The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-09-28


importance to our readers with which he
cannot be reasonably expected to display
the familiarity his predecessor. We re-
fer TO the local government of the District
of Columbia. This observation Is no lack
of compliment TO Mr.. Arthur. He has had
no opportunity TO acquaint himself with the
peculiar wants, needs and requirements of
the District under its anomalous form of
government On the contrary, there was
no subject-wide as was the range and ex-
act as was the quality OF Mr.. Garneld's in
formation there was no subject, touching
which his experience was more thorough,
his judgment more practical or his interest
more intense, than the subject Of the Dis.
trict Of Columbia and its local government.
We know that Mr.. Garfield had not only
contemplated but had matured quite
comprehensive plan Of changes In the per-
sonilei and improvement In the methods of
our local government, which, carried out rs
they would have been under his own active
and experienced supervision, could not have
failed to be of vast benefit to the community.
He was the only President ever elected from
"
and taxpayer in the District prior to his
election, and the only one from any walk of
life who had owned property and paid taxes
here for ten years prior to his election
| Iu fact the only President ever elected
prior to Garfield, who had been in any in
| terested sense n resident of the District or
| intelligently familiar with its wants, was
lE, .fI ~ a L, .1..ls s..f
District affairs was the magnificent career
| of Aleck Shepherd, whose name, now that
calumny has skunk to its hole and the
petty jealousies of small men have been
shamed into oblivion by the enduring and
growing grandeur of the monument his en-
terprise raised, is become household
synonym for public benefaction in
every Washington home. We repeat
that the splendid achievements of Aleck
Shepherd were the result of Grart's intclli-
gent comprehension of District require
ments. That he was permitted to perse-
we're in his grand enterprise for two years
after the hounds ofhatred or of blackmail in
Congress and in journalism were unleashed
upon him was due to Grants unflinching
courage. And even after the sham reform
and canting hypocrisy of that day had done
their worst, the inflexible soldier would
still have preserved Shepherds incompar-
able genius to the public service Of the
District but for q poltroon Senate that
dared not utter its own conscience in the
face of newspaper license and rage.
Something like this glowing page of the
Districts history it was Mr.. Garfeld's am
bition to rewrite He could not reproduce
} Shepherd except by calling that chieftain
back again; and that could not be done
because Shepherd would not come. But he
had in contemplation what to all intents
and purposes would have proved to be the
next best thing; and the execution of his
plan was on the tapis when the assassin
put an end to all his schemes.
Mr.. Arthur succeeds at a time when inn
mediate and effective attention to the needs
of the District is imperatively demanded.
Since Shepherd was forced to lay down
the shovel and hoe"-for those were really
the emblems of his usefulness-the progress
!; of District improvements has gone on
mainly by the impetus his genius gave to
: things here. During the brief period when
Capt. Phelps aggressive dOminecring spirit
J found partial scope in the early part Of
r Hayes administration, there was a
spasmodc revival of public enter
with that exception the progress o
public Improvement has been dragged
along behind the train of private enterprise
at all times passively and sometimes un
willingly. How far this result has been du
' to the stupid parsimOny and obtusc fogyisn
of Democratic Congress we will not at
tempt to analyze; but we cheerfully accord
to the present Commissioners whatever
r palliation for their shortcomings they ma.
e reasonably claim from that fruitful sourc
e of excuse for all kinds of public failure.
It Be this as it may, the time has come 70
v decisive measures In behalf of the District
If Garfield was ready for them; and in hi
IS readiness he was, as we have remarked
IS most perfectly equipped. Arthur will hav
to meet them, and that, too, at the outsc
q of his career and under the disadvantage
h of an almost total lack of local experience
.s That the natural bent of his mind is in tn
d right directon-broad, liberal and imbue'
il with patriotic pride in the grandeur whic
Il should be characteristic of the Capital o
:. such nation as he presidcs over-there i
v not the slightest doubt. All he lacks /
n the Judgment that comes of personal expert
/. ence and the discernment that accrue
from personal observation of local dc
tails. This deficiency can be supple