The Washington herald., 1910-01-08

Edwin a. Newman. Democratic Ma
tional Committeeman for the District of
Columbia, Is opposed to the appointment
OF Gen John A Johnston as a member
OF the Board OF District Commissioners.
Mr. Newman does not mlnce words in
discussing the Presidents selection. He
oharacterizes 1t as unwise and contrary
to the spirit of the law. In a paper
issued by Mr.. Newman last night and
sent to The Washington Herald. he says
1.-THE law provides that the Board OF
Commissioners shall be composed of
three men, one engineer officer. detailed
from the army, who is known as the
Engineer Commissioner. and two who
shall be chosen from civil life The
statute contemplated and intended that
the affairs of the District should not
be dominated by military spirit and In
huenee. but by the judgment of men
trained. educated. and reared in civil
walks of life
ITO have two men on the board whose
education. training, association, and active
life have been under military influence
direction, and control, even though one
of them has but recently retired from the
army, in my Judgment. is not only con-
trary 70 the very spirit and intent Of the
law. but viii defeat every desire Con-
gress had in expressly declaring that
two OF the Commissioners should be
chosen from civil life.
Congress Knew Danger.
Here at the Capital of the Nation,
where the people have no voice IN the
| selection Of Congressman who make the
laws for them. where War and Navy de-
I partments. where military and naval
posts are established. and the military
/ air is perhaps heavier than elsewhere in
the country. Congress knew the dangers
Of having the local government directed
/ by men OF military minds. spirits. and
trainings. and hence specifically pro-
vided that Of the three Commissioners
| only one should be Of that type and
class, and even he is selected not be-
cause OF his military training. but be-
cause he IS an engineer.
THAT Gen. Johnston is an able man
no one questions. but he is by educa-
I
ment a product Of military life. disci-
pline. and methods. and II his appoint
ment is confirmed 1t viii mean the peo-
pie Of the District will have I'm fact two
military men and one civilian, instead OF
one military and two civilian appo!ntees.
as provided in the statute: and that would
mean that we are to have our local AFFAIRS
directed and controlled by military in
stead of by civilian methods.
Opposes Civil Liberty.
81 am opposed to military rule. for II
Is opposed to civil liberty. ] do not DO
lieye our people here in the District
want a military government. even
though they have no right OF franchise
conferred upon them. II we are ready
10 have military government for the
District, we ought 10 amend our law so
as TO provide for SUCH that some one
army officer may be detailed 70 dictate.
dominate. and direct in his characteristic
fashion, the affairs of the District Three
Commissioners are utterly unnecessary
under such a form OF government. The
domination Of one man from such a
school IS as desirable as that Of two men
from the same school; the domination of
one man IS no less objectionable than
that Of two men OF the same mind and
spirit
In the second place. I think the ap-
pointment is most unwise and contrary
10 the spirit OF the law, because It tx
nores the idea Of nOnpartisan commits
sion. Ever since the present form Of
government has been IN existence.
through Republican and Democratic ad-
ministrations alike, the board has been
absolutely nonpartisan, composed of one
army officer, one Republican. and one
Democrat. chosen from civil life While
the statute does not specifically declare
that Of the Commissioners chosen from
civil life one shall be a Democrat and one
Republican ii has been so uniformly
regarded that such was the intendment OF