Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-21
. TOWN TALK.
A BATCH OF CURRENT TOPICS

4
The Public Printer and District Resi-
dents.
| To the Editor Of the EVENING STAR:
The plea of "Printer" in last evenings STAR
| for the poor workingmen and workingw0men
OF the District who have recently been dis
charged from the Government Printing Office,
and for those now there, liable to goat any time,
| enlists my sympathy, as it should that Of every
man and woman who reads it. saw state
ment in your paper, If mistake not, some time
since, that Mr.. Rounds said the men were dis
charged because they were non-voters, but
could not credit it. 1t seems to be true, how
ever. Has it come to be crime, Mr.. Editor. to
be resident of the capital of the freest govern
ment Gods sun shines on? Are men to be
| ostracised by government officials because they
| can't exercise the right of expressing their po-
litical preferences at the ballot box, especially
when as far as Washington is concerned, the
government itself denies them the privilege of
so doing? MIR. Rounds must not forget that
many of these unfOrtunates were once voters in
some of the states, but lost their right of fran
chse by absolute inability. from poverty, sick
ness, or some other good and sufficient cause,
to return to their old homes on cleo
ton days. They are to-day just as good
republicans. and would do as much for the party
in proportion to their means as he. but have lost
residence in the states. and government says
they shan't votes in the District. To be at least
consistent, why doesn't this autocratic public
printer, who came into power with such a flour
ish of trumpets from the ''Star route" organ,
the Critic, the business manager of which he
appointed to the fOremanship Of the Congress
siondl Record at Sc day-really the best posi-
ton under him, because when Congress is not
in session there is very little for him to do
why don't he give all non-voters in his employ
the grand bounce2 Men high in position under
him belong to that category. Say to them. II
am sorry, but belonging to that class who have
the misfortune to be citizens of this beautiful
city of Washington the capital of your country,
where the lawmakers declare you have no right
to vote. you must go. You may be republic
cans, but you can't vote-yOu have no political
influence, and that's what I must have in
order to make myself solid with poll,
my position. You may be. as know many Of
you are, the very best workmen in the Office,
but you have no vote, your mouths are closed,
so to speak, and really you have no rights that
white man is bound to respect 1 can't keep
you. Although the men who take your places
may be inferior workmen, and some of them
utterly incompetent to do the work you have
been doing. must accommodate my political
friends or off goes my political head. The fact
that when was appointed to my present posi-
bond when only 100000 was required. even
that wouldn't save me if 1 failed to be useful to
my political masters" Now, such policy may
be approved by selfish, greedy politicians men
who have been. and still are, attempting to
crowd the departments with incompetents-but
1t cannot be that business men, men of princi-
pie, men who love the interests and prosperity
of Washington, can remain silent while. in one
of the largest workshops of the country and
world, place where skilled labor should al
ways be in demand the best workmen. and con-
sequently the most economical for the govern
ment, are being slaughtered to crafty the de-
mands of men who would let the party, govern
ment and all, go to the dogs if they only be sat
isfed. Such policy is not only an outrage to
those upon whom it is practiced. but it is incon-
sstent with the principles of the grand old re-
publican party, of which have been member
| and for many years an active member since it's
organization, and should receive, as believe it
will, severe criticism and unstinted condemna-
ton from all good meaning and loving people,
whether voters or not. REPUBLICAN VOTER
October 49, 1882