Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-06
Nonresident Office Holders.

To the Editor Of The Star:
OF all the remarkable performances of
this remarkable Congress, was the indigna
ton expressed by members and senators,
as described in The Star. at the appoint
ment of Mr.. Barnes as postmaster, on the
ground that he is a nonresident voter. 1t
is true that both parties in their national
platforms for years past have favored
home rule be declaring that none but actual
prior residents should be appointed TO Of
fee in the territories and the District of
Columbia.
The democratic platform of 1892 urged the
admission of the territories Of New Mexico
and Arizona, and added, ''and while they
remain territories we hold that the officials
appointed TO administer the government of
any territory. together with the District OF
Columbia and Alaska, should be bona flde
residents of the territory or District In
which their duties are to be performed
The democratic party believes in home
rule and the control of their own affairs by
the people of the vicfnage"
In the same year the republican platform
favored the admission of the remaining ter
ritories at the earliest practicable date, and
added, 'all the federal officers appointed
for the territories should be selected from
bona fide residents thereof, and the right of
self-government should be accorded far
as practicable"
Both the democratic and republican plat
forms of 1884 insisted that the selection of
federal officers for the territories should be
restricted to citizens previously resident
therein.
In fact, the platforms of both parties in
1884 1888, 1862, 1895 and 1900 all Endorsed
the doctrine of home rule In words similar
to the above, and yet both parties have
continuously and perslstently violated their
pledges In that matter.
While the democratic platform of 1902
specifically included the District, as all the
others were understood to, yet President
Cleveland appointed recorder of deeds,
one of the best offices in the District, a
negro from distant state, and the same
was done by President Mckinley, and that
office is so occupied to this day. The same
Is true of the post Office and many other
positions. Thus we have here In the Dis
trict six of the most profitable offices filed
by non-residents, viz: Postmaster, salary,
$1,000; recorder of Deeds 81. 600; superin-
tendent of insurance, S, 500; sealer of
weights and measures $500; warden of the
jail, $1,000; superintendent of charities,
So, 000
And the most remarkable of all is the fact
that the law passed by Congress provides
that this last named official shall not be
resident of the District
Besides these there are numerous clerks
and employees of the District who were ap-
pointed from the outside, not a few of them
by the influence of senators and members.
In view of these facts, which no one can
truthfully deny, the indignation now mani
tested by members and senators strikes the
ordinary citizen as sham and mere hum
bug.
If these gentlemen really mean to live up
to the pledges IN the platforms, why have
they not long since passed bill to pro-
hibit the appointment of non-residents? 1t
is in their power to do ii any time, and the
fact that not one of them has even sug-
gested il Is conclusive that they don't mean
what they say, and that their present IN
dignation Is due to some other cause II, In
deed, they really feel it. w. C. DODGE.