The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-03-21
HOW BITTINGER
WAS THROWN DOWN
Forced Out Of Office by
FayOriteS Milk in the
COcOanut
Special to Daily Leader.

special 10 Daily Leader.
Washington, D. c., March 2O.--lt Is
announced that Major A. w Edwards
of Fargo. ~ d.. is to be appointed to
the position now held by Major John
l.. Bitunger of Missouri consul gen
ieial TO Montreal. Canada The nomi-
nation probably will be sent to the
senate Saturday
So far as can be ascertained the ap
pointment is one decided upon by the
president for political reasons and has
no connection whatever with recent
events connected with the interview
with Major Bittinger, Of which com
plant was made to the state depart
ment 1t is said that Major Blttnger
is to be removed. but upon what
ground has not yet developed specu-
lation, however, Is rife and the under
standing is that the president will rely
upon Secretary Hitchcock and Mr..
Atkins to deliver the Missouri delega.
ton to him in the next national con-
yention, regardless of the Bittngers
and the Kerenses.
The general impression here is tha,
Major Bittinger is to be removed be-
cause Major Edwards has to be taken
care of to please the No,th Dakota
politicians That is the view taken OF
the matter in the North Dakota camp
AT all events. Secretary Hitchcock has
not interposed to prevent Bittingers
removal
The first intlmation that Major Bit
finger was in danger came the other
day when Senator Hansbrough and
Others of the North Dakota delegat n
called on the president and represen,-
ed to him the urgency Of taking cat e
of Major Edwards OF their state.
The president then said he could
offer them the consul generalship 10
Montreal This was the first sugges-
tion of a prospective change in he
Montreal consul generalship.
Nothing was known of it at the
state department. and at first it was
thought that some mistake had beer
made Yesterday, however. the stor,
is confirmed and Edwards will un
doubtedly be appointed
Surprise is expressed among Mis-
sourians that Secretary Hitchcock, il
he is not interested directly In Blt
fingers removal, has made no effDr
TO prevent it, at least. so as to retair
the place for a Missourian, and n il
this that has given rise to talk iha
Bittinger is persona non grata wiz
the secretary
He was appointed by President No
Kinley early in the first administ;a
tlon OF the dead president The plac
was one Of a number voluntarily 81
fered him by the chief executive
When personal attacks were made o
him by members Of his own part!
prominent Missourians went to tn
. president and told him that no ma
0 stood higher in the esteem of the pe'
: pie OF Missouri than he cid D3
y on an old story which has been -3e
e to damage Major Bittinger repe ~
v after his appointment to Montreal, y
=, was black balled by a prominent clu
u 10 which he applied for mssd.r shi
and subsequently he was aEai
p" brought into fame by his mt ''rw
'' which he criticised the cooking OF tt
Montreal hotels and complained .. tr
- extortionate prices which prevailed
His standing as consul genera
- however was never impaired and
was looked upon as one Of the mo
credltable officials in that capacity
the consular service
N Major Blttinger has many frieni
" in ST Louis, and It is not lmprobab
a that a strong effort will be made
y induce the president to transfer hi
IA 10 some position Of equal importanl
~. as the Montreal consul generalship
Major Bittnger's resignation h
been officially asked for by The seer
tary OF state. The cause assigned
ss this action is that AR Bittnger W
= quoted in a Montreal paper adyoc'
ing the annexation OF Canada 20 q
- United States
Onicial cognizance was taken Of q
I. remarks attributed 10 him by Premi
y Laurier, who referred the matter
u London
: From London the case was forwal
ed 10 the British ambassador IN sWai
ington. and by him laid before Sec
tary Hay The secretary. II is sa