The sun., 1895-03-28
A Question OF Precetlence.

| An unseemly controversy, or, rather, a
controversy which appears less seemly
| under n reform Administration than it
would he under an Administration of
a representative, popular character, has
| arisen over a question of precedence
| Who should be the first to resign, DAMsEN,
| the German non-union Sheriff. or HoEBER,
the German non-union Coroner Both were
elected OH the same day. Both were men,
bers of the German American Reform Union.
Both took Office on the same day. The term
of both expires on the same day. Both have
proved, with singular impartiality, a simi-
lar besetting unftness to perform the duties
respectively devolving upon them as Coro-
ner and Sheriff, and both are paid by the
city for service that is mainly theoretical
Although there is a grotesque resemblance
between DAMsEN and HoEBER in their blum
ders and errors in Office since Jan. 2, there
are points Of dissimilarity. too, which a
decent sense of respect for the defunct Ger
man-American Reform Union, of which
both were members make it desirable for
statesmen to consider. HoEBER is excita-
BILE, ausgiessend, voluble, hysterical, and
at times inarticulate; DAMsEN is lethargic
drowsy, prone to sleepiness incapable Of
being aroused except by talk about bonds.
HoEBER is professional man, ply
sician. DAMsEN is notary public. Neither
one knows much about English, the official
language Of a majority of our municipal de-
partments. HoEnER, however, is a fluent
oratorical Thuringia German, whereas
DAMsEN extos the advantages of bonds in
mixed form of Plattdeutscl and Holstein
fol, 81
quent stoppages for beer and pretze!s, and
resulting cloudiness and uncertainty as to
the natural termination of his remarks.
DAMsEN's salary paid by the city is four
times as large as HOEBER's, and there are,
therefore, four reasons to one, mathemati-
cally, why the resignation of DAMsEN should
precede that Of HoEBER. On the other
hand, HOEBER rs a peculiar public func-
tionary could be duplicated at any time at
any of our German theatres, whereas DAM
sen could not be duplicated anywhere. He
is the first and last of the series.
DAMsEN's pernicious official activity
chiefly concerns debtors, persons under ar
rest in civil process, persons summoned
for jury duty, and persons whose sanity is
In doubt. HoEBER's persistent official
activity, on the other hand is shown in
murder, suicide, and accident cases, which
are of graver Importance. In the exact
proportion that burial certificate is more
important than jury notice, HoEBER's
duties are more important to the public
than DAMsEN's. The former concern the
community; the latter concern the individ-
ual. Considered from this point of view,
HoEBER should be the first to CO.
1t seems unfair perhaps to make any dis
elimination between two German American
Reform Union officials, both Of whom would
improve the public service decisively by
withdrawing from it. Why should there
be any controversy on this point? Why
should the firm of RIDDER, OTTENDoRFER,
sUTRo and company, unlimited, be at logger
heads or lager-heads, so to speak, concern
ing it' There should be no friction what
ever, for there is no occasion for any DAM
sen and HoEBER should resign simultane-
ously. They should go together. They
should go at once.