The times., 1897-03-18

| at the Tuesday evening meeting as to
the action that should be taken. The mem
| orial was at first dra wn up recommending
| only Mr.. W. c. Dodge, the Republican, ami
| leaving Mr. Ross out of the question en-
tirely. This was not satisfactory to most
| of the members of the committee, and Gen.
Birncy, the chairman of the committee, sug-
| gested that the memorial should be 50 modi-
fled as To include Mr. Ross as the Demo-
| cratic choice OF the meeting. e was In
| this condition thatthe committee ad journed
on Tuesday night.
About ? O'Clock yesterday afternoon,
| half an hour before the agreed timeof meet
| ing the President. the committee met n the
offices OF Gen. Birney, IN Louisiana avenue,
| about a mile from the White House. During
all yesterday morning, or part of that time,
| Gen. Bimey had been adding to the first
memorial the paragraphs that he thought
necessaryIn favor OF Commissioner Ross for
reappointmeat. A few minutes after 2
DR.. w A. Croffut, the secretary OF the
committee asked if he might be permit ed
to read the revised mem orial. This Gen
Brney could not refuse, although the time
was passing rapidly toward the hour OF
the appointment by the President.
DR.. Croffut leiSuTely read the amended
memorial, and at tenniinutes after drew
Mr.. Josiah Millard ana MI Lurin Chappell
aside to continue its consideration. At
2:15 DIR. Croffut made the announcement
that the memorial was not a suitable one,
that it did not voice the opinions OF the
committee and that il must be changed.
1t was situation that required imme ediate
and determined action. if the President
was to receive the East Washington citi
zens' committee and the other citizens
| committees at 2:30.
This memorial puts Mr.. Ross an
equal footing with Mr Dodge DR.. Crof-
fut said. Ut was the sense of the meet
ing last night that Mr. Dodge should be
recommended as the choice OF the com
mittee, and that If Mr.. Dodge were not
chosen, or for any reason he was not
available, in MT Mckinley's estimation,
Mr.. Ross should be presented as suggest
ed as second choice. By putting Mr.. Ross
on an exactly equal footing with Mr.
Dodge the entire intention of the committee
is negatived'
''Gentlemen," said Gen. Birney, I'VE
have no time for a meeting now-not
moment. You all know that DR.. Croffut is
mistaken in his belief, and that the me
mortal, as 1T Is now CtdWH, is III tAdCI
accordance with your wishes
II refuse to be a member of this com
mittee if this memorial is to be pre-
'sented." said DR.. Croffut.
I'VE shall be late, as it is,'' said Gen.
Birney: though if we take the cars at
the door: perhaps only few moments
al will not be a member of any such
hurried and harried and bulldozed COM
mittee," DR.. Croftut is said to have inter
5ected.
DR. CroffUt, Mr.. Josiah Mnlard and Mt.
Lorin Chappelltherefore did not accompany
the remainder of the committee on its trip
on the + street cars TO the White House,
and did not receive with the committee
the handShake Of the President, and were
not present when Gen Birney gave into
the Presidents hand the important me-
mortal. The remainder of the committee
were, however, all in attendance, and
seemed to he all OF one mind and perfectly
satisfied with Gen. Birney's memorial and
his action There were in the party which
called on the President, Gen. Birney, Gov.
n. ID. 0rdway, James p. Edwards Mr.
Henderson, of the East lexington Associa-
tion: Henry Barton, w. j. Frizzell; n. w.
Hall. 1r, of the South Washington Associa-
ton; M j. Brown, Evan II. Tucker, and
r. F. Bradbury.
They were received in the Presidents
reception room, and after the President
had shaken hands with them all Gen. Bir-
ney made short speech of presentation.
II present this memorial recommending
the appointment on the District Commits
sion of Mr.. w c. Dodge and the reap
pointment of Mr.. John w. Ross, in behalf
of the various citizens associations Of the
District
He also explained to the President that
while the committee would of course be
pleased to have both these gentlemen ap-
pointed on the commission, they were in
favor of either one, if both could not be
chosen.
''You would be reasonably well satisfied
with either, them" said the President
with smile.
YES Gen. Birney assented.
The whole business did notlast more than
two minutes, and into the minds of sympa-
thetic observers there came the question, if
all the trouble the committee had been at
was not, at least. partially wasted.
The memorial began with a statement of
the movement in East Washington, the
representation from nine citizens associa-
tions 1t spoke of the two vacancies to he
filled, and of the custom now almost, if
not quite, a law, that the two civil
Commissioners should belong to opposite
political parties, and respectfully sug-
geSted for the nominations, the names of
William c. Dodge. Republican, and John
w Ross, Democrat.
1--WE submit" said the memorial. that
Mr. Dodge hasresided in Washington thirty
seven years. That he has spent the greater
part of this time in the investigation of
municipal affairs and in promoting the
general welfare of the city without reward
or the hope of reward. That to him. MOI e
than any other citizen, was due the very
able and voluminous reports on the prices
of gas, which led to the reduction by Con-
gress in the price of gas, benefiting the
householders of the District very greatly.
That he is man free from any entan gle
ment with any corporation, speculative class
or ring which would be benefited by any
special municipal legislation. That his
moral character is without blemish. That
he has by his own good sense and exertions,
accumulated enough to place himself in
easy circumstances, and that his fellow
citizens who know him best feel that he