commissioners the receiving the
largest popular vote be chairman of Board Of Commits
sioners and delegate Of the District in Congress
This would be long step toward the Amercansaon Of
nearly 100000 people who voteles nonenes with
absolutely political rights semiciviized
people of Borneo.
It is also good that Congressman REED who may
be chairman of the District Committee in the next House,
Congressman BLANToN and Others confident that such
bill would be favorably received by the House.
In the simplest possible FORM inviting
attack and complication the bill should give every intelligent
citizen of the District the right to for four civilian
Commissioners Of the District who, with the Engineer
missioner named by the President should constitute Board
Of District Commissioners two Of the civilian Commissioners
with the Engineer Commissioner to constitute the Public
Utilities Commission The the four civilian
Commissioners to membership the Public Utilities Commits
on could be agreed upon among chairman of the
District Commissioners who would also be the delegate in
Congress- and the spokesman in that body both the Com
mssoners and the people of the District should
member Of the Public Utilities Commission inasmuch as
all Of his time would be taken up municipal and Con-
gressional duties
The main objection election of delegate in Con-
from the District that delegate might not be Of
1alth majority District
missoner appointed by the President might not act
in harmony with the Commissioners would be con-
fict and friction which would disadvantage Of
the District in ways This possibility which should
be avoided possible and bring about complete harmony
between the delegate and the Commissioners the plan of elect
ing the municipal rulers of District been proposed
is simple workable plan which if loaded down with
various amendments changing different laws ought to
receive the wholeheared support of Congress and Will
of
District.
of such law not interfere in the least
with the continuation Of efforts to have Constitutional
amendment adopted that will give the right to vote for
President and Vice President Senators and congressman
The adoption Of such amendment however is
long way off, off most of us will be dead
when is put through Besides nothing the local
self scheme nimica broader suffrage rights
so soon as we can get Congress to give them.
Washington people show sense and get the
best obtanable at this time in the way Of suffrage rights
Is suicidal folly to block all suffrage legislation plan that
is at present little than rainbow The people of the
District in this suffrage plea much in the position of the
beggar They cannot dictate Congress they
have GOT to have We must accept the half
get whole one
The election of four Commissioners instead of two
or three proposed for several elected
and to be delegate Congress- will leave entirely
too much work the remaining civilian and
the Engineer Commissioner who would be swamped with
municipal functions besides having Public Utilities
Commissioners three civilian Commissioners are elected
and the Engineer Commissioner retains would the right
Of equal vote with them that would tie vote on MANY
things possible deadlock important matters -Four
civilian and the Engineer Commissioner would
make an ideal body of five with tie impossible and the
majority ruling
There is plenty of work for additional Commissioners
and the extra salaries would be drop in the bucket
The salaries would be paid funds and should be
at the least $500 year each.
Should the House Committee adopt proposed new plan
look out for nsou undetermined opposition The interests
OF all sorts which continually hope control affairs in
Washington will fight local self government elected Com
mssioners They prefer the old plan appointment by the
White House. Through political Vaccinations and pressure
they would like to work. they much easier and
smoother that than through officials elected by the people
Fortunately Commissioners have been corrunt
They have been outstanding Washngonians but thew
continually harassed by