The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-10

ana n lODber, nau been SCrNlceaDlc uOOl W |
SHEPHERD, rs he had previously been to
TWEED. Schooled in all the Ring arts, he |
was exactly the man TO be SHEPHERDS sub
stitutc. Associated with him were WILLIAM
DENNtsoS, n Christian statesman of the |
HAYES pattern, and $. l.. PHELPS, formerly
Of the navy, chosen by GRANT solely be-
cause he had been an old crony OF his in
California KETCHAM was absolute master
Of the Commission, the other two being but
empty ilgurchcads, Of no more consequence
than a wooden Indian in front Of a tobac-
cunst's shop.
The Ring Government had been organized
on scale, and with machinery more than
sufficient for the state Of New York. Blu
rcaus, boards of police, of fire and OF
schools. auditors, cOmptrolcrs, chiefs Of
divisions. clerks. messengers and the like
swcllcd hugo civil list made up Of active
politicians, and dependents Of members Of
Congress. billcttcd ON a small community
without commerce or manufactures, one
third Of which was colorcd and nOn-taxpay-
ing The joint Committee and the votes Of
both Houses Of Congress had condemned
the prodigality and misrulc Of the terri
torial form. and insisted that radical re-
trcnchmcnt was necessary to prevent bank
ruptcy
The new Commission. backed as it was by
n Republican Administration and Repub-
lican Congress, took no notice Of these dec
larations and record. They ran the old
machine just "a SHLrHERD left it; and by
way Of commentary on the lesson of econ
omy, they expended five millions the first
year on Jobs and contracts. the profits uf
which were placed whore they would do the
most good. The suffering people protested
in vain KErCHAM. like KELLOGG, SCOrr,
CHAMBERLAIN, PArrrRsoN, BULLOCK. kIMr-
ToN. and that stripe Of plundrrcrs had no
mercy. He would have extracted the last
dime; ami one of the closing acts of his
career A. Commissioner, after erecting
splendid residence, was to raisc II fund for
MS election to Congress in order that he
might lo{islatc Ton the Ring Of bankers who
had long been seeking to have the 36j bonds,
issued for fraudulent jobs. fastened a. an
Acknowledged debt on the public Treasury.
After long struggle. an act was passed
AZ the last session intended as measure OF
relief. The Government was to assume one
half the expenses Of the District, in coneid-
Grafton Of the immunity Of the public prop
I
gross had imposed the Ring rule on the
people. 1t was found impracticablc to abol-
ish the Commission. from conflict Of opin-
ion between the Senate and House Of Repre-
scntatiyce, aud therefore IL was continued
with enlarged power to govern the District
at discretion. An engineer If the army was
made one Of the three Commissioners, with
two civilians for associates.
lei L. 4 t.l
HAYES renomnated PHELPS. the legacy Of
GRANT, and Dent Of Georgetown. a respect
able citizen without the least training or
experience in Official life They have now
been in Office nearly three months. and have
not yet given the first sign OF n reforming
spirit. The SHEpHERD machine runs cX-
actly rs il did when the Boss was chief cngi-
necr. and TO give assurance Of that fact. his
brother who was accidentally present
On the scene of the safe burglary, was
among the first appointments directed tphe
/ made by COMMISSIONER PHELPS through the
| Health Oniee.
These Commissioners know there is no in
divdual responsibility and act accordingly.
/ Blunders, omissions, and failures can bee
! shifted from shoulder TO shoulder whore
/ no direct personal authority can be- held 10
account. Gradually they fall into habits
/ and methods ofection in which one will not
interfere with the other, and thus come 10
! form three parts of n triple-hcadod concern
none Of which is perfect. and all Of which
want directing mind. fhcy take turns Of
absence or 20 away without formality, be-
| cause there is no check. Mr. DENT l. just
now ga2cttcd a. on n trip TO California for
| his sons health and the Washington papers
| report that he has not been able to attend to
the duties Of the Commission Tor three
weeks in all since his appointment. But he
draws his five thousand year with ygor-
Gus regularity.
This modc of government hy commission
is q failure. 1t is feeble uncertain, sipshod,
expensive, and top-hcavy, like the army
and navy. Any system under our institu-
tions which takes power away from the
people, and denies them the right to man
age their own affairs in their own way Is an
anomaly which ought to be abolished
Washington needs plain, honest municipal
government, costing about onc-third Of that
now in existence. The spectre Of negro suf-
fragc ought to be exercised by the recent
census, which gives the whites two-thirds
Of the population. Ii with that advantage
they cannot govern, then they ought to be
governed by the minority.