Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-17
CRANE FOR CHAIRMAN
RAILWAY INSPECTORS CALL ON
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.
Philadelphia Postmaster Will Retain
His office-Jacob Riis Says Fare
well-Many Callers.


point took place at the White House this
afternoon. the occasion being a luncheon.
at which there were five people, all of them
figures of national prominence 1t might
be called appropriately meeting of the
big five" With the President were Secre-
tary Root. Senator Lodge. ex-Gov. Murray
Crane of Massachusetts and Secretary Cor
telyou.
There could hardly be gathered together
five men about whose meeting there could
be greater significance at this time of po-
hticai talk and scheIning Secretary Root
is soon to retire from the cabinet but he
does not do SO in the sense of severing HIM
self from the political fortunes of the Presi-
dent Within the republican family there
are no two men whose political advice is
taken more quickly than Secretary Root
and Senator Lodge. They, are personally
and politically as close to the President as
any men in the country. Secretary CorteI-
you may be ranked in the same class.
Crane to Be Chairman.
With the practical certainty that ex-tsov.
Murray Crane is to be the chairman of the
republican national committee next year,
there Is much for conjecture in this gather
Ing. Senator Hanna having eliminated him.
self from the chairmanship il has been
known that the President would ask ex-
Gov. Crane to accept the position. So far
as influence with men of business wealth
and standing in the country is concerned,
Mr. Crane is not sexcelled by Senator
Hanna, and In political sagacity and states-
manship he Is declared by many to be the
equal of the man from Ohio.
With the five men in conference there
were things said and decided upon that
would make columns of reading and gossip
without end, but there are no five men in
the country who can more easily keep to
themselves what took place.
There has been some talk recently that
Mr.. Crane would not be able to accept the,
position and that the President had asked
Secretary Root to set aside his personal
feasons for leaving public life and take the
place. 1t is still. however. understood that
MT. Crane will accept the position, and
there Is q, strong belief that the conference
was for the purpose sof outlining prelimi-
nary steps to the next campaign. The fore-
gone fact that the President will receive
the nomination gives him and his friends
every opportunity to begin steps toward
getting in shape for the campaign just as
soon as they wish. By beginning some or
gamzation they will. also, he In position to
stamp out incipient opposition to the Presi.
dent wherever it arises.
It is likely that within short time some
definite official announcement will be made
of Senator Hanna's determination NOT to
manage the next campaign and the Presi-
dents desire to have the place go to ex-
Gov Crane go !.
Presented to the President.
Fifteen Of the interstate commerce com.
missions inspectors of railway safety ap-
pliances were presented to President
Roosevelt today by Edward A Moseley,
secretary of the commission. The inspect
ors are practical trainmen-conductors
firemen, engineers and others-employed
on the various railroads of the country. In
presenting them to the President Secretary
Moseley said they represented the sinew
of the railway service of the United States.
Not the sinew alone" interjected the
President, quickly. but. the brain and
heart also"
The inspectors are in Washington in
connection with an application for an ex-
tension of time for the adoption by all the
railroads of the safety appliances required
by act of Congress.
McMcMichael Will Remain.
Clayton McMichael. postmaster of Phil
acelphia, will remain In his present posi-
ton and President Roosevelt will dismiss
the charges against him that were made ~
the civil service commission, which was
unanimous in its belief that he had sane
toned partisan political work on the part
of letter carriers and other federal en-
ployes.
The civil service commission through
Commissioner Cooley, who investigated the
charges. reported TO the President that
there appeared to be sufficient foundation
for the charges to require an explanation
from Mr.. McMtchael. The President turn
ed the papers over to Postmaster General
Payne. whose investigation resulted in re-
porting that there was not sufficient ground
for the charges to cause the dismissal OF
the postmaster.
While no official announcement has been
made by the President, 1t Is now known
that he will dismiss the charges against
Mr.. McMichael. Senator Penrose of Penn
sylvania called at the White House this
morning but said that he did not discuss
the Philadelphia post office with the Presi.
dent. as that was "a dead issue. having
been settled already.
Numerous Visitors.
Representative Bartholdt of Missouri pre-
sented e. w. Flentge, who has been in
dorsed for postmaster at Cape Grardeau,
the oldest town in Missouri. Mr.. Flentge
was agreed upon for the place a good while
ago to succeed Postmaster Biewirth, who
pendent republican movement in recent
election and bringing about the defeat or
the regular republican ticket. which in
volved member of the legislature For
this offense the republican organization
promptly "harpooned" Postmaster Bic
wirth and agreed upon Mr.. Flentge The
call of Representative Bartholdt was to
ascertain why the appointmeht neaa =, mao ,,,S mos
send tho name of Mr. F1entge to the Sen
ate in few days.
Jacob Riis. who has been guest Of the
President for several days, DID MS host
goodbye this morning.
Senator Hopkins of Illinois this morning
presented Ex-Governor Fife- of Illinois. who
was yesterday nominated as member OF
the interstate commerce commission.
Senators Nelson and Ciapp of Minnesota
presented United States Marshal Grimsnaw
of that state, whose present term expired
Saturday The President sent to the Sem
ate the nomination of Marshal Grimshaw
for another term.
Senators Dolliver and Allison called on
the President this morning and a few min
utes later Representative Hemenway OF
Indiana walked into the Presidents room.
"Yes. confess want to get a job for an
Indiana man. but the two Iowa senator's
were ahead of me and they told the Presi-
dent such good tale about Iowa not hav-
ing had her share of Offices that did not
get anything" said MIR. Hemenway. but
Senators DollIver and Allison were not
there to defend themselves.
Representative Wade Of Iowa. Senator
Ball Of Delaware. Representative Hard.
wick OF Georgia. ex-Gov. Bradley Of KEN