Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-16
THEY MET ON THE STEPS.
sseahering Last Night which Die.
charged the Citixems' Committee from
Further Service.

sA1UmCF SERVICE
number OF citizens came as far as the entrance
20 the Masonic Temple last evening" with the ex.
Pectation OF attending the adjourned public meet
ing, Tor the purpose OF appointing committee of
one hundred to present District interests before
congress. The chairman OF the meeting, Mr. W.
=: Sait, had published notice that the meeting
WouIu not be held. and, in consequence the major
Ivy o. those interested did not come While the
nttie group was standing about the entrance Mr..
stone steps ana announced that M Gait had mo mo
ngnt 70 postpone the meeting to suit, as Mr.. Wei.
yer SAD the convenience OF his immediate friends
upon motion to adjourn for one week and not to
ZINE and place at the discretion OF the chairman.
ne suggested that in the absence OF Mr.. Gait NOM
george Francis Dawson of East washington, and
CnarieS Pelham, also OF the same section OF the
city, were elected chairman and secretary, re-
SRectivey. Some one suggested that the unfn-
lSneo business OF the last meeting was the report
cokne committee Of FIVE appointed 70 select the
moved that the report OF the committee he laid
upon the table, which was carried unanimously.
MT. Weller then moved that the committee OF five
aso Df hs
then adjourned.
= talk WITH CHAIRMAN GAIT
~. VIM. NJ. Calf, who was elected chairman of
the meeting last week, said to STAR reporter,
speaking OF the proposed citizens committee, that
II was the intention to appoint committee Of five
nom among the best men OF the city, whose hon.
orable action could never be challenged on the
ground Of having tan axe to grind" to prepare in
to @ % which rn night
interest OF the District. ST 1t is FOUND" Mr.. Gait
said that such men as 1 have described cannot
with the matter and will regret that ever lent
my time to its prosecution" 'The great trouble ~
Mr.: Gait said, s.s that congressman are contin-
ually annoyed by persons having axes to grind,
OF measures to promote for their own benefit.
These annoyances the committee of flve will not
tolerate when their influence can be exerted in
their opposition, and neither will the committee
lond their cOuntenance to such schemes" Mr..
Gait was very emphatic in his statements that
this intended committee should not be thought Of
prosecution Of the projects Of any certain class of
men. The motion which inspired the movement
ne the desire that the the
Congress- and that any merttOrtOus bill which may
be urged on their behalf should receive impartial
conclusion, Mr.. Calf said: ST the committee can
secure the revision OF the present laws OF the
District it will have r1ghteously served its pur-
pose. We want laws which will prevent tshysters'
laws by which causes may be decided before the
parties to them are in their graves
WHAT Mr.. N. +. NORRIS SAYS.
STAR reporter in conversation with Mr.. Martin
f. Morris, who was interested with others In call
ing the public meeting OF citizens held last week
IOr Tue purpose Oh selecting COmmlCCee OF one
hundred to represent District interests before Con-
gress, asked him what he thought would be the
effect OF the outdoor meeting held last evening
upon future movements. He replied: at can have
no effect at ALL because the meeting held last eve
ming was in no sense the successor OF the ad-
Journed meeting, for the reason that the Officers
duly elected at that meeting were not present. A
meeting held to-day in any part Of the city would
be just as legal as the meeting held last evening.
The lawfully constituted organization OF public
meeting is the legal representative OF that meet
ing, and without such officers no meeting, unless
under extraordinary circumstances, can be held
and at the same time claim to be the successors
OF a former gathering regularly organized. But
the question Is hardly worth considering. The
hall was needed for preparations for a fair which
is to open to-day, and the chairman had perfect
right, under the circumstances, to postpone
1t. Judging from what has been said
OF the meeting held last week, its object seems to
have been misunderstood in some quarters. The
purpose was to form a committee which would
represent all the interests OF the District, and 1t
was not intended to be constituted solely ter
rtOr1al representation. II the committee as re-
ported did not fully represent all the interests OF
the District there would be no objection to making
changes. 1t was not claimed that the committee
was perfect one, andit Is not expected that every
one will be satisfied, because there are elements
here that could not be satisfied with course that
honorable men and reputable citizens would pur-
Sueo