The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-10
OPPOSED To WHEELER.
southern Pacific Company Trying to
Have Chipman Appointed on Inter
state Commerce Commission.

The Southern Pacific Company Is try
ing hard to get General y, 2, Chipman
into the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. Within the past two or three
days the activity of the hired men Of
the big corporation has been particu-
larry in evidence. says the San Fran
cisco Call. The newspaper organs con-
trolled by 1t In the interior, following
out the tactics OF official dwellers in
the yellow "knockery," have begun a.
campaign OF abuse against William r.
Wheeler who is the candidate OF all the
commercial bodies on the Pacific coast
from Puget sound to San Diego.
The purpose Of this is to AFFECT the
minds OF those WIN are friendly 10
Wheeler and also TO get the idea
abroad that the people Of the state OF
California are opposed to Mr.. Wheeler.
and especially TO make an impression
Of that sort in the national capital,
Marked copies OF papers containing at
tacks and reflections upon Mr.. Wheel
er are going out TO senator's and mem
bers OF congress representing the Pa
cific coast states.
Still another scheme has been put
into operation, which is to have rumors
published that President Mckinley has
expressed his intention to name one or
another man from the Middle West to
fill the vacancy upon the Interstate
Commerce Commission and To ignore
the Pacific coast, which has never had
member OF the commission. and is
now united for one candidate practic-
ally. the exception being the Southern
Pacific Company. Within the past three
days friends OF Mr.. Wheeler nave been
quietly informed that President Nc
Kinley had decided 10 name S. H. Fifer
Of Illinois. Inquiry has invariably led
to the knowledge that the rumor start
ed from the yellow "knockery."
An ingenious form Of the story was
given out in morning paper yester-
day and it ran like this: "Chipman
viii not be appointed. The Southern
Pacific Company has evidently lost the
night 10 secure the position for him."
Then the following was published:
Word was received from Washington
yesterday that seems to indicate that
President Mckinley has no intention
OF selecting any ore from this coast.
Mr. Calh9un's successor will be, it is
said, ex-Judge S. H. Fifer Of Illinois,
whose appointment viii be due to the
efforts Of Senator Cullom OF Illinois"
This story had no effect in the dlrsc-
tiOn Of disc9nragiq the commercial or
gani9ations in this city yho are advo-
eating the appointment Of Mr.. Wheeler.
There was no question that this story
came from the "knockery." After It
appeared 1t was connected up with this
interesting story: That Calhoun re-
signed TO take the position Of attorney
FOR the St. Louis iobbers only after he
had reached the conclusion that his
successor would be appointed from
Illinois; also that Senator CuIlom would
after the settlement Of matters close
TO the administration resign and sue
coed Fifcr on The Interstate Commits
sion.
This story caused some amusement
when 1t was recollected that It had
been said just as positively only day
or two ago that the president had all
but appointed a man from Ohio; also
tnat he would certainly name Judge
Paxton OF Pennsylvania. These rumors
having failed to discourage the advo-
Gates Of the appointment Of repre-
sentative man from the Pacific coast,
the more circumstantial report about
Fifer was sent out While these clunl-
sy moves on the board have been pro-
ccedng. Mr.. Wheeler has been further
indorsed by representative bodies Of
Pacific coast citizens.