Evening star., 1938-01-23
Randolph Explains Proposal
To Ciue ID. e.. Residents Vote
Congress Control Held
Unnecessary and
Unjust Burde1,.''

TINE following statement was
made by Representative Jen-
nings Randolph, Democrat, Of
West Virginia in connection
with his recent proposal to amend the
Constitution to give District residents
vote and to relieve Congress of
IAN unnecessary and unjust burden;
the operation Of the District govern
ment":
THE time has come for the Con-
gress OF the United States to relieve
itself from the burden Of operating
municipal administration in the Ma
tional Capital
Problems Complex.
"The problems of national govern
ment have become so complex and so
strenuous that am sure I speak for
all my colleagues in saying none of
us ever has enough time to do his
work as he would like to. AS much
as has been accomplished since 1888
we all know that great deal remains
to be done before the United States
is firmly established on a basis of
permanent modern democratic pros
perity.
Il make this preamble by way of
explaining why I say that Congress
should divest itself now of an un-
necessary and unjust burden: the
operation of the District government
When the Constitution of the United
States was written, Article 1, section
8, directed the Congress: to exercise
exclusive legislation in all cases what
soever over such district (not exceed
ing 10 miles square), as may be ces-
sion of particular States and the &C
ceptance of Congress become the seat
of the Government of the United
States and to exercise like authority
over all places purchased by the con-
sent of the legislation Of the State
in which the same shall be, for the
erection of forts, magazines and ar
senals, dock yards, and other needful
buildings
1T is that phrase, exclusive legisla-
ton in all cases whatsoever which
continues to place upon Congress the
unnecessary and unjust burden of
which I have spoken.
Present City Not Foreseen.
when the founding fathers were
building the structure of the National
Government what is now the District
of Columbia was no more than viii
lage and vision. Nobody conceived
the present thriving and magnificent
city of 625,000 nor the Washington
We will have 10 years from now.
BY 1s47. according to George Nc
Aneny chairman of the committee ap-
pointed by President Roosevelt in 1886
to study Washington's fiscal affairs,
there will be 100000 residents In
the District. Thus we have confront
ing us an extremely important, Iunda-
mental issue
Shall 100000 Americans be dis
franchised, denied the right of
citizenship, because they have moved
to the Capital of the United States?
1T is not necessary to argue the
question of whether an American
Cltlzen Snould nave the rlght to vote.
That was settled by the Declaration
of independence and the Revolu-
tionary War.
yet at the heart and capital of the
worlds most powerful democracy We
have a great city in which the legal
residents are denied the right of rep
resentation in the tax making and
law making bodies. denied the right
to elect their administrative govern
ment: denied the right to vote on the
presidency of the United States and
denied the right to elect or otherwise
express their views upon the judges
OF their courts. Such a condition is
repugnant to every true Democrat. 1t
is denial of the democratic principle.