The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-18

tain the extent of the damages and how
much should be paid to reimburse the State
board" Mr.. Wishard will remain here sew
eral days.
From present indications Gen. John C..
Black, commander-in-chief of the Grand
Army, and former commissioner of pensions
under President Cleveland, will be appoint
ed on the Civil-service Commission to sue
coed the late John R. Proctor. The place
has been rendered the Illinois Democrat, and
1t is believed he will accept. In case of a
declination President Roosevelt has by him
a list of valuable men, among them Mere
dith Nicholson, the Indianapolis author.
Lucius b. Swift, president of the Indiana
Civil-service Commission, is understood to
have Endorsed Mr.. Nicholson. At least ten
prominent men are after the vacancy on
the federal commission.
The President to-day nominated Charles
j. Robb to be surveyor of customs for the
port CT Michigan City, Ind, and Knode
D.. Porter to be postmaster at Hagerstown,
Ind. The nomination of II. G. Row to be
postmaster at Osgood, Ind, was confirmed.
XXX
Secretary Hitchcock declines to make pub
lie anything regarding the public land
steals. about which so much has been said
in the newspapers and of which President
Roosevelt spoke sharply in his message to
ers who seek m regarding the
frauds and the measures that nave been
taken to prevent them and to punish the
perpetrators have been unable to get any
satisfaction at the Interior Department.
The statement is made there that the spe-
cial agents of the department have been on
the trail of the evildoers for the past twelve
months. but that the efforts of the govern
ment to prosecute the conspirators would
be frustrated by the publication of any
thing bearing on the plans TO break up their
operations. A number of members Of Con-
gress who have sought to obtain certain
facts at the department have left Mr..
Hitchcock's office very much stirred up
over the refusal of the authorities to reveal
the information desired. The opinion seems
to be that If anything is to be learned about
what has been done and who the ~grafters
gress.
Postmaster Clayton McMichael, OF Phil
adelphia, has been relieved of the onus
of charges made against him and will con-
tinue in Office. President Roosevelt has de-
cided to dismiss the charges, which in
volved the employment of men In the Phil
adelphia Office for political purposes. The
charges were dismissed as there was not
sufficient ground for them.
The Senate committee on to-
day ordered a favorable report on the bill
providing for a naval officer to be stationed
at Chicago in the collection district of
Illinois and Indiana.
An extended conference was held here to-
night relative to the proposed improvements
at Indiana Harbor. The matter was thor
oughly canvassed by Chairman Burton. OF
the committee on rivers and harbors. Rep
resentative ~Crumpacker and Albert Erskine
and Honore Palmer, representing Chicago
firms interested In the Improvement of Indi-
ana Harbor. No conclusions were reached.
The purpose of the conference was really
TO advise Chairman Burton OF the situation.
improvements, especially the construction
of a breakwater I'm Indiana Harbor.
XXX
The Senate committee on military affairs
to-day reported favorably the bill intro
duced by Senator Beveridge directing the
secretary of the treasury to pay Capt. Jas.
compensation for the loss OF personal eff
fects while on duty In the Philippines.
Representative Fred Lands presented a
bill for the relief of Z. b. Clendening, VIII
men OF Josiah w. Eurit. postmaster al
Macy. Ind. He also introduced pension
bills for Paul Bahr. of Marion; r.. C. T.
Read, mayor Of Logansport; Thomas Muir
Mexico. Also a bill for the relief of the
Miami Indians of Indiana. This tribe has a
claim for interest on n fund paid them some
years ago in accordance with treaty stipula-
lions with the government The measure Is