Evening star., 1926-04-20
VOTELESS DISTRICT
CITIZENS PRESENT
SUFFRAGE PETITION
Representation in Congress
and Electoral College Asked
by Amendment.
PRINCIPLES OF COUNTRY'S
FOUNDERS REAFFIRMED
Plea Made by Joint Committee,
Acting for Representatives of
Half Million People.

The petition of half million citizens
of Washington that they be granted
their rights to a vote and voice il
both branches of Congress and in th'
electoral college. with rights in Tho
Federal courts enjoyed by the seVera
States. was forcefully presented at {
hearing today before the House judici
cry committee on "A resolution proNid
ing for a constitutional amendment
. granting suffrage to residents of the
District of Columbia, fathered by Rep
resentative l.. c. Dyer of Missouri.
The petition presented is as follows
Your petitioners, the Citizens
Joint Committee on National Repre-
sentation for the District of Colum
bia and the presidents of Its con
stitutent and cooperating organlZa
tionS, whose names are SUBSCRIBED
below, hereby reafflrm the principles
previously announced by the found
ers of our republic that taxation
without representation is tyranny,
that governments derive their just
bowers from the consent of the gov
rrned. and in order that govern
ment Of the people, by the people ant
Sfur the people may become an accom-
plished fact for all the people Of the
nlteu states Respectfully lcpiC
sent:
Half Million Disfranchised.
That nearly one-half million to
tally disfranchised people of the Dis
trict of Columbia who obey national
Jaws, pay more national taxes than
many of the States; who oversub
Scribed every wartime found-includ
ing the Red Cross ana all Liberty
bond issues; who supplied to the
Army and Navy Of the United States
nearly $4,000 men in the World Wan
"A larger number than any one OF
seven of the States-and who are now
living under an anomalous condition In
which they have no voice in the Ma
tional Government. are entitled to
representation in Congress and in the
Electoral College, with access to the
Federal Courts upon the same terms
as those enjoyed by other citizens
of the Republic.
I'VE, therefore, respectfully petit
tion the adoption of S. J. r. and II.
j. r. POS. proposing in identical terms
a constitutional amendment empow-
ering Congress to grant TO residents
of the District of Columbia repre-
Sentation in House. Senate and cleo
toral college. with the same rights be-
fore the Federal courts as are enjoy
ed by the residents of the States
Organizations Represented.
These organizations OF citizens were
represented on the petition as fol
lows: Theodore w. Noyes, chairman.
Citizens Joint Committee on the Dis
4rict of Columbia National Representa-
tion.
J. Harry Cunningham, president of
the Board of Trade.
NJ. A. Leese, president Of the Cham
ber Of Commerce.
of Commerce.
Jesse c. Suter, president of the Fed
grafton of Citizens Associations.
Mrs George Alfred Kicker. president
Of the District of Columbia League
of Woman Voters.
Clarence Cooper. president, Central
Labor Union.
r. p. Andrews, president of the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Associa-
tion.
Dorsey w. Hyde, jr, president,
Nonday Evening Club.
John Lewis Smith, president of the
J;ar Association.
Anton Stephan, president, the City
Club.
Theodore w. Noyes, president, AS
Fociation of Oldest Inhabitants.
William Nick Clayton, president,
District Delegates Association.
Evan II. Tucker, president, North
cast Washington Citizens Association.
Clarence +. DOnOhOe. president of
the Washington Real Estate Board
J. A. Martin. president of the Ad.
Nertising Club of Washington.
Mrs. Burnita Shelton Matthews.
president of the Women's Bar AS
sociation.
Mrs. George f. Stevens president
sNf l,,h
Dr. a. Frances Foye. president of
the Women's City Club.
Mrs Virginia White Speel presi.
dent of the Federation of Women's
Clubs.
Anna f. Hendley. president of the
Anthony League.
Charles NJ. Emmons. NJ. D.. presi
dent of the East Washington Citizens
Association.
David Sanger. president Ct the AS.
Eociated Retail Credit Men of Wash
ington.
Don't Change Relationship.
The principal speech in behalf of
the Citizens Joint Committee was
made by +. c. Brandenburg, who en-
phRsiZed that ratification by the
States of such an amendment as is
proposed to the Constitution will in
no wise affect or change the relation
of the District with the Federal Gov
ernment.
There is no design or plan to
change ihe form of the local govern
nent." he told the committee. He
allied the attention of the committee
10 the fact that the lack of repre-
Sentation in Congress has been per
:sistently discussed by the Presidents
nf the United States since the ad-
ministration of Monroe in 1918. as
we'll as by the people resident at
The seat of Government. who have
now reached the impressive total of
500, 900 petitioners to be American
lied
Mr.. Brandenburg pointed out the
claims for national representation
based on population, on Federal
taxes paid into the Treasury greater
than a number of States, on contri-
button of troops. on sale of Liberty
bonds, on postal revenues. He dis
russed the disadvantage to which
residents of Washington are placed
because they have not equal rights
with citizens of other States in the
United States courts. lie explained
Row voting representation in House
and Senate is necessary to protect
the interests of the District taXpay
ers.
Mr.. BrandenburG submitted for the
record Of the hearing a copy Of q