Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-23
The Water Question Again.

The Water Question Again.
Or. Verdi whose views upon the water meter
question, expressed in The STAR. have been re-
Ceived with general favor, has something fur-
1her to say to-day upon the same topic. Para
dOxcally speaking, the more the Pubic tnlnk
nj the meter proposition, the less theJ think OF
1t. New points of objection open up on all
sides: IL becomes more and more apparent that
whatever may be the merits OF the meter sys
lem In other citieS.-and il Is doubtful if it
works well anyWhere,-it can never be applied
satisfactorily to the National city, where the
aqueduct Is government institution. and all
the departments of government claim the right
10 the unlimited Use OF the water without any
meter restrictions on that account The water
Is used without limit night and day in all the
great government buildings ana its unlimited
Use there Will be continued quite ce@tlInly. II
is passing strange that or District ofliGi.ls in
alleging extraYagauU use OF The water by the
people OF Washington, upon the estimate that
tie duly supply should give Ii gallons To
each person, do not take into account
the fact that a large portion OF this water
goes 10 the government buildings. where the
District water department has never been al
lowed 10 put any restriction whatever up0n its
use, or waste Col. Casey in his communication
To-day 10 Congress says that more water Is
distributed in Washington daily in proportion
Ia the population. than in any other citv in the
mied states He should have added an en-
PLANTATION of the extent to which it is used by
government and not charge to the account of
The citizens the whole amount. The water has
even been used to run governments machinery.
anu when protest was made by the water Off
rers against its waste in this way. the govern
1nent officials replied that the govern
1nent bad built the aqueduct aud had
rght 10 all the water it needed
Is IL lar TO charge against the people OF Wash
Ih9toh the Tree use OF the water made bY roy-
trhiheht In Tins city Of government buildings.
government squares, government fountains.
ana government system of street parking and
lree-9ianting that require an immense daily
supply: The Street-paTking, and the hundreds
OF miles OF young shade trees Will if prOparIy
cured Tor. make Washington in a few years the
most beautiful city in the world in these mar
fculars; but 1t viii require free Use OF water
10 keep the grass, flowers shrubs and frees
alive aud in thrifty condition during our long
summers II the water is to be sold by the gal
ion and dOlCd out by meter il is TO be feared
mat good many people in these hard times
III not feel the inclination OF the ability 10 our
fhase sufficient water To keep the trees and
parking III front OF them i'm proper condition.
III Is satisfactory to notice that While Col Casey
idils TO point out justly where the water goes,
ne does not advocate the meter project, but
IaFoIo laying another main 10 Capitol Hill.
Nat washington should have as the National
'9Pltai, Is not an impracticable meter system,
bHt an enlargement OF the means Of distributing
tae abundant supply right at hand.
The slaughter of the Cheyenne innocent5
tool, place to-day. The Indians were 0vertaken
b. the troops and twenty-three were killed
While the SuHerings of the CheyenneS and the
manner of their death are TO be deplored, it
must not be forgotten that the murders and
OUtrageS perpetTated by them upon whites in
their long Hight nOrthward, though not attract
Ing the same attention nor arOuSing the same
Indignation as the privatiOns OF the Indians
themselves, represent at least an equal amount
or suffering which now finds retribution. Most
OF the Cheyennes were nothing else than muir
derers and outragers, taken to be hanged and
shot while trying to escape. Let what sympa-
thy we have for the wrongs and suffering5 OF
the Il-uSed wards of the nation be rightly be-
slowed. Even their fellow Cheyennes, in Indian
territory, would not, If they could, shed many
tears over the graves OF Dull Knife and his
IieSperadoeS. They feared these dSturberS in
LIFE, and. now that flight and death have re.
moved them, theirs Is chaStened sorrow. So
Is that OF the western settlers, whose property
has been burned, whose families or neighbors
have been slain or outraged. our grief here in
the east should not be greater than that of the
relatives OF the deceased.
The case OF Sherman, Merritt ct al VS.. COnk-
ling. Arthur ct al, Is soon TO be tried. and as
The time approaches it becomes more doubtful
as TO what the verdict will be. The published
suggestion that If decision is in favor OF the
defendant and the governments nominees are
rejected, other names will be sent TO the Senate
which win certainly command democratic sup
port, does not seem to be one which will have
weight in favor OF the present nominations.
Being taken as threat il will hardly have
favorable influence on Conklng republicans
and the democrats may be tempted TO permit
these nominations 10 be rejected. as Indifferent
TO them. with the prospect OF others TO which
they can give positive approval in the back
ground Even il the government intended to
take the course suggested it would not seem to
be either necessary or polite 10 say 50 at pres
ent. and IL may be doubted whether any such
Intention has been expressed. The verdict will
doubtless turn upon the votes OF those Senators
In both parties with whom the proof or disproOf
OF the general charge OF inefficency against the
former custom house officers will have the
greatest weight. Unless the charge fails TO be
Sustained there is no obvious reason why the
democrats should support senator Conkllng
Finally, such considerations aS the bearing OF
the result upon the republican presidential
nomination in lss", will have effect even among
grave senators. though the upper house has
never Itself furnished president
not unusual feature of to-day's dispatches
n the announcement or the arrest Of letter
carrier for stealing money from letters. The
Russians seem to Obviate any such difficulties
as these by showing no confidence whatever in
The letter carrier or his word and requiring a
policeman 10 verify all his statements At any
rate. that is the impression which postal card
recently received at the dead letter Office would
give one. The card was addressed TO Russian
physician at ST Petersburg, ane was returned
with six tags affixed. ornameuted with Russian
hieroglyphicS. a translation showed that on
the first tag The letter carrier announced that
The physician was not TO be found al the address
given ON the next tag the police officer SAYS
The letter carrier tells the truth. On tag three
The letter carrier says that search at another
address finds no such physician there Tag
four yerifie5 the statement. on tag tive the
letter carrier asserts that there Is no such name