Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-12-24
PLUMS STILL
HANGING HIGH
LAND OFFICE JOBS NOT GIVEN AT
CONFERENCE.
INSIST THERE'S NO HITCH
Commissioners Deliberate Nearly Four
Hours on Distribution of PATRONAGE,
Settle Nothing, and Give Out That
no fractional Bitterness or WrangIe
Developed at the Meeting.
Madison Dec %

MdulSOn, dec. 20
The three state off1cers-elect who
after January ) will comprise the state
land commission met in the Park hotel
last night shortly after s o'clock and
when they emerged from the confer
ence room at midnight made the ar
nOuncement that the appointments to
the positions in the land office were
still undetermined and there was in
{ fact nothing Of public interest to be
stated as the result of the prolonged
conference. Individually the members
told substantially the same story. Mr.
Kempf said it was practically deter
mined that a complete change would
be made with the land Office force.
Messrs. HOuser and SturdeVant were
not SO committal in this regard. The
three gave particular emphasis to the
statement that the conference. though
long and almost entirely unconclusive,
developed not a suggestion of wrang-
ling. bitterness, factional politics, per-
sOnal favOrs or dislikeS, or any bitter
ness whatever. Mr.. Sturdevant was
asked to state what he thought to be
the chances Of B. J. Castle of Madt-
son, present assistant chief clerk, for
the appointment as chief clerk in
place of Col. c. E. Morley, the present
incumbent. He replied that the an
nouncement that he had pledged him
self in favor Of Mr. Castle went too
far, that personally he favored MI
Castle because he was an old friend
and neighbOr eminently fitted to fill
the place Mr.. HOuser was asked
what show A. H Long of Prairie du
CHEN had for the chief clerkship and
replied that he had positive informa-
ton that Mr.. Long was not candi-
date. The commissioners will meet
this morning at o'clock and they say
they will complete their work then in
a short time.
The three seemed particularly anX-
:ous to make it plain that there was no
fractional differences injected into the
conference.
"The meeting was occupied almost
entirely with the questions of appoint
ments,' said Mr.. Houser, Messrs.
Kempf and Sturdevant being at his
elbows I'VE discussed whether or
not we would change the number of
officials, how we would apportion the
appropriation of $4,000 which the state
allows for the administration of the
land Office, how the work of the office
should be apportioned and other in
cidental questions which are not de-
termined in the statutes. Some ques-
tons Of geographical distribution Of
the appointments were raised and dis
cussed. We made progress with d
rather big job for us, but not one of
politics, and although we are almost
agreed there is nothing to announce
regarding the appointments, we have
had no difficulties or bitches in the
meeting"
The last remark was in response to
a direct question and was repeated
with emphasis by Messrs. Sturdevant
and Kempf. 1t is suggested that the
denial Of factiOnaI trouble at the con-
ference is in relation to the rumor to
the effect that the governor was try
ing to force the appointment of Mr.
Castle.