Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-09-16

written TO II on the subject, THE STAR is
Obliged to say that it is impossible to find
room for one fourth of the communications
received giving expression to public indigna-
ton at the recent action of the District Com.
1nissioners in increasing the salary of the At
torney OF the District from 5000 to 5000 per
year. While these letters cannot be published
1heY are nevertheless valuable, as affOrdn O
most conclusive evidence, il any were needed
Dt the feeling OF an Oyer-taxed community at
what cannot be regarded otherwise than a
Tanton waste of money. Noparticular obiec.
tIon is made to the present incumbent should
ne accept the handsome addition of sixty.
SIX per cent. to his official salary, since,
as things go, the right of lawyers to take
AL they can get without regard to the
character or value of their services, seems
20 De generally recognized; but on the other
Aand lt Is no disparagement to that gentle.
man To say that there would be no difficulty
Whatever In hnding plenty of lawyers thor
oughly competent to discharge all the duties
OF the place who would cheerfully perform
Them Tor one-hah the salary now paid.
And this, ii is submitted, is the only view of
Inc case the authorities have any right to
take,-thoroughiy competent and efficient ser
Vice being OF course first insured. Neither the
financial condition of the District nor the bust.
ness prospects OF her citizens are such, or
hRely 10 De Tor some time To come, as to JUS
Iify the payment Of fancy salaries to officials
OI any character or grade, much less to those
VINO are not required to give their whole time
and service to the place they fill. These are
times for economy, retrenchment and REFORM
The way to retrench is to retrench. This is to
De done only by cutting Off the expenditure of
every unnecessary penny, not by ecOnomising
IN one place and squandering in another
Least OF all can it be done by reducing the
paw OF one hard work cd branch If oary,oa
Certainly not OVerpaid. and adding to the com.
pensatlon OF officers already amply paid to
say the least. When enough of the District
commissioners get together once more to
constitute working body they will doubt.
less come to the conclusion that thew have
made serious mistake In this matter, and
that some other pruning ought to be done
Whether they viii have courage enough to do
their who'll duty remains 10 be seem
Butler delegates continue to be elected to
the Massachusetts democratic state conyen-
tion in spite of the manifesto declaring them
not entitled to seats in the convention AS
Gen. Butler has already captured majority
OF the convention the main fight to morrow
will be on the admission of contesting delege.
lions Many influential and prominent leaders
among the democrats of the state are bitterly
opposed to Butler Their aim is first ts con-
test the organization of the convention next
10 persuade Butler delegates that the welfare
OF the party demands that Gen. Butler sha
not be formally endorsed aud chosen as is
representative; and lastly in the event OF But.
lers nomination TO bolt the convention Tney
constitute a powerful minority in the demo.
cratic party OF the state, and will make them
selves felt both in the convention and in the
election. 1t will not be surprising if the re-
publican nominating convention, which meets
m "Wednesday SuccaadS in Orpa m zino hoforo
the democratic convention completes its or.
ganiZatiOn. The indications are that the re-
puDicanS will nominate Talbot for governor
-~O>
In its report Of what took pace at the meet
ing of the yellow fever executive committee
on Saturday evening the Gazette of yesterday
says:
THE committee unanimously agreed that
the editorial of THE STAR yesterday was un-
Just and uncalled for, and decided finally to
throw the responsibility of the entire matter
upon the parties who SO highly recommended
the nurses who were Sent @-ray."
We fail to see h. y the course of THE STAR
could be unjust and uncalled for" if there
was any responsibility 10 throw" upon
anybody. III useless or improper persons
were recommended OF sent to Memphis as
physicians or nurses.-and on that point th ere
seems to be no longer doutt,-it will strike
the publrthat il was high time for something
~ pe sdlu. LIE Wnoie case seems TO turn
now upon the truth or falsity of the Courier
Journal article, and for that The STAR is not
accountable. That matter can be settled to
suit themselves, between the Cburier-JournM
the physicians and nurses. and those who sent
them or are res pOnsible for their having been
seut.
The clear, cold weather OF which we are
having a taste, cannot come too soon nor ex-
tend too FAR south. But it must be remem.
bered that the same frost which kills the