Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-23
In the course Of his indignant accusation tina.

In tine course OF MS indignant accusation that
the civil Commissioners are ingrates, who,
having used him for their dirty work, now kick
him out OF doors, ex-Assessor Fish indicates
precisely the condition of affairs at the District
building which The STAR has charged. The
unaccustomed taste Of Official power by small
natured and weak-minded men, with the ac-
conpanying interested fattery of sycophants,
who made the public pay dearly for every COM
pliment, resulted some time ago in swelling the
heads OF the present civil Commissioners out of
all proportion and beyond all recognition
They angrily resented any unfavorable COM
ment by the people or press Of the city upon
their official conduct. Voteless Washingtoni-
ans were denied even the right to grumble.
They played the part Of petty tyrants, using
their Official powers to aid and injure for the per-
sonal reward or punishment of faithful or IN
faithful subjects. As the end of their terms of
Office approached, the swelling and the perse-
cutting redoubled in energy. Mere failure to
support them for reappointment was a INSIDE
meanor; active opposition was a crime. An
ex-Cnion soldier, efficient clerk in the
District building, who ventured to favor
another candidate for Commissioner, was
peremptorily discharged on the extraordinary
ground Of ''disloyalty to superior officers" =
Personal loyalty to the Commissioners was Of
more importance than loyalty to the Union.
Some of the most ELUSIVE aatterers among those
toadying to the Commissioners even spread
abroad the notion verbally and in print that the
fate of the national capital was in some mysteri-
ous way identified with the fortunes of these gen.
tlemen, whose proportions were by this time so
enlarged that they easily occupied the whole
District, and even began to be confused with
the outlines of the universe. During this pc
Rod the attempt was made to punish The STAR
for failing to be totally overcome
by their dropsical greatness. A mass
of untruths, already thoroughly exposed by The
STAR, was coneocted in reference to the papers
tax assessment. Failing in the effort to make
public the libel during the Scholastic investi-
cation, a resolution of inquiry was procured
from the Senate, drawn according to ex-Assessor
Fish by Mr.. Wheatley himself, and the previ-
ously cooked-up attack on The STAR was for
warded a reply. Then the Commissioners
posed as disinterested public servants, con-
strained to do as they did by Senate resolu-
ton which they had themselves pro-
cured. and protected against response
bility for publishing untruths by the
shield Of privileged communication
DisingenuUusness has characterized the course
of these Commissioners in retaining private
business relations in conflict with the public
interests, which the community had been led to
consider as severed. Doube-dealing has been
practiced in the steady profession of the inten-
ton to be non-partisan and in the disavowal of
intention to make removals when all the time
the local government was being converted into
Cleveland partisan machine through the very
removals, concerning which the Commissioners
had entered deceptive denials. Retention in
Office has been sought by disgraceful deal
through which a democratic politician from
outside the District was to be saddled upon the
community as judge. The same low trickery,
mingled with an exhibition of petty spite, has
characterized the whole of the campaign for
reappointment of these inflated officials.