Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-13
LINCOLN CALLED
+ D. c. VOTE FRIEND
Representative Kelly, in Ra-
dio Talk, LaudS Justice
of Martyr.
Continued From Third Page.l


a. majority of the voters. He counted
that a fundamental right and also q
prime privilege.
That Is not the right nor the Lrivi-
1ege of the American citizens who have
their homes in this great Washington
community. No matter how interested
he may be in public affairs: no matter
how great his zeal to participate d.
rectly in government, no resident OF
Washington can appeal to his nelghbors
for their suffrage in an election to a
public Office. He does not have Inc
privilege of being elected or defeated
in fair fight.
He is a disinherited citizen. an
exile from the commonwealth built on
Self-government.
3'Such a condition of affairssS,a not
exist in Lincoln's day. Then citi-
zens of washington had the right of
the ballot. What shafts OF logic Lin
coin would have leveled against such
denial of his own fundamental prin-
ciple. Once more he would have quoted
that statement in the Bill OF Rights
drafted by the American colcnistS:
The foundation of all civil government
is right in the people to participate
in their legislative councils Once more
he would have Numbered his own dy-
manic declaration, I say that no man
is good enough to govern another man
WlLlOuJ OtLlCL COAkSCAl1s
Here is the broad sweep Of Lincoln's
philosophy: Allow all the governed an
equal voice in the government; that
and that only is self-government. in
sist that If there is anything that 1t is
the duty of the people never to thrust
to hands other than their own, that
thing is the preservation and perpetu-
1ty of their own liberties and institu-
tions.'
could there be more unusual condi-
tions than those presented by Civil
war which threatened the destruction
of the Nation? Yet elections were held
in regular course. Responding to a
serenade after the election of 1864,
Lincoln said:
!" 1T has long been a grave question
whether any government not too strong
for the liberties of its people, can be
strong enough to maintain its existence
in great emergencies. On this point
:. &c present rebellion brought our Gov
.snment to a severe test, and presi-
Initial election, occurring in regular
course during the rebellion, added not a
little to the strain. But the election
was q necessity. We cannot have free
government without elections, and If
the rebellion could force us to forego
or postpone national election it might
fairly claim to have already conquered
and ruined u.s.
IF even a great fratricidal strife was
not SUFFICIENT grounds to deprive Amer
lean citizens of their right to choose
representatives by their own free will,
shall we say that unusual features in
the relation of Washington to the Ma
ton demand denial of the right of self
government?
"Of course, it is true that the Ma
tional Government has exclusive juris-
diction over the District of Columbia.
But the trainers of the Constitution
never intended to deprive the Capital
City of all the rights of popular Gov
eminent. For 20 years after the estab-
lishment of the seat of government in
the District of Columbia the people of
the District exercised the right Of
Now, without disturbing the rela-
tionship between Nation and Capital,
without leSsening the Jurisdiction Of the
general Government. the CITY of wash
ngton can be given national represent
tation. By constitutional procedure
they can be given the right to elect
spokesman in Congress and have a
voice in the selection of President and
Vice President.
Such action would inflict no injury
but would make American performance
square with American principle. It
would bring America in line with all
the other republics OF the world which
grant political rights to their citizens
in capital cities
In the discussion Of this question
there is always heard behind the hand
allusion to Negro domination. This is
unworthy OF intelligent persons, ONLY
one-fourth Of the population Of the
District Is Negro and the percentage Is
decreasing each year. To say that one
Negro voter can dominate three whites
IS an insult to the white population. To
say that one Negro out of four people
renders the whole community unfit for
sen-government is an undeserved insult
TO every Negro citizen.
Would Extend Suffrage.
Lincoln said: 7 am opposed to
Inc limitation or leSsening Of the
TlgnG OF suffrage. am in favor
OF It's extension or enlargement. I
want TO lift men up-to broaden rather
than TO contract their privileges Even
IN 1854, in the midst of the war and
writing TO the Governor of Louisiana.
Lincoln suggested that intelligent Ne
2roes should have a voice in govern
ment
That was startling suggestion for
that time and place. But the Lincoln
who declared In 1886 for the vote for
women would certainly denounce with
all his vigor the attempt Of men. a
hundred years later, to rob three white
cltEenS OF the supreme right of citi.
zenship IN order to keep one black citi-
zen from having his fair share in rep
resentation.
My friends, disfranchised Washing
ton challenges the Lincoln ideal of gov
eminent. We have given the vote into
the hands of the women and it was a
worthy action. We have declared the
American Indians to be citizens after
centuries as wards of the Nation and it
was just and American that we should
90 so. Aliens who come here from other
lands may in five years become voting
members Of the American community.
1t Is high time now to enfranchise
the intelligent, cultured, patriotic Amer
leans who live in Washington and who
have never been able to express their
opinion as to government in the only
way such an opinion ever really counts
in America-with the pencil in the
voting booth on the day of election.
III Abraham Lincoln came to Wash.
ington tonight, you NAV be sure he
would feel sorrow and chagrin, rather
than pride to see the matchIess temple
erected in his honor. while the citizens
all around are diSinherited. The Great
Heart who said I put the man above
the dollar would also say I put the
vote above the marble
THE highest honor America can nav
Lincoln is in standing steadfastly for
his noble aims We must make this a
land OF liberty in fact as well as in
name said Lincoln. Every effort in
that direction would please him more
than the sculptured busts and painted
likenesses which now adorn the city
and its buildings.
I'VE can best show our reverence for
Lincoln by making his creed our deed,
his principle our performance, his faith
our fulfllment.
THAT means the American right of