Evening star., 1938-05-19
Vote Hearing
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NOlc nearing
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lieved, however. that the local gov
eminent which Congress could estab-
lish here under authority of the pro-
vision would as nearly approach a
State government as is possible without
actually making the District an in
dependent State.
Thus. with such constitutional
amendment in effect, Congress would
not be confronted. in granting powers
TO a locally elected government. as
we hope it will. Will. the necessity of
determining what the courts them
selves seem unable to determine,
namely, the dividing line between
powers which are purely municipal
and those which it must now consti-
tutlonally exercise as our State Leg
tslature.
Gives Plebiscite Results.
In giving the committee summary
of the results in the suffrage plebiscite
of April 80 in which nearly 100000
Washingtonians cast ballots on the
questions of rational and local suf-
frage. Mr. Mondell said that 82,977
persons voted in favor of local self
government and 10,937 against, while
1902 citizens favored national repre-
sentation and 6,832 opposed it.
sNr. Finch. reading from lengthy
statement. cited numerous arguments
to show that citizens of the District
are entitled to full privileges of SELF
He declared the time must come
sooner or later when Congress and the
people of the District will find it nee
essary to plan jointly for the political
future Of this fast-growing political
community and that therefore it
would be to the advantage of both to
know that neither Congress nor the
people would be hampered in the
proper solution of the problem by re-
strictions which the Supreme Court
has placed upon the power Congress
may now exercise toward granting Dis
trict citizens effective participation
In their own local gvernoment."
Would Broaden Powers.
The proposed constitutional amend
ment under the Lewis-Randolph
measure would not, he declared, in
telfere with the discretion which Con-
gress may exercise with regard to Dis
trict self government, but, on the
other hand, would give it broader
field in which to exercise discretion.
Members of Congress-" Mr.. Finch
stated, could no longer say that they
are burdened with the details of
running our city government because
Of any constitutional mandate but
such burdens as might thereafter be
theirs would fall upon them through
their own choice, because of an un-
willingness to let the people of this
District run their own government"
Mr. Finch expressed the belief that
the trainers of the Constitution, in
giving Congress the power of ex-
elusive legislation over the seat of
Government, had in mind some such
power as is proposed in section one of
the Lewis Randolph joint resolution.
To support this belief, he referred
members of Congress to the oft-re-
peated explanation of this power by
James Madison, partly as follows:
The indispensable necessity of COM
p1ete authority at the seat Of gov
eminent carries its own evidence with
It. 1t is power exercised by every
legislature of the Union-I might
say of the worldly virtue of its gen.
eral supremacy. Without it, not only
the public authority might be in
suited and its proceedings interrupted
With impunity, but dependent of the
members of the general government
On the State comprehending the
seat of government. for protection
in the exercise of their duty, might
hring on the national councils an i'm
putation of awe or influence, equally
dishonorable to the government and
Unsatisfactory to the other members
Of the confederacy. ..
This consideration has the more
weight. as the gradual accumulation
of public improvements at the sta
Gonary residence of the Government
would be both too great public pledge
TO be left in the hands of a single state,
Spd would create so many obstacles to
the removal of a Government as still
further to abridge its necessary inde-
Rndence."
~ Congress Authority Supreme.
snMr. Finch explained that this meant
simply that Congress was to have the
Shpreme authority at the seat Of Gov
eminent to avoid any interference on
Hne part of any of the States. He ex-
Hessed the opinion that it would be
IA keeping with the letter as well as
The spirit of Madison's explanation If
Congress should now, without constl-
tutional amendment. give the District
4 local republican form of government,
10 long as Congress retained supreme
auehority.
Mr.. Finch declared he was bull
THfked in this belief by the rarely
pubhcized statement of Alexander
Exsnilton in the Federalist that citi-
xeUs at the seat of Government would
have the same interest in their Gov
Eument as citizens Of the several
ssates.
can we conceive" the witness
asked. "of man of the genius OF