Evening star., 1902-07-31
MR.. ROSS SUCCESSOR
MEN WHO WANT TO BE DISTRICT
COMMISSIONERS.
Some New Names Added to the List
Mentioned Yesterday - Their
Qualifications Stated.

The vacant District commissionersbip
continues to be brisk topic of conversa-
ton throughout the city, and especially in
political quarters. The situation seems to
be growing in interest and the chances are
that the President will have a multitude Of
names placed before him.
There seems to be a disposition in some
quarters to look upon the District commits
sionership as a purely political affair. 1t is
safe to say, however that those who look
forward to an appointment on these
grounds pure and simple are very likely
to be disappointed.
The political feature of the case is one
OF secondary Importance and always has
been so held. The purpose in appointing
one civilian Commissioner as a democrat
and another a republican. was not to
accomplish an equitable division of politi-
cal spoils, but to keep the local govern
ment In touch with both parties in Con-
gress and for the purpose of having a Com
missioner in Office whose political affilia-
tions were with the administration. Fol-
lowing out this construction of the custom
1t has been the rule to elect to the presi-
dency of the board the Commissioner
whose party is in power. The purpose is
more to make the municipal government
non-partisan than bipartisan.
The Primary Requisite.
The primary requisite of the District
Commissioner has always been held to be
his suitability for the position and not the
strength of his political beliefs or activity.
Presidents in the past have appointed men
on this principle and for their standing in
the community rather than for the political
power behind them. The practical absence
of politics in the District and the fact that
the Commissioner must be bona-fida resi-
Residence N
states, add to the effectiveness of the con-
tention that politics should be secondary in
making the choice
A great many new names well known in
local democratic circles have been men,
toned in connection with the commissioner
ship during the past twentyfour hours. In
fact, it would be hard at this time to call
the name Of democrat who has not been
suggested. Many of these names are men
toned from purely political reasons, and
there Is talk again Of the Norris and anti
Norris factions being at work.
Situation Today.
The situation today is somewhat kaleido-
scopic. 1t is likely to change a great many
times more in its minor details, but the
general talk is still Of the same candi-
dates as yesterday. These include Mr. w.
V. Cox. Mr.. Henry E. Davis. Mr.. Henry l..
West and Mr.. James L. Norris.
1t was stated that the latter would not
be candidate. but 1t Is now understood
that he might be under certain contingent
cies. Mr.. Davis. on the other hand, an
nounces positively that he will not be a
candidate and never had any intention of
being one.
New Richmonds in the field today are
Gen. S. S. Yoder and Mr.. NJ. l. Weller.
both of whom are old residents of Wash
ington and widely known. Mr.. Weller's
friends were talking very extensively to-
day, and declared the President could do
no better than to appoint him. Mr.. Weller
Is himself out of the city, and 1t Is not
known whether or not he will become an
active candidate Gen. Yoders friends
were quite active today. He was formerly
a representative in Congress and after
ward sergeant-at-arms. He has resided in
Washington for seventeen years.
Prominent among the candidates who
were first talked Of last night and who are
included in the gossip today is Mr. Thomas
B. Ferguson, former minister to Norway
and for years a resident OF the District.
Mr.. Ferguson is being urged from many
quarters. and Is said to be in close re-
lationship with the presidential circle.
Mr.. James B. Lambie, the hardware mer-
chant, has been pretty generally talked OF
today by some democrats.
Mr.. Robert n. Harper today announced
that he is not a candidate. He says he
has never affiliated with the District
democracy but has always stood fastly al
lied with the Virginans. He says he is
not eligible to appointment because Of his
official residence in Virginia.