Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-27
Mercenary Misrepresentation.
Saturdays Washington Times sal,


after wading through The Stars lame
and hating editorial of last night on
that subject: The Star seems to have
come around at last to believe that
it wouldn't do much good. is step in
the right direction. To which another
supporter of the representation pro-
gram replied: No; The Star has dis
covered that the people really want
representation and are going to get it:
so The star. as much opposed as ever to
II. is getting in line for the inevitable.
1t will presently be explaining that 1t
was for representation all the time.
Remembering how The Star discovered,
after the Anderson decision in re New
man. that il had been for Newman all
the time, we guess that guess No. .
was about right. It's a mighty faint
radiance that The Star wrinkles in tn e
direction of popular government and
popular reforms in this town: but on
the other hand The Star is quite some
little reflector.
Along the same line of malicious
defamation the Times said not long ago:
Nobody is stronger or pronpter with
lip-servicc in behalf of the civil service
employees than The Star. True il never
gets very specific about doing things for
them. but Il would intensely dislike to
nave them stop dropping their pennies In
lis slot. Nowhere is there a thriftier ap-
dollars than about The Stars establish
ment .
Yet II the civil service employee pro.
tccts himself in this way Thy securing a
voting residence in a state) The Star
would aenounce him as a renegade WASH
lnstonian. man not entitled to the con-
Hdtnce of the community, unfit to hold
III office under the local admin stra ton =
The Times accuses The Star of by
p"crisy; of opposing Newman and then
discovering after the Anderson decision
That II had been for Newman all the
time; OF opposing District representation
IN congress and of getting in line to ex-
pain that ii was for representation all
the time; of rendering merely lip-seryice
10 the evil service employees to get their
pennies and then betraying its real en-
mity by denouncing them as RENEGADE
Nashlngtonians, unworthy of the commu-
nifty confidence If they vote in the
states
No Washngtonian of any sort New
mantle or anti-Newmanite for or against
bistrlct representation with or without a
vote, needs to be told that this defama-
uon is without a particle of foundation
In TACT 1t Is SO obviously of the class of
sordid trade-libels by which an unscrupu-
lous detractor seeks to injure a COMPETE
tor 10 the benefit of his own purse, SO
clearly Misrepresentation for petty profit,
SO Enthusiastically malicious and mercenary
mendaeity. that II might with entire
safety be ignored.
But Saturdays libel involves The Stars
attitude upon certain questions which are
up for discussion in the present and i'm
mediate future. and in respect to which
Oh H.
bility of misunderstanding. The Star
readers may b, interested in few words
on these subjects. even those who think
that no attention should be paid to the
Times. snarling and swapping annoyinSy
but impotently at The Stars heels
When Newman's nomination was re-
ported favorably from the Senate COM
mittee The Star said:
The confirmation of Commissioner
Siddons and favorable action by the
committee on Mr.. Newman practically
complete the Districts administrative
board and give the National Capital a
good governing body. 1t would have
Teen unfortunate had the committee
decided TO delay action further to con-
siuer the question of Mr.. Newman's
eligibility on the score of his residence,
which had been adequately examined
in the light of the facts and allesa-
tons regarding his various locations.
Ii is obvious that he has been suffi-
GENTLY a District man to qualify under
the terms of the organic act, and there
is now an excellent prospect that he
and MIR. Siddons together with Mai.
Harding will work together to give the
District an efficient. progressive. har-
monious administration. Against the
characters of the Presidents nominees
no word was raised. nor was the ques-
ton of their ability.
a.
missioners its best wishes for success
full administration. They are heartily
supported by the citizens and they will
find no lack of cooperation on the part
of all the interests and forces in the
District making for the evolution of
the model community"
There has been no departure from
this view of Newman's eligibility, in
consideration of the question on its
merits After suit had been brOugh,
in the name of a taxpayer to test New
mans eligibility, and Justice. Wrigh,
had sustained this procedure. The Star
thought it would be in the Districts
interest IL Newman assented to thai
decision and secured from the court 9
speedy confirmation of the eligibility
of which he had convinced the presi.
dent and Senate. and incidentally, al
shown by its editorials. The Star.
After Justice Andersons decision The
star said:
The Star held the opinion at the
time of Commissioner Newman's con
firmation that in view of his testi
m6ny as to his intent and the absence
of legally convincing evidence of claim
OF residence elsewhere he would b,
found eligible when the final test wa,
applied. But Justice JAnderson's de
cision does not pass upon the merit.
OF the question of eligibility. but hold.
that this question cannot be tested
in the courts at all in the pending
proceeding
while The Star is of the opinion tina
in a decision Of the case on its merits tn,
court would probably hold that Commits
sIoner Newman is eligible for the sam,
reasons that appealed to the Presiden
and the Senate committee 1t regrets thai
the way should be blocked to this authori
tative judicial construction OF the mean
ing of the law by the discovery that Their,
is no way by which citizens and taxpay
ers, as such, can bring the question on IL.
merits before the courts.
Nobody should be ANNOYED at the Dis
trict's jealous insistence upon rigid ad
herence to these statutes The vel
equipped and enthusiastic COMMISSIONS
whose eligibility has been QUESTION:,
should. The Star thinks, in the District,
permanent interest have desired that tn
approval of his eligibility by Presiden
and Senate receive the confirmation of tn
court
The Stars position was thus the same
before and after Justice Anderson's de