davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
MR.. WARMERS FALLA CIES.

Editor Critic; There is one statement in
Mr., B. II, Warner sletter, published in The
CRITIC of the 2lst, which should not go
unchallenged. He saws: "Thousands of
good citizens live in Washington without
paying dollar in the way of taxation"
Now this popular fallacy has so often been
exploded that 1t is surprising that mau so
intelligent as Mr.. Warner should have again
advanced it. AS one of the ''good citizens"
of the class he refers to, desire on their
behalf to resent the unfair charge that We
enjoy the benefits provided by local taxa
tion without contributing our full share of
such taxation.
BY way of illustration, we would ask
Mr.. Warner whether he does not try to
show an investor TO whom he wishes to sell
a house and lot, in his capacity as real
estate agent or owner, how much interest
or rich profit will remain to the Investor
after taxes, insurance, repairs and commits
sions have been paid for? The investor
will ask: "But where is the money to come
from for all this:' Mr.. Warner will say:
"Why, from the rent, of course.n But the
teDant-the "good citizen" pays the rent,
therefore the "good citizen" not only pays
the entire repairs, insurance, commission
and taxes on the house he does not own, but,
over and above all these, a greater or less
profit or interest to the owner. IT. as The
CRITIC states, the smaller pieces of prop
erty are more heavily taxed, in proportion,
than the larger, then these "thousands of
good citizens" without real property, who,
as n rule, occupy these small houses as
tenants, do bear taxation, aud more than
their Just share.
In the same way We pay our share OF the
local taxes which are levied on the grocer
the market man, the dry goods man, aud
every other dealer, not excluding our ever
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
PUBLTC OPINION

There is no suTer safeguard of hon
esty in the administration of public
affairs than an enlightened public
opinion, which is now alert and ready
TO bestow, according to the facts in the
case. either condemnation or approval.
Nothing more firmly sustains an adj
ministraiive official in the just and
'onsciontious discharge of duty than
The assurance of popular support; and,
in ike manner, nothing so affects a
coiIuI and unfaithful public servant
with feelirg of disquietude and dread
as the sense Of widespread dissatisfac-
iion and general censure in regard to
his course of action.
AS vigilance is the price of liberty so
it may be said with equal truth that an
aggressive, self-assertive public senti-
ment is the condition of good admins
tTation in a free community. Where
the conscience of the people slumbers
injustice grows bold and public wrongs
are committed with impunity. Where
public spirit decays and dies govern
ment becomes corrupt, and where public
opinion keeps itself in abeyance or lies
dormant bad principles and methods
will prevail in the management of public
affairs.
1t is sometimes alleged that there is
in the District of Columbia nothing
which is properly entitled to be called
public opinion, unless it be our esteemed
contemporary, the journal of that
name. By this it is not meant that
there are no individual opinions on
public questions. Just the contrary is
tIue, and they exist in very great abund,
ance; because the average of intelli
gence in this city is greater than that
of any other city in the country. Fol
this reason almost every citizen is fitted
10 form an opinion, and he forms it,
too, with knowledge and Judgment.
What is claimed is that these abound
ing individual opinions lack cohesion
and cannot be readily or effectively
massed that there are no means Of as
certaiDing their consensus, and that,
even If il were ascertained, there is nc
organized mode of giving it expression.
Elsewhere public opinion finds force
full expression in the various elections
through which municipal and State
officers are chosen But, on account oi
the anomalous character of our Govern
ment, that mode is not available here.
What should be done, then, to arouse
the attention of the citizens of Wash
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
TIE MERIT SYSTEM.

1t ought always to be kept in mind
that, in discussing modes of appoint
ment to the civil service of the Gov
ernment, most of those who advocate
the merit system as being immeasura-
bly, fairer, more satisfactory aud more
suitable than the old patronage system,
do not commit themselves to any sup
port Of the present Civil Service law or
of its regulations and its administra-
tion.
1t would, indeed, have been strange
if the first legislative attempt in that di-
rection had proved at all points a sue
cess, and if the law and the system
have been shown to be crude and de-
fective in many respects, it is only
what might fairly have been expected.
One difficulty with which the Civil
Service law has had to contend from
the beginning-and is now contending
has arisen from the fact that its OPP
ponents, the politicians, who regard
the offices simply in the light Of past
election rewards, never gave it fair
chance. They did not look for the
good that was in it. They only saw
what was bad. They did not want to
see that, by successive amendments and
corrections suggested by experience, it
might develop into a practical and salts
factory system.
But the popular mind takes little in
terest in bubbles about the laws
defects or the jarring of the ma
chinery of its administration. 1t takes
the sensible view that the law may be
amended and its administration i'm
proved. The mind of the people, how
ever, is very clear about one thing, and
that is, that the merit system must be
retained. To the Civil Service law be-
longs the credit of beginning what in
principle is a revolution in the system
of appointments, and it is revolution
that will never go backward, Nulla
gestigia retr0rsum.
The thorough amendment of the law,
indeed, is quite in order, and 1t will,
doubtless, be undertaken at the earliest
opportunity. But even If 1t should be
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
ANTIPATHIES.

lie Mothe de NsSer delighted in hearing
thunder, but could not bear the sound of
any musical instrument.
Though passionately fond Of a dog, Henry
ILL., would faint at the sight of cat; so,
too, would the Duke of Schomberg,
Sealger, whOttells of his relatives weak
ness, could not endure water cress; neither
he nor Peter of Albano could drink milk.
Emperor Augustus had mortal dread of
thunder, and would retire to a vault built
for the purpose at the approach of the
smallest thunder clouds.
Marshal Breze once shot and killed a
companion while rabbit hunting, and ever
afterward would faint at the sight OF one
of those harmless little animals.
Nauglelm, the famous Hauovarlan
sportsman, slew wild boars by the hun
dreds, hut ran away from a table upon
which there was roasted pig, or tainted If
unable TO beat a retreat.
The smell OF fresA FISH threw Erasmus
iuto fever, ana King Vladislas of Poland
declared that he would rather meet 1000
AIMED focs than be confined in room with
peck Of apples.
You can order THE CRITIC by postal card.
II will be sent To your address every even
ng for 80 cents.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
POLICE AND LOTTERIES.

The attention which THE CRITIC
has aroused in regard to the nefarious
lottery business done in the District has
encouraged the police authorities to re
new their efforts for its suppression.
The difficulty heretofore has been
that when an agent of any of the lot
teries has been arrested the Police
Court was held to have jurisdiction.
On a demand for jury trial, which
that court is not empowered to grant,
the case was sent 10 the grand jury and
remained buried there.
Now it is thought that under section
1858 of the Revised Statutes any judge
Of the Supreme Court may exercise
original jurisdiction and hold lottery
agent to trial.
An arrest is to be made which will be
regarded as test case. If 1t is success.
full the gratitude of this community
will be due TO the police for their intel
ligence and zeal in the matter.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24

amended TO such an extent rs to compel
tconsuuclion from The keel NJ the
mciit principle will prevail only the
more, and the restoration of the patron
age system will be the more impossible.
The amended law will provide for al.
mission to The purely ministerial, ~
distinguished from the administrative,
offices of the Government on account
Of merit, and for permaneuce in the
same, likewise through merit. The
tenure of Office will be assured when
dismissals can only be made for a re-
corded cause.
The real controversy in which the
people are interested is that between the
merit and the patronage principles AS
THE CRITIC has heretofore shown, 1t is
q controversy in which Washington Is
greatly interested, for the permanenc1
in Office of large and important class
of citizens means prosperity to the city.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
INGERSOLLS EPIGRAMS.

oh, what an orator is love! What honeyed
words run over the rose of his ips
Epithets are so cheap that you can make
money on lies at so cents hundred.
People who are fond, of music are some
times dangerous.
think any woman in the world is repaid
for an ordinary breach of promise by being
taken to hear Wagner's music.
III go as far as anyone to whip naked
through the world the man who deceives
good, pure and confding woman.
Every heart is like theatre in one re-
spect; there are certain effects produced,
but you don't want every one to see all the
ropes and pulleys.
The woman who marrles man because
be is rich, or for a title, or for Office, place
or power, is not virtuous woman, and the
man who marries a woman for any such
reason is not virtuous man, but con-
temptible wretch.
A marriage without love is immoral.
don't care how many forms you 60
through. / don't care If all the churches in
the world, united beneath the dome of
Heaven, filling all the air with insense, pro-
nounce them welded, If that sweet perfume
called love does not arise there is no mar
riage.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
NEEDS or orr ,SCHOOLS


On a recent occasion Superintendent
Powell publicly stated fact in regard
to the school system of this city which
is of grave significance. He said that
out of school population of 81, 900
there were 1000 pupils in the schools,
to accommodate whom all available
sChool.room was severely overtaxed
and injuriously overcrowded. The
meaning of this statement is that, in
the District of Columbia, there are 49,
eco children for whom no public
schooling is provided, and that for
many thousands of those who have
been admitted to the schools the pro-
vision is altogether inadequate.
Our neighbor and esteemed contem-
porary, the Sunday Gazette, yesterday
published number of interesting inter-
views with members of the Board of
Trustees in regard to this matter. They
all complain of lack Of school accom-
modations. This lack was so pressing
last year that $14,S32 was paid for
twenty four rented buildings and thirty
eight rooms necessarily il.titted for
school work. Notwithstanding the ad-
ditional room thus secured, over 900
could be accommodated for only half
day tuition.
The High School is so overcrowded
that there, too, half day tuition has to
be adopted to a considerable extent. To
relieve the pressure on this institution
1t is proposed to erect two additional
High Schools-one in West and the
other in East Washington. This relief,
however, cannot Immediately be effected
for lack of funds.
In addition many of the older school
houses and all the rented buildings are
ill-ventilated, defective in plumbing
and sewerage and detrimental to health
Yet, in full view of all these facts,
the District Appropriation bill as passed
by the House allows for new sites and
schoolhouses $4,000 less than last
year, the trouble being that as the need
increases the appropriation diminishes.
Why Congress should deal in this
niggardly fashion with the schools of
the District passes comprehension.
Economy is commendable, and it is the
duty of Congressman to scrutinize
closely every scheme that threatens to
deplete the Treasury, But schools are
not questionable schemes. The schools
of the District largely depend for their
efficiency on the liberality of Congress,
and they are at least entitled to just
support.
The only resource left to remedy the
evil state of things referred to and to
increase the appropriation is an appeal
to the Senate for an amendment of the
bill. This appeal is to be made, and it
is to be hoped that it will prove sue
cessful. The Senate does not need to
be told that money spent on schools is
money well expended. Education is
not only necessity Of our time, but
against the evils that loom up threaten
ipgly over the horizon of modern civil
ization the free scope of wider and
more general education is the only de-
fense in sight
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24

grown 10 be necessities to you. But Dolo-
i,s must have her bon-bons and flowers
ard little charity coins also AS | said
before, fdt justHid.h
hVilh all my heart, uncle" said Paul,
laughing
Aud ~ little Dolores won her cause after
ALL She came to her uncle the next day.
ooh, uncle l" she said, al am so sorry |
told YOU that about Paul"
"Nhy, my dcarYn asked the Major.
"Btcanse we have talked The matter all
over" said Dolores, "and he Is so good.
! am to have regular allowance, all of my
own Isn't he splendid Aud wouldn't
have him think complained of him tor all
the world"
"Dou't he afraid my dear" s,id the
Major. at shall be . state secret between
us two forever and day. And you are
sure you're quite happy nowW
"Oh, yes, quite" declared Dolores, with
emphasis
But she did not know that Uncle Gerald
was The magician who had wrought this
wonderful change. Neio York Ledger.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
nnnGLNG TIE LGSHE.

In his letter, which appears in an.
other column, Mr. Warner shows u
marvellous capacity for either miscon
ceiving or evading the point at issue in
the contention about assessments. THE
CRTIC maintains that a system of as.
sessment which results in so many aud
such ralpable inequalities as those
which it ascertained and published in
detail is an unjust system and should
be abolished. That is the sole con.
tention.
Mr.. Warner endeavors to cloud
the issue by reference to irrelevant
matters, such as the competency of the
Commissioners, which has not been i'm
pugned, the progress and growing at
tractiveness of the city, which no one
denies, and the non-intention of wrong
on the part of the individual assessors,
against whom nothing has been alleged.
These things are outside of the matter
and are not in this discussion at all.
Mr.. Warner says there has not been,
and there cannot be, any discrimina-
ton in the rating between rich and
poor" OF course, not in the rating for
taxation. but this, too, is irrelevant, for
the question is about assessment.
Again, he says there is no apparent
necessity for additional burdens. TIE
CRITIC has not advocated increased
burdens. The amount of taxation will
be the same whether the general assess
ment is fair or unfair, the difference
being that if the rich are assessed at a
low rate and the poor at high rate the
burden of taxation will be unjustly
distributed.
But Mr.. Warner avows himself the
advocate Of low assessments for The
Iich who build handsome residences
and improve the city. He gives, ap.
parently, unconscious testimony in favor
Of The CRITIC's contention when he
says that large number of property
holders of moderate means with whom
he has bad business connection, have
frequently complained to him tha
their assessments were too high.
Finally Mr. Warner avows his oppo-
silion to change of system and to a
permanent Board of Assessors. What
has been characterized in successive
reports of District Assessors and Com
missioners as an unjust system appears
TO him altogether lovely, and the re-
form which has been repeatedly recon-
mended by District officials is to him
wholly undesirable. We fear Mr..
Warner 'is joined to his IDOLS" but at
all events he has abandoned the expedi,
apo,y ,>1ao
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24

irplon to matters in which they have q
common interest, aud how can this
agreement Of opinion be given united,
adequate and effective cNpressionY
The success which has attended many
of the efforts Of the Committee Of 100'
and It's nine sub.commitees in the sew.
cral districts Of the city, shows what
may he done by voluntary associations
Of citizens. Through their activity and
n al the schools were saved from mis-.
management and the present admirable
system established. In various ways
their influence has been felt in procur-
ing municipal reforms and the ready
acct ss which their delegated represen-
tatives have had to The Congressional
District Committees presents an un-
official method by which expression
may be given to the wishes or griey-
ances of the people.
The main grievance Of the city at
the present time is the unjust system Of
assessment i'm vogue. 1t is unfair to all
classes, and should give place to an
adequate and impartial plan. This is
a matter which the Committee Of
1907 and the several District associa-
tions should take up at once and push
vigorously to a speedy conclusion. If
they do not the people will have to as
semble and organize and send their
representatives to Congress in their own
way, for nothing is more certain than
that the fraud by which the rich are
benefited at the expense Of the poor
must cease.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
MR.. LODGES DISCOVERY

Congressman Lodge has discovered in
early records of the House several instances
Of such action by the Speaker as Mr.. Reed
has lately taken. We must go back to the
early Congresses, which contained many
men who had been members of the Consti-
tutional Convention, for those interpreta-
tions of the Constitution which show the
real motive and meaning OF its provisions.
The records Mr. Lodge has found mean
simply this: That the Constitution, in Civ
ing Congress power to authorize less than
quorum to compel the attendance Of alb
sent members, made and intended
to make a quorum dependent on attendance
simply, and not on members will whether
or lot to act. The Constitution said a
quorum should consist Of 30 many mem
lers, and when House found itself with
an insufficient number, it might send out
and forcibly procure as many members as
were needed to make quorum. The Con
stitution recognized that it could not com
pei members to act, but it could compel
them TO attend. What 1t could do, it did
do. Mr., Reed has simply revived the CON
s.ilutional practlce,-Ne,O York Tribune.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
onApNnnm ArrAolks oALt.
Intercttiug Debate in the Senate on
Florida AssSsriuationH

In the Senate this morning Senator
Chandler Introduced resolution 10 con
tute Senator Call for inserting In the
record rs part Of his remarks
on the FLORIDA assassination debate lhss
week The charge that Mr.. Chandler, be-
cause of IFS speeches in the Senate, was re-
spoueble for the political murders in
Florida. MIR. Chandler produced the orig
ipsl copy, showing the attractions
in Mr., Cal's own handwriting. lie made
very bitter speech against Mr.. Gail, to
which the Florida senator responded, The
Senate will decide 10 morrow which com
uittee TO refer the resolution to.
The preamble and resolution presented
by MIR Chandler stated that the Senator
from Florida had charged him ia
deuate with personal responsibility
for the outraging of women and the mut-
deriug Of children and the destruc-
tiOn of the happiness of household
in the South by men who were
the tnissaries behind him. and that the
Senator had, in addition, inserted the fol-
lowing paragraph which he had not
spoken;
''1he blood of Saunders, If the evidence
shall show his death was in any way con-
nectcd with the prosecutions in the
United States courts, will rest Oh
Of outraged and murdered women
and children, the victims of the
Wild lusts and passions of a race, who owe
all that they know of religion
aud civilization to the Southern white
people, and not to the Senator
from New Hampshire with distrust
his sleeping and his waking hours. Like
Banqur's ghost, it will not down; aud the
ocean will not wash his blood-stained hands
from the guilt OF the rape and murder Of
these tender white women and children
TIE resolution condemns such action as
g breach of privilege for VIII At the Senator
MIR. CALI is ccnsured, and orders the
words so inserted aud the paragraph he
added to be stricken from the report In the
COHyrtSaoadi Record,
Mr.. Call, defending his course, stated
that he had expressed substantially tue
same idea in debate and that he ha
simply changed the phraseology rs
he bnu right to do under the established
pret edent Of the senate. He character
lied the conduct OF Mr.. Chand
Ter as "an extraordinary per-
foimance." The report of his speech rs
il came TO him was not fun and accurate,
and he had inserted remarks which had
been made by hin, in debate but which the
official repog er had omitted.
Messrs. Teller, Harris, Hoar, Vest and
Sherman participated in brief debate
which followed. The resolution finally
went over until tomorrow.
The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
TO MAX Il ICE.
Organization of the Century Ice Ma
chine Company.


There mas recently been incorporated
under the laws of the State of West Vr-
sinia company under the above title, the
domicile Of which is in the city Of Wash
iDgton.
There are already great many ice ma.
chine companies and machines for refrgera-
tion and cold storage, but all OF them use
chemicals in their operation, which are
dangerous and expensive.
The patents which this company own
are the inventions of Hector Won Bayer Of
this city, who seemingly has entered new
fields and upon new principles, for this
system does away entirely with the use of
ammonia or any chemicals whatever, en-
ploying only pure atmosphere.
The machine costs less to operate than
any other now in existence, and can be
used for hotels, butchers, daires, or pri-
vate houses, as well as for large establish
ments for ice-making or cold storage.
If all that is claimed for this system can
be practically and successfully demon
strated on q large scale, as is shown In the
one-half horse power machine which the
company has on exhibition, 1t is, indeed a
wonder, and n great future awaits it.
Much interest has been manifested by
those familiar with such machines, aud
who know and appreciate the value and
need of machine which can dispense with
the use of ammonia.
The company is fully organized, with a
board of directors of well-known and prom
inent WashiDgtonians, and the company
expect TO get down at once to solid work
and build a machine on a large scale hero
as coon as they can secure by purchase a
suitable lot upon which to erect their
building.
prominent and influential public man
has become largely interested in the COM
pany upon the merits of the machine, and
other active, business men from other large
cities have come here to interest themselves
in the company and to arrange TO organ
ize auxiliary companies In New York aud
elseM here.