The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-08-23
GENERAL NEWS NOTES
WEST WANTS TO cENrRAL,zE
The Poutn Ia the District Of Columbia and Turn
ltinto aPoiitlrai harhIns-J John q. Thomp.
z AoA'. his Draw Outer the Trra.ury-lron
re- Sttlke-StAtu, VI the Situation,

WASHINGTON, August %. : Ex-senator
West, Of Louisiana, The Stalwart whom the
Shlwarts made one Of the Commissioners
of The District Of Columbia the other day
In place OF Josiah Dent, II very respectable,
old.iashioned conservative resident, is
making II great deal Of trouble in the Board
already. He is trying TO get the contract OF
NIL the District patronage in his hands, in
order to give places to Stalwart politicians
like himself. J. Hale Sypher is the most
prominent among those named for the
offices hc wants TO parcel out. 'Colnmi.-
sioncr Thomas p. Morgan, III old resident,
appointed by Hayes, and Major Lydecker,
us. Engineer, appointed by Arthur the
remaining members Of the board, are do.
ing al that they cnn to thwart bis purpose.
West thinks ln will succeed in his at.
tempt 10 turn what now is n non. .par,isap,
Respectable and efficient city government
into n S,alwart political machine. TN
Wcs: has gone to New York TO sec Ar.
thur about 1t. 1t is believed that he might
bhre carried his points, il he had no, gone
at the matter so recklessly. The Star saws.
very sensbly, tonight: The present form
OF District Government has now been on
trial for four years, and the general verdict
is undoubtedly in its favor DESPITE some
anomalies and defects in the system and
some fault finding, occasionally lust.
against individual officials, the growth OF
opinion has-bcen steadily in its favor.
The feeling is that under this form OF
government the District financial affairs
have been managed honestly, and that
Washington, i'll its charge, is rapidly be.
coming the best paved und shaded, the
most orderly and the haRtls,mest and
pleasantest city in the country.
The growing confidence in the District
Government has been shown BY the good
words spoken in its behalf in Congress,
and by the constantly increasing nsaior:ties
given in that body for District appropra.
tons, and though u majority, perhaps
two o.thirds, OF the District officials
and employees have been Republicans,
yet the Government has been ran SO little
upon apartizan gauge, that it has had the
support and confidence OF all parties in
Congress, q very important consideration
in view OF the close division OF parties in
both Houses. In fact this not, .partisan
character Of the District Government
which has earned for it this general regard
was distinctly guaranteed OH The occasion Of
the passage OF the bill providing for the
Commissionership form OF Government
Both Houses oi Congress, it will be remem.
berel, were Democratic, and objection was
made by the Democrats 10 the provision
giving the appointment Of the
Commissioners to the President
(llayesl, that he would make
it partisan Board. Mr.. Garfield, on the
floor OF the House, made the pledge that II
the appointing power was left with the
President, the Board OF Commissioners
should not be composed on party basis,
and President Hayes redeemed that
pledge by his appointments and by in.
sttucting the Commissioners to avoid. any.
thing like partsanship in their course,
This is as it should be. The District OF
Columbia is the ward OF the Nation, over
which Congress, and not any party, has
exclusive control. 1t needs the good will
OF all parties, and it would be fatal to its
interests il its government should be made
\ mere machine in the interests Of one
party, and, therefore, earn the hostility of
the other. 6