Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-22
ssThe District Ring.


IA NETTING ENGINEERED BY BOSS sHEP-
HERD AND HIS FRIENDS.
Especial Dispatch TO he Gazette.
"WAsHINGToN, October I'll Recently
there has been noticed an unusual activity
among that class of citizens who were prom
inentIy connected with the Shepherd govern
ment, and last week a circular was addresses
TO q selected number, requesting them to
meet Saturday evening, October 20, at Will
lsrd's hall. for the purpose of making ar
arrangements for asking Congress to relieve
the District Of the enormous taxation now
imposed, and urging that the governments
proportion OF the expense be fixed at fifty per
cent. and more particularly 10 ask for an
appropriation for the Improvement OF the
Potomac river.
"About seventy five persons attended the
meeting, majority OF whom were identified
Win the late District ring, including mem
bers OF The late board OF public works. In
order that the meeting might have an air Of
re pectability, Mr.. George w Riggs was
called to the chair, and John A. Baker, a
proiegu of Boss Shepherd. was selected as
''eleTk." A prepared list of committees was
presented and unanimously accepted, and
committee consisting Of Genl Beall, :. V.
Niles. W m Dickson, J. q. Berret aud Ho-
ratio XII was appointed TO wait on Speaker
Randall for the purpose OF influencing him
ia the selection OF members on committees
having charge of District affairs and report
The result OF their visit to the executive COM
-oitiee. Several large property holders who
were present at the meeting last nigh. de-
nOnDced u rs another scheme of the ring,
ard next week q meeting Of the taxpay ers OF
The District viii be held To protest against
Congress recognizing the committees ap-
pointed, on the ground that they are com
posed OF men who were instrumental in
placing the enormous taxation upon the cit.
liens, ard, moreover, To enter their protest
agalnst the shepherd influence which strong
~ precominates in the movement. the Boss
being prominent member OF the commit
tees which gives the entire arrangement the
appearance of an effort to involve a job
which may result in mourning a further debt
10 The District and increased taxation"
At some sacrifice OF space we print the
above from the Baltimore Gazette in order TO
illustrate the sort of mischievoUs CLIQUE op-
position that inevitably starts up in this IN
happy District TO cripple any movement OF
public utility. a glance at the character of
the assemblsge at WiIlard's Hall shows the
utter untruth of the allegations of this arti-
Gle In the Gazette. The meeting presented an
exceptionally wide and general representa-
tion Of taxpayers and business men, with
out regard TO party lines or any other con-
sideratioD than good citizenship, and the
disposition to cooperate in obtaining relief
from the burdens of debt and taxation that
are crushing out the very life of the commu-
nifty. The allegation that the meeting was
engineered by Mr.. Shepherd or by
any "ring," is absurdly untrue. As a
matter OF fact, we suspect that the
first intimation Mr.. Shepherd had of the
movement was his reception OF the printed
Invitation sent to more than one hundred
citizens of prominence, and which was in
tended TO bring together a body of men of
energy and influence who without regard to
past differences would be willing to work to-
sether fer the common good in this great
emergency. The call was addressed indif-
ferently to democrats and republicans; to
men representing all The diversified District
interests; 10 men who nave been wide as the
poles apart In the past; To ex- Mayors Wal
ZACH, Bowen, and Emery; TO Ex-Governor
Shepherd and Columbus Alexander-in
short, the sole object was, regardless of by
cones 10 see IL one united effort could not be
made in behalf OF an OBJECT upon which all
have common interest 1. e., the securing
from Congress the legislation fixing de-
nnitely, according 10 the already pledged
faith OF that body, the proportion OF
District expenses the government shall
share with the tax payers of this District.
The effort has been successful TO a remarka-
BILE degree, as illustrated by the meeting of
saturday night, and no public movement
s,es probably ever undertaken here with
more Cordial hearty backing from our best
citizens or couise IL is possible, as has been
unhappily shown In the past, ior few mis-
chief makers To poison the minds OF Con-
sressmen against the measure Of District
relief proposed, but we should say 1t would
be q sorry sort OF triumph to succeed in this
misunderstanding; and any citizen response
BILE for def ating the project is not likely to
hold very enviable position hereafter In the
esteem ofthe community. The assertion that
iseversf' large p operty- holders at the meet
ing denounced ii as another scheme OF the
ring" i an untruth In keeping with the gen.
eral falsehoOd of the statements quoted
There was. perhaps. just one taxpayer pre-
sent opposed 10 the movement, and he the
same sole Individual who declined the iuvi-
tation 10 act on the committee. Finally, we
would suggest To the Gazette, in all friend
ship, that II II is seeking a footing amongst
the business people OF Washington II is max
inga serious mistake In printing this gross
abuse Of citizens OF this District of the char
acter Of those assembled at Wlllard's III all
Saturday night.