Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-27

cision. At both times it thought New
man eligible; at both times II thought
that he ought, In the public interest, to
have permitted that eligibility to be
declared authoritatively by the court
Whether on any point 1t has been pro-
Newman or anti-Newman 1t has been
consistent; and 1t has not been so much
concerned at any time to be pro-Newman
or anti-Newman as to be at all times pro-
Washington.
The Star has favored representation
OF the District in Congress and the
electoral college for a dozen years. In
editorials and in articles and speeches
by the editor this position has been
consistently maintained. The Star has
not been satisfied that representation
by a voteiess delegate is real representa-
ton in Congress or a step toward real
representation 1t is not satisfied to-
day on this point. The question Is,
however. debatable. and being of great
Importance to the District should be
and will be thoroughly debated. The Star
will be deeply interested In this dis
cussion. and If as result OF 1t or IN
view OF radically altered conditions
The Star shall change it's opinion con-
corning the effect Of delegate repre-
sentation upon ultimate voting repre-
sentation. it will not hesitate to say
SO frankly, and will cooperate where
1t has hitherto opposed.
There Is peculiarly low and con-
tempt inspiring quality in the slur upon
The Star as q mere lip-service friend
of the government clerks. wanting only
their pennies Of subscription. and ready
to insult them as unfit. unworthy OF
renegades. etc. because The
star believed that clerks with votes In
the states might not be the special kind
of Washingtonians whom the law
viewed as technically eligible to three
or four petty local offices.
The clerks whether with or without
votes, are an integral, influential and
important part Of Washington. They
are valued Neutrality-suspicious., whose
whose tenure OF office
under the merit system. whose work
ing conditions, including pension and
are matters of concern to
all other Washingtonians, including
The Star, which for more than half
has as a matter of course
fought vigorously for Washington and
to promote the welfare of all Washing
tonians.
1t is. of course, vicious nonsense to in
sinuate that the suggestion of technical
statutory ineligibility involves any i'm
putation of personal unworthiness.
observation-disclosures with or without votes
are eligible after long residence
to the Oldest Inhabitants Association,
that supreme test of Washingtonianism
Only Washingtonians with votes are now
eligible to the classified service under the
of-offices-law. Only Wash
ingtonians for three years without votes
are eligible to be District Commissioner.
Perhaps only voteless Washingtonians are
eligible to the few local Offices in re-
spect to which bona hde local residence is
required by the statute. though the ques-
ton of construction of this law has not
yet been directly decided by the courts.
In meeting verbal assault there is al
ways the temptation to retAliate by as
sailing the assailant. The Star is not.
however, in the habit of wasting it's
editorial space, which should be utilized
for the benefit of its readers and of
Washington, In exposing the personal
of its contemporaries. If 1t
thinks that a neighbor is ill-bred, bad
hammered and offensive in personality, or
insincere and demagogic rs the peoples
advocate, or maliciously reckless as to
its facts, pettifogging and foolish in
its reasoning, or spiteful and mercenary
in its motives, as rule 1t leaves the
facts to be discovered and acted upon by
the community as the result of it's neigh
boris inevitable self-expoSure The Star
Is disposed to take this course with Mr..
Munsey's Washington paper. a publica-
ton which, perhaps from lack Of per-
sonai attention on his part, has of late
too often discredited him.