Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-07

While the Taylor-Chase libel case was on
trial The Star abstained from comment
upon 1t, in accordance with its rule in such
matters in fairness both to Chase and
Taylor, and from respect for the court
which in the shape Of judge and jury was
administering impartial justice. Even now
that the maladorous evidence of discredited
witnesses on both sides Is all in and every
body has been thoroughly bedaubed with
mud and offal and the jury has announced
Its decision, The Star has no Inclination
to stir up the stench-emitting testimony,
and it cares only to call attention to the
fact that in this quarrel over the spells of
the recorders office verdict of guilty of
libel against Chase Is far from being a
verdict Of acquittal for Taylor in his trial
upon the charge of unfitness to be recorder.
Chase in order to escape conviction needed
to show not merely that some but that all
of his charges were true, and true In every
substantial particular, and also that he
printed these truths not maliciously or re-
vengefully, but with good motives and for
justifable ends.
In support Of some of his serious charges
there was not merely failure Of proof, but
a total absence Of evidence, and numerous
facts were developed In the trial, partly
from the evidence of Chase himself. which
would justify the jury in viewing Chases
motive In making the publication as not
being a public-spirited desire to promote
the general welfare. 1t is not strange,
therefore, that Chase was convicted. The
other question of the fitness Of Taylor to
be recorder, not directly on trial In this
case, has already been tried-irst before
the tribunal of local public opinion. and
next before the Civil Service Commission
and a verdict of guilty of unfitness. with a
request for his dismissal, has been rendered
In each case. President Cleveland has per-
sistently appointed carpet-bag negroes to
the strictly local office of District recorder
of deeds, in violation OF so-called home
rule political and personal pledges and lin
just recognition" Of the political demands
of the colored race. He has treated this
office, maintained exclusively by the fees
of local property owners, as that part OF
the political spoils with which democratic
negroes in voting communities are to be
rewarded. The President having himself
thus degraded this office by his method of
treatment it Is not surprising that his
political appointee should take a similar
view of the subordinate positions at his
disposal and treat them as political and
personal spoils. to be put to political or
personal use. and not as public trusts, to
Dc duiAIiiStciSu Oi puSiLioSS pihSipiCSS IA
the public interest.
Taylors own evidence concerning his rea-
sons for appointing, dismissing and REIN
stating his subordinates, shows COM
plete lack Of apr recitation of any obligation
on his part as an official to the community
which hires and pays him. Conceding that
certain appointments were made not be-
cause they had been bought or for immoral
purposes, as Chase alleged but in order to
conciliate Chase or make him feel good, as
Taylor testified, the result is equally I'M
satisfactory to the people of the District.
who expect the affairs of the recorders Of
flee to be conducted in business like man.
ner and business principles. While
Chase failed to establish his terrible ac-
cusations against the personal character
of the recorder, the net result of the testi-
mony on both sides was to show disgust
ingly unwholesome condition of affairs in
the office over which the recorder presides
and for which he is consequently to be
held responsible by this community. Wash
ington demands that the office be cleaned
from bottom to top and administered on
local. home rule. business principles. Pres
ident Cleveland is not disposed to heed this
demand so far as the recorders position is
concerned and when he surrenders his Of
flee to his successor his record, good in
many respects, will have on the page de-
voted to this matter an ugly blot.