The Washington times., 1927-03-22
Important District Legislation
In the Next Congress

Senator Arthur Capper as chairman the Senate District
COMMITTEE believes that important District legislation VIII
next session Of Congress
The Kansas Senator earnestly and honestly favorable to the
desires Of Washington people, places these measures as on the
slate for action in Congress:
constitutional amendment giving District people the
right to elect Senator's and Representatives
proportion to population as well as the right to vote for
President and Vice President.
2 The right of District people to elect Board of
Education
s. The expansion Of the pubclibrary system, SO that
all the people of Washington may have library facilities
accessible to them
A Merger of the local street railways
The session Congress will be long one and if that
body doesn its time playing politics. preliminary the
next presidential and congressional elections the weghty Dis
tct measures mentioned may have chance of passage
suffrage viii be welcomed The fight for District suffrage
could be in the hands Of ADLER than
the Kansas Senator
II the Senate should pass bill providing for amend
ent to the Constitution its passage by the House would be
almost certain The Senate has heretofore stood in the way
constitutional suffrage The Senator'S from the large States
Of the country opposed the District having United
States Senator's Their is apparent New York had
100000 people in 1890 with TWO Senator's Twelve
small States Of the country had far less than that number Of
people and yet have TWENTYFoUR United States Senators
The District Columbia has citizens than
Of these small States put together Our total population is
about 100000 Senators from the big States sore
being outyoted and their States denied their true
eentation in the Senate.
The Senate may sanction constitutional amendment which
would give one Senator but it probably will
ton two for the District One Senator would suffice give
the representation need in Congress to protect in
terests there.
Just why should have the right to elect Board of
Education and not District Commissioners is not quite
clear.
merger Of street railways should have been made
long ago. when would have been beneficial the companies
and to the public The street railway companies however
ready for it, and they have prevented the passage Of
any merger measure.
Senator Capper has given long and careful study the
street railway situation here He will learn he has not al
readv done So that Congress will not be allowed to
merger legislation UNTIL IT IS TO THE BEST INTERESTS
or THE RAILWAY COMPANIES TO HAVE TT PASSED.
When that time may not be to the best interests
of the public to have merger Merger legislation which has
the backing Of the railways should be regarded with suspicion
by the public which should not forget that the merger should
have been accomplished years for the welfare Of both the
street railways and the public
The O. r. Of the street railways for merger will
nothing more less than that the powers then in control Of
these public utilities ready for cean up for their
benefit with the carding public eliminated from cOndera
ton That Of merger will be based upon financial
derations pure and simple with big stockholders in the
elon that will be gotten ready for the cutting the little
stockholders and the public being nothing but onlooker