Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-12

which the District proposes to widen q
grade crossing, = short distance away, '
that vicinity want an improved Overpa
the District Of Columbia. In Madison's
time the population of the District of
Columbia was not yet aScertained, be-
cause when he wrote these words the
selection of the District had not yet
been determined. It was not until in
the 1870s that the District had q popu-
lation equal to q congressional district
and became entitled thereby to a voice
In national affairs.
I'm the year 1900, however, when the
Nation was so young that there had
been no territorial delegates and the
phrase delegate to the general legis-
lature' was equivalent to member Of
Congress- Representative Dennis Of
Maryland. speaking in the House of
Representatives. said:
IF 1t should be necessary the Con-
stitution might be so altered to give
delegate to the general legislature when
their numbers should become SUFFICIENT
"In 1918 President Monroe said:
BY the Constitution the power OF
legislation is exclusively vested in the
Congress of the United States. In the
exercise Of this power, in which the
people have no participation, Congress
legiSlates in all cases directly on the
local concerns of the District. AS this
is departure for a special purpose from
the general principles of our system, 1t
may merit consideration whether an
arrangement better adapted to the
principles Of our Government and to the
particular interests of the people may
~ fnta S,~
fringe the Constitution nor affect the
object which the provision in question
was intended to secure
Interests Much Neglected.
"In 1881 President jackson said:
1T was doubtless wise In the trainers
of our Constitution to place the people
of this District under the Jurisdiction
Of the general Government. But to
accomplish the objects they had in view
it is not necessary that this people
should be deprived of all the privileges
Of Self-government. Independently Of
the difhculty of inducing the repre-
sentatives of distant States to turn
their attention to projects of laws which
are not of the highest interest to their
constituents, they are not individually
nor in Congress collectively well quail
fed to legislate over the local con-
Germs Of this District. Consequently
its interests are much neglected and
the people are almost afraid to present
their grievances lest o body in which
feels little sympathy in their local re-
lationS should in its attempt to make
laws for them do more harm than
good
"In 1s41 President william Henry
Harrison said:
"'Are there indeed citizens of any Of
our States who have dreamed of their
subjects in the District Of Columbia?
Such dreams can never be realized by
any agency of mine. The people of the
District of Columbia are not the sub
tectS OF the people Of the United States,
but free American citizens. Being in
the latter condition when the ConStitu-
ton was formed, no words used in that
instrument could have been intended
TO deprive them of that character. II
there is anything in the great principle
OF inalienable rights so emphatically
insisted upon in our Declaration Of In
dependence they could neither make,
nor the United States accept, q sur
render Of their liberty and become the
subtectS-in other words, the Slaves-of
their former fellow citizens. If this be
true-and 1t will scarcely be denied
by any one who has a correct idea of
his own rights as an American citizen
the grant to Congress Of exclusive
Jurisdiction in the District Of Column
bia can be interpreted SO far rs re-
spectS the aggregate people Of the
united states as meaning nothing more
than to allow to Congress the control
ing power necessary TO accord q free
and safe exercise OF the functions as
signed to the general Government by
the Constitution
In 1865 President johnson said:
Our fellow citizens residing in the
District, whose interests are thus con-
noeo 10 the special guardianship OF
Congress, exceed in number the popula-
ton OF several OF our Territories, and no
Just reason is perceived why q delegate
OF their choice should not be admitted
10 seat in the House of Representa-
yves. No move seems so appropriate
and ef1ectual OF enabling them to make
known their peculiar condition and
wants and Of securing the local legisla-
ton adapted to them. therefore rec
ommend the passage Of law authorize
ing the electors Of the District Of Co
lumbia to choose q delegate, to be al-
lowed the same rights and privileges as
q delegate representing Territory
Population Exceeds Seven states.
when our population exceeded that
OF more Territories II was appropriate
and logical TO suggest that We have such
Voteless delegate as was allowed Terri
tories. Now when IL exceeds that OF
seven sovereign States Il Ii Just as APP
propriate TO Insist that we have the
same voice In the National Government
as those States.
President Coolidge, In . message "a
Congress, said:
Let It express the soul Of America,
Whenever an American Ia ~ the seat
OF his Government however Travelled
and cultured ne may he. he ought Ia
md city OF stately proportion, SYM
metricslly laid out and adorned with
the beat that thexe Y " architectaira