The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-10
FALL OF THE PLUM
SPECULATION AS TO WHO WILL BE
CUSTOMS COLLECTOR.
THE DUTIES OF DEvEAUx.
SET FORTH IN a CIRCULAR AS
WELL PERFORMED.

The DeveaUx Document Has Many
Men Attest 10 His 'PerfOrmnn of
His Duties-COI. Deveaur's Tenure
of Office viii BE Up Next Month.
" IL Probable That Some Action
by the President May BE Looked
for within short Wholesome
of the Gossip That Is Heard About
the Succession to the Collector
shin.
Those who are popularity supposed to
know something about the succession
to the collectorship of the port of Sa-
vannah still hold their peace, and it is
not possible to learn just who has been
settled upon. if anyone has, for the
position. Col. A. r. Lawton and Col.
Beirne Gordon, who, with Maj. j. F..
Hanson of Macon, have been named in
newspaper dispatches as the triumvi-
rate to which the president will look
for advice and suggestions touching
material with which he will fill Federal
positions in Georgia, have both de-
clined to tell what they may know
about the matter, and they are, so
far as can be learned, the only ones in
Savannah qualified to give an express
sion that would be any stronger than
that of a mere opinion. Mr.. w. J.
Lowry of Atlanta, and Mr.. Walter
Johnson are also supposed to give the
President some advice as to appoint
ments in Georgia.
In the meantime the efforts of those
who want the position are not abated.
Applications for the appointment have
been filed at Washington, and certain
it is, from the number that have APP
piled or expect to apply. that the posi-
ton will not go a-begging. Those who
want the place are considering their
chances and hoping that they may
land, while others, interested as friends
Of applicants or lovers of any pretty
contest are standing off and specu-
lating as to how the cat will jump.
Col. ]. H. Deveaux, the present in
cumbent, is not sitting idle and allow
ing the plum to slip from his grasp
through inactivity on his part. He has
a document circulating among the bus
mess men of the city that is receiving
many signatures Among the signers
are some representative men, who
merely subscribe to a statement that
they know that Col. DeVeaux who, by
the way, is not given any sort of a
title in the paper, has conducted the
office of the collector of customs to
the satisfaction of the people of Savan-
nah. No reference is made to the col
lapforsG nd no ic
a recommendation nor an Endorsement.
The subscribers merely place them
selves in the position of saying that
they consider that the incumbent has
filled the place satisfactorily.
A sentiment seems to grow among
those who have studied the situation.
This is that Deveaux may be the
choice of the President. 1t is declared
that the President may find himself in
such quandary as to which of the
outs" to appoint that he will fall back
with some relief upon the in giving
Col. Deveaux another term. Col. De
veaux's present term was formally en-
tered upon on March 9. 1897. when he
assumed charge of the office, but it will
expire sooner than March 8. He under
stands that the term will be up on
some date in February, that on which
the appointment was confirmed In
reason. therefore, 1t may be considered
that it will be no great while before
the President makes an appointment
to the Savannah collectorship.
Mr.. w. Il. Leaken returned yester-
day from Washington. but had no
news to give out. When asked if he
knew anything about the colectorship.
he replied that he had not seen the
President.
a view, expressed by gentleman
whose opinion is perhaps worth as
much as that OF any man in Savannah
in, matter touching a Federal APP
pointment from a Republican admins
tration. is to the effect that some
gentleman may be appointed whose
name has not yet been mentioned i'm
connection with the position. This. he
said. would he through the inability
of the President 10 decide. among so
many applicants, as to which he should
appoint. The dark horse" would be
some one so high in the public estima-
ton as to leave no room for question
IN no t-aiCa6 nv aONnoC