Evening star., 1897-02-16
Mr.. Cleveland's Choice for a Dis
trict Commissioner.
SURPRISE In BUSINESS CIRCLES
Regret Expressed Because Mr..
Ross Was Not Reappointed.
OPINION CITIZEN

| Sands TO be District Commissioner. I'm place
| of Mr.. Ross. whose term has expired.
The appointment of Mr. Sands as Com
missioner Ross successor was a good deal
4 of surprise to business men and local
politicians. for his rame has never been
prominently mentioned in connection with
| the office.
There is one thing TO be said of the ap-
| pontment and that is that il is a recogni-
| ton of a local man, for Mr.. Sands is a ma
| tive of Washington. and has made this
| city his home always. lie is a son OF the
| late Admiral Sands. and is about forty-fye
| or forty-eight years OF age.
| Mr.. Sands is a graduate Of Georgetown
| University. and is an active member of the
| alumni association Of that institution He
| took his degree in law at Columbian Uni
| versity. and has been practicing lawyer
| for about twenty-five years. He has al
| ways stood well at the bar. though he has
| never been very prominent about the
courts. While he has been lifelong DEM
| ocrat, ne has never taken an active part
1 in the affairs of the party, and has never
| identified himself 10 any great extent
| either with politics local affairs. He is
| what is usually called a .kid-glove' poll
tician.
Mr. Sands married a daughter of Judge
| McC'ue of Brooklyn, who was solicitor gem
| eral during Mr. Cieveland's first admins
| tration- He is A man of means, and lives
/
| nue..
Feeling at the District Building.
The news of Mr. Sands nomination
| reached the District building shortly before
| = o'clock, and was soon the general topic
| of conversation throughout the offices.
| Universal regret manifested that
| Commissioner Ross name had not been
sent in. Some of the older clerks were
moved to tears when they heard of the
change, for everyone confidently expected
| that Commissioner Ross would succeed
| himself. While MIR. Sands is not generally
| known among the clerks. he is well known
| to many of the officials in the building.
| moved from LIST street Mr.. Sands was a
| constant visitor. He has not been a
frequent visitor the offices lately
| however. although he appeared last year
/ as the legal representative of a new gas
company that sought a franchise in the
! District. He also appeared before tn.
| beard some time ago. opposing the location
| OF garbage crematory.
| Com INA issioner p.,,yelf's Regret
| Commissioner Powell said he was indeed
| sorry to learn of the fact that Mr. Ross
| had not been renominated, and regretted
very much the apparent necessity for a
change. The District he thought wo,ld
| suffer materially from the change
Some Opposition to Confirmation.
AT the Capitol ii was freely suggested
| this afternoon that Mr.. Sands Will not be
readily confirmed He appeared before the
District committees two years ago in ad-
| vccacy of the proposition to incorporate
the National Heat. Light and Power Com
pany.
He not only induiged, il is said in severe
comment on the course of the committee
at the hearings on his hill and others re-
latlng to the same subject. but when the
bill Incorporating the company ne repre-
Santpd .Shk lxy he urol
memorial 10 The Senate which pre-
sented by Mr.. Call. IN which he bitterly
| arraigned the District committee for its
course in the premises, and made Wig
| orous criticism of the individual members
of that body.
Immediately after the nomination was
announced today those connected with the
District business at the Senate end brought
back to mind this memorial. which was
printed as document at tie time of its
| preSen Ia ton. and copies of ii were soon IN
circulation amcng the present members of
the District committee, which body will
consider the nomination and report upon ii
to the Serate. In view of this criticism of
the committee. and of the recollection Of
the many bitter scenes at hearings in
which Mr.. Sands was prominent par
ticipator. it was freely predicted this after
noon about The Senate that the nomination
would be severely dealt with by the COM
mittee, ard that there would certainly be
| no haste developed in the consideration OF
the matter
Surprise In business Circles.
Many men of prominence in business CTR
cles and who have large interests at stake
| in the District decline to express them
selves on the subject of Mr. Sands nomina-
| ton for publica ton. They contented them
selves when approached by Star reporta-s
! with expressions of surprise at the selec-
ton of Mr.. Sands. and nine out of ten of
them spoke of their regret at the failure
nj md
Ross Indeed this sentiment over the re-
tirement of Mr.. Ross was well nigh uni
versal. II. opinion seemed to prevail that
the nomins tion of Mr.. Sands had been
brought al,cut by social influences ex-
clusivey, as the nominee has never been
prominently identified with politics in the
District. nor to any substantial degree in
its business affairs. 1t was the general
impression i'm many quarters that a Wig
orous fight would be made against Mr.
Sands confirmation in the Senate and IL
Is known that opposition of this sor, was
to a certain extent organized when Ms
name was first mentioned In connection
with a possible nomination some time ago
Mr. James L. Norris Pleased.
James L. Norris-"Tae nomination is a
splendid one 1t could not have been bet
ter. Mr.. Sands is fully equipped to dis
charge the duties Of that Office. He is an
excellent, able lawyer and a man posses
sing great executive ability. Further, he is
q
community. 1 believe that .he nomination
will be approved by every body in the Dis
trfct. His nomination ought TO be con-
firmei at once, and will be- II he had been
nominated for district attorney he would
have been confirmed long ago. I don't
think there will be any opposition from any
democrat in the District. All will be de-
hghted-I mean by that. all regular demo-
Gratis"
SO is Mr.. ..ipscOnab.
Andrew Lpscomb: II personally am very
much pleased and politically. too. 1 be-
lieve Mr. Sands is with the administration.
but he has not been offensive. He has not
spoken Of the regular democrats as an
archists, socialists. etc. 1 think he is
predetermined enough to recognize that the
six and half million men who voted for
Bryan were not haif-witted fanatics, but
patriotic Americans. ! hope he win be con-
firmed. and believe he will be- He IS
Washingtcnian. and we IKE him.
Presi0elt HarT1as OF the Metropolitan
Railroad Company saic that while re re-