The Washington times., 1902-07-30
OBSEQUIES OF COMMISSIONER JOHN w. ROSS TOMORROW;
CITIZENS AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS EULOGZE HIS MEMORY

Board of Commissioners. and for two
years Mr. Ross associate, said:
We become acquainted with grief
but never with death; and so, although
feared that Commissioner Ross could
net live. the message that he had gone
came with a shock.
"All my life long, from the time l
was a little boy. had known Mr..
Ross, and during the past few years
had been in the closest relations with
him. so that l have a deep feeling of
personal less. The charm of his man
nsr. the kindliness of his disposition,
appealed strongly to me as to every
one else.
NO man in the District had more
friends. and no man in public life had
fewer enemies. 1t is not possible IN
the commissicnership to keep from
making either enemies or mistakes.
Disappointed people must always be
numerous among the thousands who
come to the District Building with re-
quests during the year
But the disinterosted, and even the
disappointed Nas well as those who were
gratificd by his official acts, had a pc
cular feeling of regard for Commits
sicner Ross. This feeling amounted to
positive affection in many CT the Of
ficlais and employees who owed their
entrance or promotion il the service to
Mr.. Ross, and in many others who owed
him nothing. but were attracted by his
personal qualities.
at goes without saying that he,
like all the former Commissioners of
IT 4. l..
honest. faithful. and patriotic man.
Without exception, the Commissioners
have measured up to very high stand
ard of character and efficiency. The
personality OF the Commissioners has
had much to do with the great success
of the District government. But we
think first of the geniality courtesy,
and kindness of Commissioner Ross
His public service was of a high or
der. Leaving out what he did in othe,.
relations, the work that he did for the
District of Columbia, first as school
trustee and president of the board of
school trustees. and afterward in almost
twelve years of service, as Commission
er. unexampled in duration, has placed
us under a lasting obligation of graft
tude The duties of the commissioner
ship have grown more and more exact
ing.
without doubt the strain of them
broke down Commissioner Ross. and his
death Is as directly due to his service as
II he had died on the field of battle He
wanted to die in the full performance of
public duty but we ought never to for
get that it cost him his life. The inces-
sant. various, and vexatious appeals to
the Commissioners for all sorts of
things occupied so much Of his day tina:
he habitually did much of the more i'm
portant work OF his office at home at
night.
During the last session of Congress,
when the Commissioners. besides all the
office work. including the visits of in
Vulnerable Office seekers and the fire.
quent board hearings of citizens. were
so constantly engaged at the Capitol or
at their offices, in conferences with
Senators and Representatives over the
important legislation due to the crisis
in the Districts affairs. Mr.. Ross
strength was fatally impaired. The
function Of the Commissioners In pass
ing upon all legislation respecting the
District referred to them by the COM
mlttees of Congress of itself takes much
time and thought. but the more active
work of recommending 20 the commit
tees in personal conference the appro
priations and the legislation that ought
to be enacted, taxes the strongest man.
Most people think only of the execu-
tive work of the Commissioners, and
have no adequate knowledge of its ex-
tent, so that they do not appreciate what
demands are made upon the Commits
sioners In representing the District be-
fore Congress. Very little of that work
appears in the newspapers. Commits
sioner Ross was as popular at the Cap
ly mourned by all the leaders in Con-
gross. without regard to party. II is 4
great loss that we have met"