National Republican (Washington City

THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION
To the Editor.

Sir: If the present form of government is the best and most efficient, as claimed by the opponents of a people's government, why was it necessary to resort to a citizens' committee in the matter of the detectives and burglars? And why does the press and the public instinctively turn to a committee of citizens to remedy the present renewal of burglar operations? It strikes me that this is very good evidence, indeed, that the present is not the most efficient or best form of government, and that it does not command the public confidence to anything like the extent that a government composed of and controlled by the better class of citizens would.

I notice that the principal objection to a popular government is the dislike to its being controlled by what is termed the "riff raff," by which I understand them to mean the lower classes, and especially those who pay no taxes and who have no permanent interests here—the classes who were used by the old board of works to elect their men. But does it follow necessarily that we must have that kind or none? I think not. On the contrary, I am satisfied that if the leading citizens, the business men, and the taxpayers will but get together and discuss the matter a plan of popular government can be devised that will be free from objection on that score—one that will be safe, conservative, and efficient, and one that will commend itself to all property holders and to Congress.

Those who insist on universal franchise for the district overlook the fact that our situation is entirely different from that of citizens of a state. We have nothing to do with national or state government. Ours is simply a municipal or local government, and as such should be controlled by those who support it—the general government and the citizens who contribute to its support.

I take it that no one would for a moment think of advocating any scheme that would even tend to upset the present arrangement, by which the general government pays one half of the expense. It would be the sheerest folly for us to expect or ask Congress to surrender its control so far as fixing the taxation, collecting, and paying the money into the United States treasury, and the paying of it out is concerned. We don't want these matters changed, because we know that the present arrangement is absolutely safe and efficient. There can be no loss or defalcation under the present system, hence it is the best. Moreover, Congress would not consent to a change in this respect, and it is therefore useless to ask it. Besides, to agitate it, would endanger the present arrangement by which one-half is paid by the United States, and therefore a discussion of it should not be tolerated.

It only remains to determine what the best form of a municipal government, in which the people shall have a voice, is, and what its powers shall be, and how exercised. That's the point on which we should have study and consultation, and it seems to me that it is a question on which all the better class of citizens ought to be able to unite.

TAXPAYER.
JULY 14, 1883.