The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-25
WASHINGTON STIRRED UP.
Local Government Of the District The EX-
citing Cause.
FOSTER AND TIE OHIO REPUBLICANS.
superintendent Porter's Early Retirement
Anticipated-G General Complaint Against
Him Changes In Mail Service.


stirred up over politics. or what is really a
question of politics. The dissatisfaction with
the existing Board of District Commissioners
is SO great and so general that a crisis of some
sort is now at hand. This spirit Of discomfort
has been growing for several years, but now 1t
has crvstalized and the whole community Is
aroused. Never. perhaps,ln me history OF the
Government. save IN time OF war OF IN the
days of reconstruction and oppression IN the
South, has any city or community been 50
despOtically ruled as the national capital
now The chairman of the District Com
raissiOners Is u. ". Douglass. who was
commissioner of internal revenue during the
period that the notorious whisky unG flour
ished and controlled that Office lie retired
under a cloud and 10 remained for President
Harrison 90 summon him from oDscunty.
Douglass Is q r,bid partisan with decided
hvp0oritrai tendencies man much alter
Hanson's style.
The other Republican ON the board
5 Colonel Robert. Of the engineer corps. who
Is another mean partisan, and regular
Pharsee.
There Is another member Of the board who
was appointed as a Democrat and in senti-
mont is one. but be lacks she courage 20 cope
with such schemers as Douglass and Robert.
Commissioner Ross, under our system
Of local government. was placed on the
board 20 protect the Democrats who are en-
plOyed IN the local service, the principle being
that patronage here should be divided between
the two parties. Instead of thus protecting
the men OF his party, Mr.. Ross yields 20
Douglass and Robert and permits them %
usurp all the functions of the board and plot
against Democratic Offce-hOders
For several weeks the commissioners have
been holding secret sessions. and then giving
out 20 the press that the public department
vas under investigation. that there was
something wrong, etc, and many other IN
situations. Yesterday the Post, Washing
ton S leading daily in an editorial on the sub
lect touched the commissioners with severity
seldom administered 10 public officers,
and they felt 10, for they are now endeovorlng
70 explain and apologize But IN attempting
10 justify their course Chairman Douglass has
given utter8nce TO an intim0tion which has
intensified public Indignation. In an inter
view be insinuates that Colonel Moore IS
given 70 a too free use of lutOxi-
cants. There IS scarcely n man or
woman in the District who does not know
this 10 be false. Though not q teetOtaler, Col
onel Moore IS extremely moderate in his
drinking. Having been for many yearsin the
command of military bOdies,s he knows the
necessity Of selt-restlalnt even II that were
needed. But in his case 1t is not
50 lar as the use OF ntoiMcants
is concerned. There is not anOrepOpular man
10 Washington than Colonel Moore, chief Of
police, and there is Il torrent of condemnation
against Douglass.
Colonel Robert the petty military boss Of
the board, in personal interview with Colonel
Moore, recently INDUCED m reckless and
basoiess criticisms OF the police management.
lis remarks reelected upon Colonel Moore,
who rephed
Colonel Robert, / consider that personal
affrOnt and you must either apologize or hold
yourself responsible"
"lll see you again, %" retOrted Robert rising
from his seat as If % terminate the interview.
"Oh. no. replied Colonel Moore we viii
not defer it. demand a settlement here and
now"
well. apologize and retract." answered
the coWed commissioner. Il was only re-
poating what had been told me, and really /
DO not believe the statement
The citizens are determined TO appeal TO the
President and if be refuses redress then Con-
gress viii be asked to interfere.
TREASURY AID TO OHIO.
The Treasury Department is busy worked
for everything ID is worth 10 and the Republi-
cans in their uphill fight in Ohio. The
latest move IS an effort 70 placate the ex-UniOn
soldiers. Ia the Buckeye state there IS con-
siderable dissatisfaction openly manifested
on the part Of the ex-sOldier5
with the administration. The ex-solders
there complain that they have been over
looked aud their claims ignored or treated
with contempt in the distribution of Federal
patronage Now ia the hope of overcoming
this discomfort and by directions Of
Secretary Foster, an order Is issued
10 the effect that "honorably discharged
soldiers and sailors be given a credit OF five
points IN all examinations Tor promotion
under civil service rules This order Is made
10 apply to all eX X-sOldiers and sailors. no mat
ter whether disabled or not.
poBrER's RETIREMENT.
1t IS an assured fact that Superintendent
Porter viii retire from control of the Census
Bureau ere long. 1t Is only "a question as to
providing him with another Job, Ia GrOs-
venOr Complaints against the methods Of
the Census Bureauare so many and come from
SO many sources that the administration can
10 longer ignore them. Porter must 20. 1t Is
now an admitted fact even among competent
subOrdnates of the bureau that the census
thus far is complete failure and that the
enormous outlay of money has accomplished
no actual result The appropriations for the
census hitherto made aggregate 60 800
600 aud of this enOrmus sum there
remains only $500, 000. Vast sums have
been suuandered upOn absurd theories II is
now certain that ia order TO obtain q census
containing statistics of any value whatever
the entire management and system must be
changed and that several millions more must
be appropriated According 10 Porter's
plan only about two-hfths Of the
work has been accomplished 70 let
Mm continue upon the basis he mapped ont
would cost not less than slX or EIGHT million
dollars more Even the protecu0nist adj
mreIs of Porter III the adm nlstratlon realize
that the Republican party cannot carry such
a load Porter Will be given another position
perhaps foreign mission % let him down
easily and then the whole census methods
vii be- reversed and changed. But the coun-
try Will let 40 best only poor return for the
outlay.
MAIL CHANGES.
Bv an order of the Postofice department
the following changes have been made III
star-rOute mail schedules IN Virginia
Route lllj0-White Hall tO Shockeysville.
Leave White Hall Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays after arrival of mail from Winches-
ter. arrive al Shockeysville IN four hours.
leave Shockeysvlle Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays at s A. NJ. arrive nj White Hail by
j. NJ Adopt at once
Route Hl7S-S Stafford Courthouse 10 stat
fords store. Leave Stafford Courthouse daily
except Sunday after arrival OF mail from
Brooks bat not later than II NJ; arrive at
Stahords store in three and three-qumter
houIs leave Staford's store daily except
sunday al 8 A. NJ arrive at Stafford Court /
house by 80 A. VI Adopt at once.
Route 1882 Princess Anne Courthouse TO |
Creeds Leave Princess Anne Courthouse +
daily except sunday 10 3 A. NJ. arrive ~ /
Creeds by ll:l5 A. NJ; leave Creeds daily eA- /
otl y