Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-06

The customary bills for reconstructing the
District recordship of deeds are introduced and
pending. When the recorder is democratic
appointment the republicans introduce the
bills; when he is a republican the democrats
march to the assault Each party quiets its de-
mand for reform in this matter soon as
it takes its turn in the political
pap-sucking at the expense OF the people of
Washington. While the attacking army
marches and counter marches with empty
demonstrations before the position Of the re-
eorder, that Official, whether republican or
democratic, has no difficulty in holding the
fort and in continuing to levy tribute upon the
District of Columbia.
There is no mystery about the facts in the
case. The recorder performs purely local fuuc-
tions, and is paid in the shape of fees exclu-
sively by local property owners and citizens
having dealings with his Office. The fees col
lected by him are so large in the aggregate that
this Office with its local duties and local COM
pensation. has become one Of the rich
tid-bits in the spoils of national politics
10 be fed to some politician from north,
south or west as reward for services
rendered or an encouragement for future
political labors. Its main service has been
10 render ''jus. political recognition to the
eolored race" In other words fund has an
nually been extorted from the people Of the
District under the forms of law to enable each
party IN turn to bride the negro voters of the
country by bestowing this ll-gotten wealth
upon some imported negro politician or political
striker. The figures reported concerning
the earnings of the Office by Recorder Trotter,
a coIored importation from Boston, showed
that in 49, SO and part of 81, about two years
and three-q iarters, the property owners of
Washington had paid to that official over ss4,
OOO and after meeting all ordinary and some
extraordinary expenses he reported as net
earnings over $4,000 for that period.
The recorder a wages Garner comes next to
the President among capital officials. He has
nothing but routine duties to perform, and
these are performed by proxy. No worry or
great responsibility weighs upon him, and no
expensive social requirements of his position
cut down his earnings. The people of the
District have contributed annually to politi-
clan imported from an outside state an amount
greater than the compensation of the chief
justice Of the United States, and sufficient to
pay the salaries of Senator and two Repre-
sentatives to speak for them in Congress.
This community is heartily tired of the hum
which have operated to perpetuate these con-
ditions. If its legislature would give to the
District hal decent treatment in the matter it
would promptly make the recordership a
salaried off ,e, combining the appointment to it
as a postio purely local to citizens of the
Districs. and providing that any excess of fees
above salaries and expenses for which
provision is legally made should be
a.
as local Ia rs The substitution by statute of
brief modern forms for the old-fashioned and
verbose conveyances would both benefit the
public and reduce recording expenses The fee
to the recorder, not the compensation of
the actual copyist. might well be reduced.
1t is clear that the present fees
produce fund that is much more than enough
to pay a reasonable salary and all the expenses
of a most satisfactory management Of the Office.
The surplus over this necessary amount, which,
If collected, should be covered into the Treas
ury to the Districts credit, ought properly not
to be collected at all The Office should also
be brought into subordinstion to the Commits
sioners or to the District court. The vital
point, however, is the conversion Of the re-
cordership into a salaried Office. with only rea-
sonable compensation. When the richness of
its returns no longer attract the greedy poll
tician from Maine to Florida and from New
York to California, the other improvements
and reforms in 1t will be possible even if they
are not accomplished by the same piece Of leg
islation.
The history Of the rscordership is discred-
table to both political parties and indefensi-
BILE outrage upon this community. What will
the present Congress do about it?