The Washington times., 1913-07-01
THE OPPOSITION TO NEWMAN.

Perhaps The Washington Times would not be so
confident that mistake is being made by the organ
izers of opposition to Oliver p Newman if it did not
know Mr.. Newman so we'll. 1t seems that the oppo-
sition claims to be based in sentiment of antagon-
ism to Mr.. Newman personally, but rather on
technical question as to his residence in the Dis
trict Inasmuch as the Attorney General has found
that Mr. Newman is legally qualified, and inasmuch
as any uncertainty would be resolved very soon by
legal processes If the question were seriously
pressed it seems if the opposition is unnecessarily
vociferous
There are plenty of people in Washington who,
recognizing that at best the town has not the SUBJ
stance Or the form of home rule, would be very
willing to have the residence qualification aban-
doned. If the people not to rule then why not
have the most efficient government of experts that
is attainable? German cities, to which we have
learned to turn for most striking models in this
regard, draft their mayors wherever they are to be
found, without reference to residence. The mayor
is sort of general manager of the municipal cor
poration and the purpose is to get the best possible
general manager, rather than a man who can shake
hands and call by name the largest possible number
of people. With that conception of an executive s
qualifications we confess to much sympathy.
= Opposition to Mr.. Newman will be found fruit
less and futile But if it could succeed what would
be its results? President Wilson, inspired by pur-
pose of doing the very best possible for Washington,
has selected man in whom he has complete con-
Hdence and whose views and qualifications he knows
thoroughly The President is not going to change his
mind now He has taken his step. He has named
man who, as to general equipment, ought to make
peculiar appeal to every progressive citizen of the
District Opposition to the choice can only serve
to impress the President that Washington is torn by
faction and divided on lines which are laid down
without reference to any aim to promote the broad
public interest.
Mr.. Clayton, himself a prominent and strongly
backed candidate for the commissionership in his
letter to the public meeting last night stated the
excellently and truthfully. Mr.. Newman as news
paper worker on The Times, interested himself in
the progressive settlement Of the great problems Of
Washington administration. He contributed every
ounce of energy that was in him to the fight for
better regulation of public utilities. He was in the
fight for universal transfers, for cheaper gas for
better gas, for safe and sanitary milk supply, for
the creation of a public service commission In
those fights The Times has led and Mr.. Newman S
work an important contribution to the campaign.
But for the efforts of this newspaper il is not unfair
to say, the town would yet be paying ST per gas,
there would have been recapitalization and in1a-
ton of gas securities, there would be no public ut
ties commission. Mr.. Newman took a large and
very active part in these contests, and that particpa-
ton ought to be vast fund to his credit with people
who sincerely want to better conditions in the CITY,
The same qualifications that made him useful and
effective in fur.herance of The Times policy on
these public questions have commended him to
President Wilson because the President stands for
the same general program for the town that The
hos sustained