Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-05-14
Reading Matter on Every Page.

Perhaps the coolest piece OF effrontery vet
exhibited BY the "Ring' is in claiming IN at they
present the regular" Republican candidate In
Mr.. Bowen. Let US examine a few facts. They
called Convention 70 nominate a candidate
for the mayoralty, and tried 10 pack IL by every
possible continuance. Cook, and tricksters like
him, eoneocted an organization in q dark cor
ner, intended to carry out their peculiar pur-
poses. They named a Committee of Creden-
tials, which was 20 determine the rights of dele
gates to the Nominating Convention. Wen,
the Convention met on the 5th inst and
the entrance was barricaded with bull
lies, detailed expressly by the "Ring., tn
keep out all whs were not acceptable to their
side. After much difficulty, Cook and bis
fenow-rebes were compelled to admit
the delegates whom they sought to exclude by
force. That temporary organization was eff
leeteo, and two sets Of delegates appeared from
majority Of the wards. How to dispose of them
was the question. Both had been admitted. and
was proposed to determine their rights, by
reference to the CommiAsee on Credentials
which Cook 6 Co. had themselves chosen with
reference to this very contingency. That prop
oaition was sustained emphaticaIy by their svn
Chairman Of the Convention, until it was dis
covered that majority Of the Committee ON
credentials would not dshonor themselves by a
Migrant fraud upon the people. Then IL was
moved 10 abolish the committee, and the chair
man, openly prompted by Cook g Morse
dreddes dmbo-cooly reversed his own decision,
and thus converted q regularly organized Con-
vention into mob Of contractors, camp-foIlow-
ers and City Hall bummers- The respectable
portion OF the Convention, who had gone there
in good faith and in obedience to the rules of
the party, Immediately withdrew, finding that
these tricksters would not even regard the dis
cipline which they themselves had imposed.
This plain unvarnished tale exhibits the man
ner in which Mr.. Bowen was nominated by
Cook and his costly crew Of corporation leeches.
They were regular" only in deception and
chicanery.
So much tor party and its obligations. But
there are other matters involved which concern
the character and credit of the CITY, the interests
Of taxpayers and the welfare of the community
at large, which are not to be sighted or put
aside by the cant of cunning demagogues. In a
political sense, either Mr.. Emery or Mr. Rich
ards might easily gain by a comparison of
records with Mr.. Bowen, whose greatest merit
Is that he has been a chronic office-holdar unSer
the last three administrations, with all their
opposing politics He appears to have been
always nimble and ready enough to accept the
set Of principles that consists of i've loayes and
two fishes, under either Buchanan, Lincoln, or
johnson.
The municipal government of Washington, is
a by-wOrd abroad and a scandal at home. III
has done more than anything else to excite
prejudice against US in Congress, to provoke
harsh criticism i'm the press, and to arrest any
substantial enterprise. In few years the taxes
have been nearly doubled, and the debt actually
doubled. What have We to show for these oppres
sive burthens, but the glazing enrichment of a
gang OF personal partisans at the public expense?
A bankrupt treasury, dishsnored credit, aug
mented taxation, disgraceful streets, wide
spread corruption and prodigality are the re-
suits Of two years rule of Bowenism. Two
more such would finish Washington. ANY
change must be for the better. 1t cannot be
worse.