Year: 1873

OF COlumbia-Is IL Cuosarism


The appointment of Alexander r. Shep-
herd, Vice President of the Board OF Public
Works and practical director of its operations,
as Governor of the District of Columbia, in
place of Henry d. Cooke, resigned, has, it
appears, created great excitement and no
small degree of indignation among the tax
payers of Washington. We are informed
that in the popular expression of this indig-
nation no one is censured but the President,
and that the question is asked on every side.
lis it his contempt of public opinion, or his
ignorance of the sentiment of the people, or
is it his stolid indifference that nerves him to
such acton?" 1t further appears from the
same correspondent that the retirement of
Cooke and the appointment of Shepherd to
the responsible Office in question is but the
beginning Of scheme to foist on the general
government the entire indebtedness of the
District of Columbia, and to make the United
States responsible for not less than twenty
millions of indebtedness contracted by the
Territorial government of the District, now
less than three years in existence; and that
all this is to be done because the District is
hopelessly sunk in debt and the national gov
ernment alone can save it.


The Washington taxpayers, however, being
ignorant of any such scheme for their relief,
cannot but be offended with the appointment of
Mr. Shepherd as their District Governor upon
this ground. On the other hand. from the
lavish. reckless and corrupt expenditures OF
which Shepherd, as the practical head of
the Board of Public Works, is accused by his
enemies, and held as directly responsible for
the creation of this vastly increased debt of
the District, it is feared that, from his promo
ton, this debt and the annual tax levy upon
the citizens will be increased instead of being
removed or reduced, inasmuch as the Presi-
dent in Shepherds advancement not only en-
dorses all that he has done but encourages
the continuance of his costly system of city
improvements. In his reply to Governor
Cookies letter Of resignation, General Grant
affairs of the Territorial government of the
District Of Columbia, assisted as you have
been by able and energetic subordinates, the
national capital has advanced towards what it
should be with o rapidity that astonishes and
pleases every one who has been away from it .
few years and returns # your successors in
the Office give the satisfaction you have given
property owners in the District Of Columbia,
the people at large, and all who have an in
terest in the national capital will have reason
- TIL IN kNor, ot tho IF
government given them


The President, in this full and aattering
endorsement of Cookies administration in
the improvements and expenditures, and
heavy debts incurred by the Board of Public
Works, manifestly doeshot believe o word Of
the hue and cry raised against Shepherd, and
does not care fig for that public indignation
which he does believe has no foundation in
truth against the officer. But is not this ap-
parent Indifference to very considerable
manifestation of public sentiment carried in
this case too far? A decent respect for public
opinion, and particularly for the public opin-
ion of the community directly interested,
should govern the President in all his appoint
ments. Has this becoming Difference to pub
lie sentiment governed him in his appoint
ment of Mr.. Shepherd as Governor of the
District Of Columbia? From the general ex-
pressions on the subject of the public journals
of Washington it is evident that the prevail
ing public sentiment was ignored in this ap-
pointment-th personal considerations con-
trolled it, and that, in connection with va
<tar ;ntv orI
of Executive favor since his reelection, the
President has pursued course whose ten
dency is towards C@sarism, however innocent
he may be of o design or thought in this
direction.


We have nothing to say here in reference to
the many accusations of corrupt jobs and
expenditures made against Mr.. Shepherd.
That he has been actively instrumental in
wonderfully improving the drainage, avenues,
streets and parks of Washington is visible to
the most careless observer, in comparing that
city as it is with the city as it was even three
years ago. But the question with which we
are dealing is the question whether to personal
or public considerations the appointment is
due; and we fear that the answer to this ques-
ton must be that the government of the Dis
trict of Columbia has become close corpora
tion under the shadow of the national ad-
ministration, and q government in which
the public opinion of the community is
directly concerned is regarded with con-
tempt or indifference. What, then, is this
new government of the District of Columbia i?
Is it government by the people and for the
people or is it q speck of C@sarism?
The Management of Our City FL


nances-scrub-Wo Economy.


While Comptroller Green has been rolling
up the city debt by twenty millions at time,
and increasing the amount of interest paid by
the taxpayers from two millions in 1870 to
over five and a quarter millions in 1873, he