Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-30

The attorney for the District holds that the
newspapers and consequently the public which
they represent have no more rightful interest
or concern in the appointments ard removals
by him. and the motives for these official acts
than he has in changes made by the managers
OF newspapers among those in their employ.
Entertaining this extraordinary view of the
Office which he occupies-nOt as proprietor, but
merely as the servant Of the pubic-it is not
strange that he reseuts as a malicious personal
attack the printing Of matter which raises the
question whether a certain removal by him Is
for or against the public interest
Whether Mr. Eazelton vas right or wrong In
removing Mr.. Dumout he will do well to de-
scend promptly from the high horse which he
has mounted. This community is no. to be
told with impunity that "a public office is a
pirate snap in the affairs and conduct of
which the public has no concern. Mr.. Dumont
declared concerning the district attorneys
Office that there vas nothing in it for him. The
district attorney now announces that there is
nothing in it for the public. BY this process
Of exclusion it results that the Office is the pri-
waite property of the district attorney and that
he Is the only one who finds or can expect to
find any thing ia il. The public is sure to dis
sent rudely and effectively from this monopo-
li,;ic, non-diyiliuS. Iordly notion entertained
and advanced by the district attorney.
Dir Dumont had found means Of repress-
Ing Illegal sales Of hGuor which promised, at
least. temporary success. and the public re-
joiced Mr. Ha.citon dismissed these proceed
inss. which court bad a. yet discounten-
anced. holding c..l O., he public the hope of
future proceed e. r,i police regulations.
which we're n"t y-.. neg ever could be-
valid. and then CisEli.s@,! 1lr. DumOnt. Where
upon the Illegal liquor dealers rejoiced The
prohibitioni-ts claimed that the liquor men had
been instTumeE tal in creating the cause Of
their own JOY. and then the public aad The
STAR took an interest in the matter. If the
liquor men had any influence. as alleged in the
removal Of Er Damon. and the suppression Of
his prosecutions the public has a right 10
know it. and if no s1ch influence has been ex-
erted and other considerations prevailed the
public has a RICH; to find out and know hat too
Mr.. Hazelton thinks that the Dunont prose-
cutiOns we're shakv. and some other lawyers
think that the Hazelton prosecutions under the
new regulations viii be sbaky. But the public
approves Of all efforts TO fasten penalties upon
law breakers ard for tine COED that could be
sccomIliShed until Congress meets again. and
especially during the Grand Army encamp-
ment, has apPlauded every EFFORT that prom
ised relief from unlimited whisky traffic.
even though that relief might possibly be only
temporary. Being in this frame Of mind the
public has been curious to know why the Du-
mont proceedings were not permitted to run
their natural course. however short for the
same good reasons that prompted the framing
of the new police regulations legislative an
thOrity which is questioned Why should the
district attorney be the first TO discard
weapon which had, far "a tried. proved ef-
fectiye for the public welfare. when this action
left him for the time completely unarmed and
helpless: Whv could not all the chances that
presented themselves Of depressing the evil
even temporarily have been wisely taken? II
the district attorney had some other reason
than desire 10 please the liquor men for caus-
ing the latter to rejoice by Diminishing hostile
proceedings and an energetic prosecutor who
annoyed them. what is there To prevent him
from eonhding to the public Whose servant he
Isl what that reason may be? 1t is not insisted
that these questions cannot be satisfactorily
answered. but the community insists and has a
right 10 insist that answer be made
The public and The STAR must. il ia feared.
continue 70 annoy Mr.. HazeltOn by prying into
the motives and conduct Of public officer in
the discharge of his public and Official duties.