Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-06-20

Next to the President of the United states,
Mayor Emery IL undoubtedly the most sought
for individual in the city OF Washington Prob
ably at this time the pressure of ofice-seekers
is less upon the President than upon our newly
elected Mayor. Mr.. Emery will find IL matter
of impoesibility to please all these gentlemen,
and we trust he will not exert himself particu
larry in that direction. He was elected espe-
eislly as Reform Mayor, and q main feature
Of the reform desired was the appoint
ment of better and more competent off,
GERS than were appointed under Mr. Bowen
Should he yield to the office-seeking pressure
ana follow the bad precedent of appointing
"arustrlkers and the keepers OF corner rum
mills to important positions merely because
they " worked for the cause" or were first I'm
the movement or because they have a long
string of easily-acquired names to their petit
tions, he will greatly disappoint that solid class
OF our citizens who have hoped so much from
his administration. But we have not the slight
est idea that he will make his appointments
from this sort of material. The few appoint
ments he has already made are judcious and
well-eonsidered, and we doubt not those to
come will be equally satisfactory.
There are some positions under the civ INV
eminent that may, without objection, be given
as rewards for campaign services. The lucra-
tive POSITION OF Ward scavenger is one of these.
By all means let the ward strikers have the
scavengerships.
There are certain other officers, the Corpora
tion Attorney, City Surveyor unfortunately
an elective oficeI) Superintendent of Streets
Superintendent of Schools, and Commissioners
Of the Wards, who should be selected for
special fitness, whether their support of Mr..
Emery was of the blatant sort or of a auieter
description; whether their republicanism dates
Dack -GrA
Ii will not atone to the property-holders and
taxpayers for the loss and annoyance to them
through having laundering ignoramuses in the
positions OF surveyors, street superintendents,
ana commissioners OF improvements that they
were active strikers or kept a free bar or were
among the original Jacobs in "the movement
The fact Is that Mr.. Emery was elected by such
an unanimous uprising of the people of WASH
lngton that no mere ward politicians or ward
strikers can claim any special credit for the re-
SUIT The mannertn which he was elected and
the platform upon which he was elected both
authorize and require Mr.. Emery to make his
appointments for the good of the people, and in
the direct cause Of reform. This is particu-
larry the case in regard to the ward commits
sloners, who have such large powers for useful
ness II good men, and such infinite powers for
mischief and middle if corrupt or ignorant
men, In every ward there are certain citizens
who, by general consent, are the best qualified
Ior this important ONCE; but they are generally
men who will not scramble for place. and are
therefore likely to be overslaughed by the clam
orous strikers, unless Mr.. Emery will oyerlook
the whole field carefully and pick competent
men,
The bug-bear cry has been raised in behalf OF
the ineomPetents and strikers, that the opposi-
ton In the Board OF Aldermen will not confirm
better class of appointments if made. We
believe nothing of the sort. The so-called sop
position men, in the Board of Aldermen
are most Of them citizens having a per-
manent interest in the welfare OF Washington.
We do not believe they have any idea of
putting themselves in the unenviable DO
sition Of barring the way to the reform wiIled
by the people OF washington with such unan-
unity on the first Monday in June. Let Mr..
Emery select the very best men he can find,
and viii we see if the Board of Aldermen will
refuse to confirm them.