The St. Louis Republic., 1901-01-28
Different Wings of Local Repub-
licans Clamoring for Recogni-
tiOn From Governor DOekery.
CLAIMS OF THE FAVORITE SONS.
Administration at jefferson City
Is Making Appointments With
Regard TO Qualifi
cations.
81 a Sac coRREsPoNpENr-

BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Jefferson City. Mo-, Jan. Ex-Governor
Dockery's announcement soon after his in
auguration as Governor that he would al
low the Republicans of st. Louis to decide
upon the Republican Election Commissioner
Tor St Louis has started a fierce fight
among the factions in that party in st,
Louis. with this appointment as the bone of
contention.
Chairman Akins's recent visit to Jeffer-
son City had the personality OF this COM
missioner for its principal motive. The Zie-
genhein faction. the Kerens coterie, the
Hitchcock wing. are all bringing all OF the
influence of which they are capable TO bear
TO secure for themselves the coveted place.
Each section OF the Republican party in
St Louis has its favorite son and IS push
Ing him with entire disregard OF the dec
laration of the party organ that the pres
ent election law in ST Louis max ) the
Republican Election Commissione- a mere
fgurehead
Every other struggle for recognition from
the Governor is totally eclipsed by the Re-
publican scramble for the single Office at
the disposal Of the Republicans an St Louis.
Looking for Good Men.
The offices at the disposal of Governor
Dockery and his feIlow-offlcials are seek
ing the men, and. by the same token are
lodging tho ofiiceseekers. This conclusion
stands out unmistakably in the appoint
ments already made.
The fact that It has been necessary in
many instances to bring pressure TO bear
on the applicants TO induce them to accept
the offered places, and the fact that a num-
Der OF appointees have declined the places
offered them. is an evidence that the offices
are seeking the men.
The case Of S. ]. Buckner. cashier of a
hlvzI
Bank Examiner by Secretary of State Cook
is recent instance. The proffered place
paid salary of 5000 and travelling ex-
penses- Buckner was induced by his pres
ent business associates to decline the place
that they might keep his valuable services
in his present field of activity.
The case OF Gardner Lathrop Of Kansas
City Is another instance. He was a Re
publican member of the Board of Curators
of the State University. and filed the place
10 give satisfaction. His term has just ex-
pired- Strong pressure had to be brought
TO bear on him from Kansas City and CO.
lumbia TO induce him to accept reappoint-
ment.
The same was true OF Judge II. c. Nc
Dougal of Kansas City, who was appointed
on the Marshall board.
Big Man for the Place.
Former Auditor Seibert, after he is taken
out of the place of Excise Commissioner in
st. Louis, will be placed in the position of
Insurance Commissioner. Seibert is a big
man for that place. even though its salary
is the same as he received as Auditor and
Treasurer.
Luther Hickman of Warrensburg was an
applicant for the position of Insurance
Commissioners. He was given the place OF
Building and Loan Supervisor. He is a big
man for that place. s.-
It is understood that at least one Of the
other important, high-saiaried places in the
gift of the Governor has been offered and
declined. The person TO whom the place Is
sad to have been offered is OF wide at
tainment and high repute in his profession.
Governor Dockery appears to have shown
himself not at all backward or modest In
his effort to surround himself with capa-
BILE crew of officials. He seems to have no
compunction about asking, and the con-
clusion appears safe that he will get the
best material available even at the risk of
refusal and at the risk that captious
critics may mlsinterpret his action and its
results
Applicants in St Louis who are engaged
in anxious conjecture as to the identity
OF the men who will receive the appoint
ments open in st. Louis can reach some in
teTesting conclusions by studying these un-
mistakable facts. Selections for the places
up to the present have. with great uni
formity. been men who were popularity con-
sidered of larger caliber than the places
rendered them and the men who did not
seek those places with a do-or-die determi-
nation. JOHN c. LEBENS.