Evening star., 1902-08-01
REVIEW OF THE FIELD
Numerous Candidates for Dis
triet Commissionership.
VIGOROUS CAMPAIGN
PRESIDENTS ABSENCE FROM
CITY HAMPERS ASPIRANTS.
Chances of Those Named as Viewed by
Their Respective Friends
and Supporters.
VIGOROUS CAMPAIGN

| the interesting and enlivening features that
| otherwise might be expected in such
| open campaign The President, however,
| securely sheltered in his Long Island home,
| is probably glad Of the protection offered
| him by the two hundred and more miles
| which separate Washington from Oyster
| Bay. If he were here he would be be-
| sieged today by hundreds of callers desir-
Gus of urging some particular favorite for
| the much-coveted position on the District
| board.
| The democratic workers of the District,
! liking nothing better than a spirited cam
| paign, are fretting somewhat under the
restraint the absence of the chief executive
| places upon them. They recognize that
| their efforts must be made at long distance,
| at the best, and 1t comes rather hard to
| the old campaigner not to be able to mix
| right in where the fighting Is thickeSt and
where the decisive action is bound to oc-
| cur. At the Washington end Of the line
| there is nothing but talk on the surface.
| Lines have been quietly placed, however,
| and 1t is assumed that the race for the
| commissonership is already well and
| needs only the finishing touches on behalf
| of several Of the more prominent candi-
| dates.
| The President would probably be much
! interested and would undoubtedly enjoy
| many of the little details of the race as it
| Is seen by Washington eyes. On the other
| hand his comparative seclusion at Oyster
I Bay will permit him to think the matter
| over leisurely and practically undisturbeG.
1t is not believed, however that any. of the
| candidates will suffer from a lack of con-
| sideration Of their claims through the alb
| sence Of the President from Washington at
! this particular time. All whose claims
| worthy of serious consideration and who
| are rightly indorsed for the office will
! questionably have the proper representa-
F, tions made to Mr.. Roosevelt. The PreSi-
dent will himself no doubt consult with
several of his most influential advisers IN
| the District on the subject, either in per
| son, by letter or by telegram.
Well Acquainted With the Field
On account of his frequent residences
here during his political career the Presi-
dent is pretty well acquainted with the
| local field and will be quick to recognize
| the standing in the community of the sew
eral candidates brought to his attention.
The mail to Oyster Bay from Washngt IN
| has probably increased many fold during
| the past two days, while the export of let
| ters in that direction today and for the
next few days to come will probably break
| all records and give the postmstress at the
| Bay good deal of overtime work
| While there is always talk of dark
| horse in a contest of this character, 1t is
! nevertheless believed in influential circles
| that the new Commissioner has undoubted
| ly been named among the prominent can
| didates most generally talked of since the
| death of Mr.. Ross. The dark horse talk
| in the present instance finds its founda-
| tien in the well-known strength of the
| Presidents personal convictions in most
| matters, and the fact that the naming of
| Commissioner Macfarland by President Nc
| Kinley a complete surprise to the
| community, as it was to the present presi-
dent of the District board himself. Presi-
| dent Mckinley felt sure that Mr.. Macfar-
| lands selection would be satisfactory to
| the people of the District, and so it proved.
| President Roosevelt will unquestionaby as
| sure himself in the same direction before
| naming a successor to Mr.. Ross
The appointment of a District Commits
| sioner differs from most political appoint
| ments, and is never given as reward for
| party services from the very nature of
| things they exist in the District and
| especially in connection with the commits
| sionershp, the candidate being strictly a
| District man in residence with no voting
| affiliation in the states. There are no
| other offices in the gift of the President
| quite like those Of the two District COM
missionerships. Here he must appoint to
| office men whom the people Of other cities
! select by their own ballots and who are
| weighed in most instances for their stand
| ing in the community and their worth.
There are but a very few cities, II any,
where national politics enters into the con-
! test for the mayoralty; so, 1t Is asked, why
should national politics have great weight
or even a bearing upon the local situation?
Regarded With Favor.
| The custom Of appointing one republican
| and one democrat to the civil commission
erships of the District is generally accept
ed as being an excellent one, for its pur
pose is to keep the local government nom
partisan in character. There has never
been any intention of bipartisanship init
| mated The board Of Commissioners was
| not created for political purposes, and to
keep politics out of the appointments far
| as possible it was tacitly agreed or under
! stood that the two national parties should
be represented. This arrangement was in
"a Sr1t t{,tt nf leo IN.
! to keep down the claim of spOils, and to
make the political feature of the govern
ment acceptable to all the people.
| Nevertheless the party managers and the
party workers proceeding vigorously
| with their campaign in the present in
| stance, and politics is entering largely into
the claims put forward by many of the
candidates. 1t is not a question Of repub-
licanism democracy, but Is confined to
the ranks of the latter. The democrats in
some sections seem a little wrought up
over the style Of democracy worn by the
| various candidates. All of the candidates,
| it is admitted. are democrats in the gen.
e,ally accepted term, and party differences
and party factions may be expected to have
| but little weight with the President in
| making his choice.
The friends of Mr. William " Cox, in
! Guiding scores of highly influential men,
| continue to be very active in his behalf.
! and he continues to be talked Of In all cir
| cles as being one Of the most likely candi-
dates for the Office. From the Endorsements
!
Cox it Is evident his appointment would be
most pleasing to large number Of in
| fluential citizens.
| In connection with the candidacy of Mr..
| Cox 1T is related that prior to the naming
| of Commissioners Macfarland and Ross by
President Mckinley In May, 1900, Mr.. Mat
thew G. Emery, who was Mr.. Cox's father
in-law. called at the White House to say
| a word in behalf Of MIR. Ross. At this time
| the President Is said to have referred to
| Mr.. Cox and asked whether or not he
| 10
| declination by Commissioner Ross. Many
! people expected that Mr.. Ross would retire
| at that time and decline. Mr.. MCKINLEY
expressed high regard for Mr. Cox, and
| said he would be his choice after Mr. Ross
| for the democratic commissionership
| The general talk centers about the
chances of Mr. Cox, Mr.. Henry L. West.
M Mr. James u; r., Norris and Mr.. Thomas B.