The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-18
King Carrot In Washington.

king Carrot In Washington.
1t was the legitimate province of a French
mind to imagine the creation Of king, by the
magician's power, out of a carrot, and to lead
us through all the extravagances and follies in
which such monarch must necessarily in
dulge No person but Frenchman would
have hit upon so happy and effective method
of placing before the world in strong light
the absurdity of clothing with the robes of
authority and power figure only fitted for the
ridiculous, or would have succeeded so ad-
mirably in pointing a moral through the in
strumentality of a broad burlesque. lie Roi
Carrotte'' may have been intended as sarcasm
upon the French Empire under the Imperial
clown, but it has wider application. There
are many King Carrots in the world, and the
age of C@sarism is necessarily the era OF their
creation.
President Grant Yields something of
magician's power. He waves his wand of au-
thority and calls into public life people of
such obscurity that they may be said to have
had no prior existence. He sprinkles o few
drops Of federal patronage over questionable
character and raises him at once to honor and
dignity. He goes down into the vegetable
garden Of political life, and, digging not only
among the carrots, but among the small pota-
toes and beets and mushrooms beneath its
soil, raises to the surface such specimens as
please his taste and shapes them into the SEM
blance of official kings. If their original
nature will insist upon cropping out and
showing itself above their fictitious characters
it is no more than we are taught to expect by
the moral Of lie Roi Carrotte.''
A great fuss is being made over the
recent appointment of Governor of
the District of Columbia. If we ore to
judge from the commotion it has created
among the politicians and the noisy clamor
that has followed its announcement we
may well believe that the safety of the
nation is bound up in the little piece Of
territory which at present contains the federal
capital, and which will continue to contain it,
no doubt, until common sense prevails and the
seat of government is transferred to New York.
This tempest in teapot has been raised
because member Of the clique upon which
has been bestowed the unenviable modern ap-
pellation of ''ring'' is advanced to the Gov
ernorship of the District The Washington
4'ring," we are told, is justified and endorsed
by the honor that has been conferred upon
its chief, and we are forewarned that hence
forth the national capital will be given up as
prey to the spoiler. AS Tammany improved
and beautiAed New York while plundering its
treasury SO we are assured the government Of
the District of Columbia, while improving and
identifying Washington, will clean out the
last dollar from its exchequer
We do not know how much foundation there
may be for these apprehensions, but the nation
has been so freely and frequently plundered
that we are beginning to get accustomed to the
operation. If Washington is to be ruled by
King Carrot it must expect to submit to all
the antics so artistically represented in the
Frenchman's burlesque. The national CAPT
tai will only be called upon to enjoy its share
in the effects of that spirit Of Cmsarism which
confers its best honors upon medocrity,
advances to places of trust men Of question
able official probity and makes the creation Of
King Carrots possibility.