Evening star., 1901-11-19
Secretary Hitcheock's Defeat May
Mean Retirement.
MISSOURI APPOINTMENTS IN DISPUTE
Claims of National Committeeman
kerens.
THE PRESIDENTS DILEMMA

President Roosevelt Is confronted with a
most perplexing and embarrassing situation
as to republican politics in Missouri, and
the outcome may be~the loss of strong
friends, no matter what Is decided.
Secretary Hitchcock, 1t Is declared. is so
deeply involved in the fight that he cannot
retire except IN triumph or defeat. In the
latter event, which is not so probable as
success. he would be put In such a position
that he might feel that he must go out of
the cabinet.
The fight narrows down to the question
whether R. c. Kerens, republican national
committeeman. shall Continue to be rec
ognized by the administration as the head
of the Missouri republican machine or
whether a new combination is to be recog-
nized as in control of patronage in Mis-
souri,
This latter combination includes T. J.
Atkins, chairman of the republican state
committee, and Representatives Joy and
Bartholdt, old opponents of Mr.. kerens.
Back of this combination and urging recog-
milton of it is Secretary Hitchcock, a COM
paratively new but powerful factor in poll
tics in his state.
The Question at Issue.
The President Is confronted with the
question of renominating Appraiser Smith
and Collector II. c. Grenner of st. Louis.
They were originally appointed on Mr..
Kerens' recommendation, and he says they
have been efficient officers, with no charges
against them, and that they ought to be
reappointed. He and his friends declare
that President MCKINLEY would have done
this.
The anti-Kerens combination wants a
new deal and desires new men in the
places of Smith and Grenner If the Pres
1dent ren0minateS these men he will go
contrary to the wishes Of his Secretary
of the Interior. If he appoints new men
he turns down" Mr.. Kerns, the con-
queror Of Chauncey I. Filley. There is
said to be little prospect of a compromise
1t is life and death struggle between the
factions, and will cause much bitterness
whichever way it is decided. The parti-
sans of kerens say that if he is not recog-
nized the republican party in the state will
be disrupted
The other faction makes a similar predic-
t1on. The Kerens people bring up the fact
that Mr.. KerenS received the unanimous
vote of his party in the Missouri legislature
two years ago for United States senator.
This is pointed to as testimonial of his
standing with the party and of his in
huence.
Mr.. Kerens Sees the President.
Mr.. Kerens was at the White House to-
day with w. s. Dickey, chairman of the
republican county committee of Jackson
county, in which Kansas City is located,
and E. L. Morse. a leading republican of
Clay county. They talked some time with
the President, and will have long talk
with him tomorrow
Both Messrs. Dickey and Morse say that
the republicans satisfied with the lead
erShip of Mr.. Kerens and declare that
twenty-seven of the thirty-four delegates
to the Philadelphia national convention
were his supporters. !"t --''
They are bitter in their remarks against
State Chairman Atkins and Secretary Fitch
two boo,
debating post office appointments in the
state. and they say he has made unsatis-
factory selections. They declare that he
has had democrats appointed. .---.:-, 10
Secretary Hitchcock never had any in
fuence in Missouri said Mr.. Morse, land
the party will not stand for his dictation
Mr.. kerens' friends are not Office seekers
and are asking for nothing.
I'VE overturned the federal office holders
and machine in HarriSon'S- administration
with Secretary Noble at their head and
we can do so again if we have TOT be-
lieve this matter can be settled by the
President in way to bring about har-
mony. That is what we want In the next
election"
In President McKinley's administration
Mr. kerens was recognized in federal pat
ronage. except when Secretary Hitchcock
desired to make an occasional recommended
ton The issue that is now presented to
President Roosevelt would probably have
confronted President Mckinley had he lived
as 1t was in embryo three or four months
ago but 1t Is not thought that the situation
would have become acute as 1t Is now
PRESIDENT Mckinley liked both Secretary
hitchcock and Mr.. Kerens. and for some
time prevented the trouble that was to
come sooner or later.
Mr.. Hitchcock's Selection.
Mr.. Hitchcock was first selected by Presi-
dent Mckinley as ambassador to Russia
after consultation with Mr.. Kerens, but
when he called Mr.. Hitchcock from St.
Petersburg to Washington he did not con-
suit any one. He regarded his cabinet ap-
pointments as strictly his own and selected
Mr.. Hitchcock because of the latter's bust
ness and executive abilities.
During the last few months it has looked
much as If Mr.. Kerens would cease to exert
the infiuance in federal appointments he
formerly did in Missouri, but he and his
friends are now going to fight hard to
prevent what will mean annihilation The
PRESIDENT Is being deluged with letters
from both sides, but has given no indca-
ton of his intentions. He has talked sew
eral times with Secretary Hitchcock and
knows that side of the case.
The Anti-kerens Case
The friends of Secretary Hitchcock, who
include many of the largest business men
in the state of Missouri. scout the idea that
his position in the cabinet is in any way
involved. They assert that Secretary Hitch
cock and his friends have already tri-
made by Mr. Kerens Is really the last eff
fort of the old Missouri leader and his fol-
lowers to defeat the new combination
Telegrams are reaching the President be-
seeching him not to appoint either Smith
or Grenner. as that would undoubtedly
recognize Mr.. kerens and again firmly es-
tablish him In the saddle. 1t Is declared
that he was really defeated for national
committeeman at the Philadelphia conven-
ton, but that a deal was made by which
ne should continue in that position pro-
Vided he would not attempt to dictate all
the appointments, as he had done up to
that time.
IL Is asserted that not only Is the con-
servative element Of the republicans op-
posed to Mr.. kerens but that the repub-
llcan workers oppose him because he has
not consulted the party leaders hereto
lore In his selections for Offices II is also
said that various elements of the party
are now opposed to this and want a
different state OF affairs, one that will
add to the upbuilding of the party and not
to it's downfall
1t Is even charged that the Kerens peo
pie in the legislature allowed the Nesbitt
election law to go through by combina-
tions with the democrats.
The claims of the anti-Kerens people are
more pronounced than those of the other