The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-03
And VIII Soon Settle the Contest
Among Indianfans for Position on
Ways and Means Committee.
CONGRESSMAN c. ID. lands SECURES
MORE RURAL ROUTES.
Service to BE Extended All Over How
ard COunty-PreparntiOns for A.
w. Machcn's Trial.
pec:al to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Nov. Representative
Cannon, of Illinois. who will be speaker of
the House of Representatives. is already
giving evidence of determination to take
a strong hold upon legislative affairs. He
arrived here to-day and straightway called
on President Roosevelt for conference re-
garding the affairs of the approaching spe
cial session. Mr.. Cannon will transfer the
rugged personality and the methods of lead
ership which he had on the floor of the
House to the chair of the presiding officer.
He will not be a dictator or a czar, but he
will control things. There is abundance of
reason for suspecting that men who have.
been influential in the management of Leg
islative affairs in the House during recent
years will be quietly but firmly shorn of
their power. Mr.. Cannon never had very
high respect for the methods or the pur-
poses of Mr.. Payne. of New York, or Mr..
Dalzell. of Pennsylvania. He never regard
ed them as safe or wise leaders in legis-
lation. 1t is predicted that he will hold a
firm grip upon affairs and encourage young
er men, such as Hemenway and Overstreet.
of Indiana, to come to the front in the
party.
Mr.. Cannon called on President Roosevelt
to-day to pay his respects and to discuss
the nature and time of the message from
the President to the special session. 1t is
not certain the message will go in on the
first day of the meeting, time must be
given for organizing the body and there
is necessity of Adjournment out OF respect
to number of members who have died
since the close Of the last Congress.
1t is regarded here as settled that Pres
ident Roosevelt will discuss no subjects of
legislation except that of Cuban reciprocity.
OF course, Congress may take up other
matters, and in the Senate, at least, 1t Is
certain that other subjects will be dis
cussed. IN the House this will be to some
extent prevented by the determination not
to name any committees except those which
deal with the routine business of the House
and the committee on ways and means.
whi1h will handle the legislation with re-
spect to Cuban reciprocity. The committee
on ways and means will be appointed with
out delay. This determination on the part
of Mr.. Cannon will bring to an end early
next week the contest among Indiana repre-
sentatives for assignment to this important
committee. Representatives Crumpacker,
Charles B. Lands and Watson are UNDER
stood to be active candidates for the vacan-
cy created by the retirement of Major
Steele. Any one of the members named
would make an excellent selection for ways
and means. All of them served on COM
mittees of the first rank in the last con-
greSS.
Charles B. Lands, of the Ninth Indiana
district arrived in Washington to-day.
He came direct from Ohio, where ne par
,;,bo
there to-day Mr.. Lands leaves tomorrow
for New York, returning the latter part of
the week. He made round Of the depart
ments to-day on matters of interest to his
constituents. He called at the Postofiice
Department. where he had conference
with the officials relative to the extension
OF rural free delivery in the Ninth district.
On his recommendation general system
has been ordered esta ablished in Howard
county. A special agent will be sent to the
county about the 18th inst. to make an
examination preparatory to installing the
service.
Representative Lands and family prob
ably will locate at the Portland Flats,
where a little Indiana colony will be quar-
tered this winter. Senator Reveridge and
Representatives Overstreet and Hemenway
have also engaged quarters at the Portland.
Active preparations are being made by
the legal authorities Of the government for
the first important trial of the postal scan-
dal that of Arthur W. Machen and the
Groff brothers. which will be held on the
23d inst. An early date was named by Jus
tice Pritchard in compliance with repre-
sentations of counsel that the defendants
were entitled to an early hearing before
the courts. Great interest is manifested in
the outcome of the trial of Machen He
is regarded the principal conspira tor
among the score or more who have been in
dicted by federal grand juries I'm this and
other jurisdictions. Ii is alleged that there
are defects in the bin naming Machen and
the Groffs as parties to conspiracy to
defraud the government. The case will be
bitterly fought by the defendants. who are
represented by eminent lawyers. Every
effort will be made by the government to
convict Machcn. The authorities were dis
appointed over the outcome of the trial of
Daniel V. Miller and Joseph NJ. Johns of
Indiana They say that the evidence
there is only remote chance of acquittal.
Gossip here continues to connect the name
of Senator Fairbanks with the vice presi-
dental nomination. Senator Mitchell of
Oregon, expressed the opinion that the
nominee will come from the middle West
He said: Il should not be surprised from
what l hear if it were Senator Fairbanks.
am beginning to think he would accept
| the nomination.
Harold C. Megrew. of Indianapolis. who
| succeeded Col. Emmett Urell as COM
mander-in-chief OF the Spanish-American
war veterans. arrived in Washington to-
| day. Commander-in-chief Megrew will be
| formally installed in office while in WASH
ington and will afterwards announce his
/ staff appointments. He Will also confer
with the Indiana representatives concern
ing legislation in which the association is
| interested.
| Lieutenant Commander Albert p. Niblack.
| u. S. N. Of indianapolis. and Miss Mary