Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-19
WILSON REFUSES
TO PLAY POLITICS
Party AffiIiation Has No
Weight in Selection of
Commissioners.
PRESIDENT MAKES
HIS POSITION PLAIN
Desires That Local Affairs Be Han
died in Thoroughly Non-Par-
tisan Manner.

The government of the District of Co
lumbia under President Wilson will be
non partisan and he does not propose to
give the slightest thought to a mans
politics I'm the selection of two civil
Commissioners to conduct the business
of the District
Mr.. Wilson will not pay any political
debts with District Jobs and will person
ally see that as far as possible politics
are eliminated from local affairs.
Because there is democratic political
organization here or because men
worked for the democratic national ticket
will not obligate the President in the
slightest in his selection of Commits
sioners, members of the excise board
or other officials he might take an IN
terest in.
The democratic organization in the
city need not look for recognition or
any man belonging to it on the ground
that the organization should be re-
warded.
Talks With Representatives.
These significant and important facts
became known today after the President
had talked with Representative Johnson
Of Kentucky, chairman of the District
committee in the House, and Repre-
TO be a member Of that committee. and
who expects to taKe most active part
in its work.
The cause of the pronounced declaration
of the Presidents position that politics
will not weigh in the slightest with him.
was the number of suggestions the Presl-
dent has recently had that in his selection
of two Commissioners he should bear In
mind that certain democrats belonging
10 the local organization and outside of
rl-od kor for. ha
nees before and after the convention ana
should not be forgotten.
These suggestions applied with strong
force to several men conspicuously men,
fioned for District Commissioners. and
lately figuring as having an excellent
chance of appointment. The President
listened day in and day out to the talk
of recognizing and rewarding the organt-
cation or other democrats until he got
tired and then he laid down the law that
the District of Columbia is not TO be a
school of politics for national or local
politicians and that he will name the
commissioners as soon as possible with
out the slightest reference to their
politics.
Candidates Discussed.
The President discussed with his call
ers the personalities of several of the
candidates whose chief claims for the
Commissionerships are that they have al
ways been democrats and worked for
the democratic ticket from last June to
November The Presidents remarks.
therefore, We're not construed as bear
ing favorably in any particular diIec-
rion.
The Interpretation placed upon the ut
terances of the President is that he has
made up his mind to appoint two COM
mfssioners without giving snap of his
finger about their politics. This state OF
the Presidents mind fits the case of
Oliver Newman, the newspaper man, VINO
Is thought to be sure winner. and comes
clos. TO taking in men like Commissioner
Rudolph Alonzo Tweedale, Frederick
Siddons DR.. Woodward of the health Of
fee. James +. Oyster, and several dark
horses.
Those who may be eliminated by the
Presidents attitude are JohL Costello.
democratic national committeeman:
Charles w. Darr, prominently identified
with local politics; W. Mex. Clayton.
w V cox and a number of other demo-
Gratis who have believed that their
democracy would be an asset in connec-
tion with the Commit issionership fight.
Bremner Close to Wilson.
REPRESENTATIVE BremEer, who pro-
poses to take an active part in District
legislation in the next Congress, is
close to President Wilson and the
Presidents ideas to District affairs
are liable to first reach the public
through the New Jersey representa-
tive While the President thinks high
l. of Representative johnson. chairman
OF the committee, IL is known beyond
question that the President is not in
sympathy with the proposition to do
away with the half and half principle
SO long existing in the relations be-
tween the District and national gov
ernments The President il is believed
today, would not sign any legislation
looking to the abolition of the half
and half plan of District affairs.
M Bremner, like Representative
George of New York; is single-tax ad-
vocate. and the faSt develops for the
6rst time, according to good authority
today, that more than half the democrats
ON the District c9mmittee are single
1Axers The statement was made today
that Representatives Crosser. LEngle.
Thompson George and Bremner are either
sineIe-taxers sympathize with many
OF the single-tax ideas.
It's going To be good-by to assessing
valuable tracts of real estate in the Dis
trict as farm lands" declared one of the
men mentioned today. You can bet
yo1r life that assessments of real estate
here will undergo big change and that
The man of moderate means will not have
ali the burden of taxation put upon him. -