The evening times., 1900-01-02
Davis MAY soon RETIRE
Friction in The Interior Department
the Reported Cause.
The Assistant Secretary Said TO Be
Dissatisfied With His Position and
Pension Decisions Believed to Be
the Principal Source of Trouble.

The resignation of Webster Davis, AS
sistant Secretary of the Interior. is conf
IDENTIFY looked for, and it is firmly believed
in official circles that he will never again
take up the duties OF his Office.
His departure for the seat of war in
South Africa, with an indefinite leave OF
absence is said to be equivalent to final re-
tirement, and when the friction which is
said to have existed for a long time in the
department is taken into consideration,
this conclusion cannot well be controvert-
ed. The Secretary of the Interior refuses
to discuss the matter. but his silence does
not affect the prevailing belief that his as
sistant's vacation will never be ended, in
so far as the Interior Department is con-
cerned, and when does return from
South Africa it will be to go to his home
In Kansas City.
1t is recalled that Mr. Davis was one of
the most energetic and independent may
ors Kansas city has ever had. that he was
practically supreme, and for SO young a
man his influence over the Republican
party in western Missouri was very close
to complete control This is said to have
untitled him practically for any office in
which he must be subordinate to the coun-
sci and plans OF a superior As Secretary
of the Interior, Mr Davis, il is said. would
be a great success: but as Assistant Sec
retary he is likely to prove an odd cog
in the Government wheel
The first friction with his official asso-
ciates is said to have arisen over certain
decisions of the Board of Pension appeals.
BY law the Assistant Secretary of the
Interior is assigned the consideration and
decision of appeals from the Commissioner
of Pensions and questions relating TO vio-
iations OF the pension law Commission
er Evans brought TO the Pension Bureau
all the originality OF idea and abundance
OF executive ability he has always display
ed in official and private career. 1t seem
ed not unlikely the two should clash. They
are said to have lone this with regularity
and frequency.
Mr.. Evans. having received the key to
his policy from the President always rep
resented the Administration view. On ap-
peal TO the Secretary OF the Interior his
judgment was approved. Mr. Davis is said
to have had the melancholy satisfaction OF
overriding the Commissioner OF Pensions
again and again and Of having his ruling
reversed by the Secretary of the Interior
quite as often.
Matters were thus on the brink of open
rupture during Secretary Bliss term OF
service. When Ethan Allen Hitchcock
also a Missouri man, and probably pos
sessed OF political ambitions like those OF
Mr. Davis became the head OF the depart
b. af.ry hiru
more uncomfortable.
Mr.. Hitchcock had already achieved dis
tinction as public servant, and had at his
command a much larger private income.
His influence in the State is based on the
successful management of a vast commercial
enterprise and the pres ge which such man
agement entails, as well as on distinguished
service as dipomatst. Such a man vas
hardly like 10 heap fuel OIL the flame OF
new light" from the western part of the
State. say those who comment on Mr.. D6-
Wis departure.
Whatever else Mr.. Davis may be. he is
not a nonentity 4 man who could force
his political allies in city just recovering
from a boom" 10 support the proposed
construction OF park out Of uDsightiy
bluff at a cost of perhaps IS 900 900 is a
man of much personal force. His endow-
ments are nos incCnsiderable-he writes en-
terJainingly. is somewhat Of a student. and
is a strong public speaker. In Kansas City
he has grown accustomed to control. Ii is
not impossible. therefore, he grew rCstiye
under repeated reversals of Judgment and
in position which became every day more
and more like that of clerk.
Those who discuss the situation most
freely argue from this that his departure
for South Africa is at least a temporary If
not permanent, retirement from office.
Mr.. Davis was dissatisfied, they say. Mr..
Evans, Mr. Hitchcock, and the President
were dissatisfied.