The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-16
Mr.. Hanna Will Remain as Chairman
of the Committee If the State of
HIS Health Shall Permit.
CHARGES AGAINST GEN. WOOD
SENATE MILITARY COMMITTEE TO
PROBE STATEMENTS OF ESTES.
State Department Interested In Out
come Of the Lynchehaun Case
Trials OF Tyner and Barrett.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 15.-'T am here
solely on the business Of the State. There
is no politics in it."
This is what Governor Durbin said to-
night when questioned as to the object Of
his visit to Washington at this time.
"As l said before l left Indianapolis,
came here to confer with the authorities
concerning the claim of the State growing
out of the West Point maneuvers. 1 also
desire to secure two guns for the Lafayette
battery, and to exchange some Springfield
rifles for Krag-Jorgensens, of which sew
eral of the guard organizations are in
need"
Governor Durbin will call at the War
Department tomorrow, where he will take
up these matters with Mr.. Root, secretary
of war.
Governor Durbin arrived early this after
noon and went at once to the new Willard.
Among his callers during the day were
Representatives Hemenway, Watson. Over
street and Brick and other prominent In
dianians. Contrary to expectation, the
Governor did not take dinner with Presi-
dent Roosevelt tonight.
'I was not aware until advised by the
newspapers" he said, "that was sched-
uled for dinner at the White House. pre-
sumo it would be good idea for me to get
hold Of a menu in order to be able to tel;
my friends all about it when 1 return to
Indiana"
Naturally the visit of Indiana's chief ex-
ecutive attracted a good deal of attention
among people who follow national politics,
especially as it was announced in what APP
peared to be an authoritative manner that
a White House conference would be held
tonight.
Governor Durbin expects to finish his
business here tomorrow. He will call on
President Roosevelt to pay his respects,
and probably will leave here on Tuesday
morning.
Since the formal announcement of the
meeting of the Republican national COM
mittee, which will be held here in Decem-
ber, there has been a great deal of gossip
as to who will lead the committee in the
next campaign. and of candidates for the
vice presidency. AS heretofore stated in
these dispatches, Chairman Hanna will re-
tain the place If his health permits. Among
leading Republicans the opinion is ex-
pressed that the second man on the ticket
pivotal State,' said one of them tonight.
land if one of her favorite sons Is nomi-
mated with President Roosevelt it will add
strength to the ticket"
A thorough investigation will be made by
the Senate committee on military affairs of
the charges made by Estes G. Rathbone,
former director of Cuban posts, against
Gen. Leonard Wood. The matter comes up
at this time the result of Woods nomina-
tion by the President as major general in
the arrcy. Rathbone is equipped with much
evidence, and alleges, among other things,
that General Wood tried to influence the
court that tried and convicted him of mis-
use of postal funds. The feeling in the SEN
ate is that the fight on General Wood is
inopportune. 1t is urged that the time for
the objection TO his advancement in the
army was when President Mckinley made
him brigadier general, jumping him over
the heads of scores Of old officers The pro-
motion Of General Wood to the grade of
major general, on the other hand, is made
without prejudice to any one, and of itself
invites no opposition Ii is said. 1t Is un-
| derstood' that Mr.. Rathbone will file with
the committee the charges that he filed with
Secretary Root last winter. and that the
secretary may be called as witness for
General Wood. If Mr.. Root should appear
before the committee he will present the
| the charges of Rathbone. This answer was
| not made public at the time. as Secretary
| Root dismissed the case with the verdict
| that there was nothing in the matter to JUS
tify further investigation by the War De-
partment
| State Department officials and senators on
the foreign relations committee are inter-
ested in the Lynchehaun case. The En-
glish embassy officials manifest irritation
over the refusal of the Indiana authorities
to surrender Lynchehaun. Interest at the
State Department is prompted by the de-
sire of the officials to have the English
| who are fugitives in Canada and some of
| the st. Louis boodlers. who are in Mexico.
the fear being expressed that If the London
home Office is not mollified for the Indiana
! incident the prospect of a successful ort-
! come for negotiations now pending in the
| cases cited above is not bright. The en-
| baSSy officials understand that there can be
| no interference by the federal authorities
with the States. but there is an impression
| that way will be pointed out by which
/ England may secure the person of Lynche-
haun through the medium of the federal
| courts. There is precedent for such q
| proceeding. 1t occurred in case between
the United States and Mexico. Democrats
| in the Senate are also watching the Indiana
case closely. They fear that the supple
mental extradition treaties now being
| framed in the Senate will be used as the
| means of making the surrender of political
| refugees possible.
One of the first subjects to be considered
by the House committee on postoffices In
| the regular session will be that relat
to increased salaries for rural carriers.
Nearly 100 bills have been presented in
both branches OF Congress providing in
| creased salaries for carriers in the rural
service. There appears TO be no unanimity
or opinion among senators or members as
to the salary carrier should receive. One
measure fixes uniform rate of $40 year
another provides sliding scale, the mini
| mum being fixed at $40 and the maximum
at 5000 Although little attention has been
given TO the question far. on account of
the fact that the House committee has not
yet been organized. there Is no doubt that
the compensation of the rural carrier will
be Increased before Congress adjourns. In
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