The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-19
REPUBLICANS ARE PANICKY.
THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE
APPOINTMENT OF CARERS.

IN
Washington, April 1S-There are evil
dences of political panic in the ranks
of the colored Republicans of the South
and their bleached associates growing out
of the recent appointments of Messrs. Ca
pers and Chafee. 1t seems to have dawned
upon some of the Republican leaders of
the South that President Mckinley is
preparing to throw overheard the old
party organization in the Southland and
turn to those who, to quote the language
of a high official of the administration,
offer greater elements of promise to Re
publican principles in the future"
The representatives. of the Republican
organization in the South now in Wash
ington in state of CONSERVATION and
alarm hurried to the White House for
an explanation of Mr.. Capers appoint
ment and the causes which are alleged to
have produced the sudden and unexpected
change of political heart on the part of
the administration. Judson Lyons For
mer Representatives White and Cheatham
of North Carolina, three well-known col
ored men-two of them federal Office hold
ers and the other an applicant Tor an
authorship in the Treasury Department
were among the most interested seekers
for information on the subject
Hanna's Handy Man.
They first appealed to Col Dick of
Ohio, who was Senator Hanna's right
hand man in the management of the last
campaign. 1t must be understood that
Col Dick has been up to this time the
mi 10 f.,4,
cal deals between Senator Hanna and the
Republican leaders in the South. The
latter have been taught to believe that a
word from Col. Dick is an equivalent to
a command from Senator Hanna. AS a
matter of fact, Senator Hanna has but
little patience with the colored ReDubl-
cans of the South, and he is glad of an
opportunity to unload them upon Col.
DICK 1T so happened that both Col. Dick
and Senator Hanna We're at the Execu-
tive Mansion when the colored delegation
called. As usual they were put off on
Col. Dick, and he was apparently igno-
rant of the ctrcums tances surrounding the
Cepers appointment, besides surround the
deht enough not to commit himself very
strongly on the subject He endeavored
in a cautious way to create an impression
that it might be well to await further de-
Velopments in connection with Southern
appointments DeIore attaching too much
Importance to the changes Just made in
South Carolina. While Col Dick held up
the three colored leaders, Senator Hanna
made his escape from the White House.
In the meantime, the President was busy
keeping an engagement with a visiting
photographer who was making pictures
Of the President and individual members
of the cabinet in the official apartment
upstairs. Consequently, the only satisfac-
tion Messrs. Lyons, White and Cheatham
received was the carefully guarded state
ments of Col Dick.
MIR. Capers' Appointment
There are several versions of the story
OF CaDers' sudden and almost premature
appointment. Mr.. Capers saws the first
intlmation that he received of his appoint
ment was from a newspaper friend who
telephoned him at the Department of JUS
tice that his appointment had just been
given out at the White House. Mr.. Ca
pers states very frankly that his appoint
ment at this early period was a great
surprise to him and at the present mo-
ment there is not letter or paper of any
KIND on file either at the White House or
at the Department of Justice in his be-
half. He does not, however, wish it to be
understood that he was not expecting the
appointment, nor does he wish it under
StOOd budl ilG ueHlBS DelllS a candidate for
the office, and at the proper time was pre-
pared to submit a number of Formidable
Endorsements. 1t is a fact that the Pres
ident has had the subject under consider
alton for some time past. 1t is also a fact
that he was aware that Mr. Capers was
an applicant for the place and also had
in his possession some very valuable en-
dorsements. 1t is asserted that the Pres
ident fully understood the situation, and
hnrr Il
change in South Carolina, concluded to
appoint Mr.. Capers now and make out
his commission to take effect on July "a
next. the date upon which Mr. Lathrop's
term expires.
This explanation seems to agree with
the statement made to your correspondent
by Attorney General Knox to-day When
the latter was interviewed concerning the
Capers' appointment and the circumstan-
ces leading up to It, he replied: THAT
subject is a closed book so far as l am
concerned. That matter was fixed up be-
fore l entered the cabinet, and l know
nothing about it, except in a casual way.
l have nothing to do with it, and / have
no particular interest in the case"
An unofficial reason given for the re-
tirement of Mr.. Lathrop at the expiration
Of his term is that during his admiuistra-
ton of the office of District Attorney In
SOuIH (dIOllud, ne mas cost the govern
ment a larger sum of money for assist
ant counsel fees than any of his prede-
cessors. Whether this statement is in
tended as a mild reflection upon Mr. La
throp's ability as an attorney, or whether
Mr.. Capers appointment was made in
the interest Of economy is a subject for
conjecture. There seems, however, to be
an indirect insnuation that the expenses
of Mr.. Lathrop's Office might be mate
rally reduced by the appointment of a
new district attorney.
JudEeship for McLnurIn.
There is another rumor which / find
difficulty in confirming. that Senator Nc
Laurin Is being considered in connection
with the appointment to a United States
Judgeship in Washington,and he was anx-
ious to fulfill certain promises he had
made to his friend Mr.. Capers and also
to demonstrate 10 his friends in South
Carolina that he Yields potent influence
with the administration In this connec-
ton Senator McLaurln's name is men
toned with the Vacancy which recently
occurred on the district bench by reason
of the resignation of Mr. Justice Cole. A
few days before Mr. Capers' appointment
was announced Judge Cole, without any
previous announcement Of his Intentions,
rendered his resignation. His retirement
from the bench was as much a eurprise
to the citizens Of Washington as was the
sudden appointment Of Mr. Capers There
Is no end Of gossip and speculation sur
rounding tho real motives which prompted
a. H.