Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-20
THE DISTRICT OFFICES.
Some Of the Phases OF the Contest Now
Going On-Attacks on the Character
of Candidates.

/ what is the latest news about the District ap-
pointments,'' asked STAR reporter of one of
/ the leading politicians in the District.
II don't hear anything especially new was
| the reply, "but am told that the President is
| getting very much out of patience because of
| the trouble given him about these few Offices"
Il don't hear of many delegations going to see
him now,' observed the reporter, land l
thought that there was a general let-up in the
In the ordinary way and i'm the ordinary
sense, was the response, ''that Is the case. 1t
| Is only occasionally that a delegation now goes
| up TO the White House in relation to the Dis
trIct appOin tments, and far surface indica-
| tons 20, nothing is being done and no one is
concerned about the offices. However, they are
working things little differently now, and the
| President has considerable reason for the COM
plant that the District offices are occupying a
| good deal of his time and attention. The way
| IL Is worked is this: There is one element of
| District politicians who come in contact with
politicians from all parts of the country in their
| clubs and in a social way. Meeting these men
! in this way they present their ideas about the
| District appointments and suggest the use of
an influential word with the President. When
| these men call upon the latter to discuss the
affairs of thSir own state and district. they also
manage to slip in a word about District mat
| tiers, and suppose that hardly day passes
that the President does not hear about some
one who would fill a District office with salts
faction. In this way District affairs are made
to loom up in the Presidents mind, and he
probably hears more on this subject than on
any other. l don't know that object to this,
having friends at court, are not mentioned in
the Presto .nts ear with that iteration
which. in the opinion OF the office seeker at
least. is not .damnable.' However, this practice
is Objectionable because a good many of these
prominent men in this way become so much
interested in the District appointments as to
want the offices for their own friends
AT any rate he continued, "this kind Ofpres-
sure which is now being brought to bear upon
the President Is not so Objectionable, and may
say has none of the detestable features of the
policy of another element here which seeks to
| blacken the character of every man who is men,
toned In connection with Il District Office. AS
soon as candidates head appears above the
surface these pirates are ready with their broad
swords to cut il Off, and they regard neither the
relations of the past or the friendships of the
present. There is one consolation, however, in
the fact that they have not the facilities for
very intimate contact with the President, but
they reach him occasionally through a cabinet
officer, and then they always have the medium
OF the mails. understand that the President
said not long ago that if he believed what was
told him i'll regard to the candidates for the
local offices here, there was not an hon
est man in the District. These tactics
OF course are not new in the District, but, as
OF the interests OF tue District in the past by
virtually compelling the President to choose
officials who not citizens OF the District: at
least this sort OF thing gives the President an
excuse for going outside for District officials.
am i'll favor of appointing good men 20 the
To blacken and belittle the character of every
man who Is presented for office in the Dis
trict. There are good men who are citizens OF
the District. and l think that it is diSgraceful
that 1t should be necessary to even make this
statement. But that it is necessary is shown
by the remarks made by the President that he
is bound to believe from what is told him that
there are no honest men in the District"