Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-27

that is to have charge of the expenditure of
about s100,GO0.0o9 in improvements to the
canal from Buffalo to Albany. There is
some doubt whether Col. Symons will be
able to do so unless Congress sees fit to
grant him relief. Col. Symons has conferred
with officials of the War Department. who
doubt whether he could accept the position
and continue his duties in the army Col.
SymoDs New York friends are insistent on
his remaining On the commission, with the
project of which he is probably more fa-
miliar than any man IN New York, and are
going to endeavor to have Congress pass a
joint resolution authorizing Col. Symons to
give portion of his time to the canal work.
Such a resolution will have behind it the
entire New York delegation and there will
be no opposition from the administration in
any form. Col. Symons' abilities as an en-
gineer and his familiarity with the New
York canal make his services almost ines
Unable.
Colonel Symons. who was at the White
House today, said that he regrets that
the laws and regulations governing his
connection with the army apparently stand
in the way of his accepting the appoint
ment but that he will be pleased If Con-
gress would give him permission to do
So as his heart is in the canal work. and
he should like much to be engaged in the
important work TO be done.
The President has approved the follow
ing bills: Act enabling the Secretary of
the Treasury to pay the state of Yer
mont and to adjust mutual claims between
the United States and Vermont: act for
relief of settlers on lands in Sherman coun-
ty, oregon; act to build dam across the
Mississippi river at Sank Rapids, Benton
county, Mimi; act to authorize the st.
Joseph and Grand Island railway to recon-
struct a bride across the Missouri river
near st. Joseph Mo-; act donating gun
carriages to the Connecticut commissioners
for the care and preservation of Fort Girls
void.
Presidential Nominations.
the following nominations:
Agent for the Indians-Rush J. Taylor,
Yankton agency, South Dakota.
Postmasters: Observation-Disclosures C.
Stout, Glenside: Cyrus E. Nipple, Consho-
hocken. Arizona-William NJ Newell, Mesa
Arkansas-Chas l.. Jones, Junction; Omar
\. Hawkins, Morrillton. Illinois-Robert Is.
Thomas, Lacon. Iowa-A. M Loomis. Wy
oming; William A. Grummon. Rockwell.
kentucky-Thos. B. kirkpatrick, Hodgen-
vile. Michigan-Charles Quick Lowell.
Missouri-William G. Kitchen, Bloomfield.
Oklahoma-G. A. Hail. Okarche Texas
William Reese, Floresville.
Invited to Attend Launching.
Mr.. c. B. circuit, president of the New
port News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock
Company, called upon the President today,
rendering him a cordial invitation to be
present at the launching of the battle ship
Virginia April ).
At the request of the Secretary of the
Navy, President circuit has invited Miss
Matilda G. Montag que. daughter of the gov
ernor of Virginia, to act as sponsor. and
she has consented to name the vessel.
~ Mr.; Circuit stated that the damage to
evening was nominal, the angleSmith shop,
a frame building, is the only structure
damaged; this will be speedily replaced by
brick building, and the operation of the
works will proceed without delay to
sells now in construction.
The President Congratulates Mr.. Payne
Postmaster General Payne at the White
House today, after seeing the President
said: 1.-The verdict in the post office cases
has been great victory for the govern
ment. Somehow an impression had been
general that it would be almost impossible
to secure conviction in Washington, be-
cause of the large interests here in govern
ment contracts and The general attitude to
such things, but this impression was wrong,
we are glad to say. Newspaper men who
attended the trial told me that they did
not expect verdcts of guilty, and that al
the best they looked for mistrials
Even these unusually accurate observers
failed in their predictions. | cannot see why
this impression was so general. The tes-
timony presented by the government was
complete in every way and was so certain
that the jury compelled to take it at
its value. Machen's apparent confidence in
acquittal was probably based on the fact
that he had passed through two congress
sional Investigations which sought to bring
out the very facts that we secured against
him, and that it had been Impossible to
catch him. He probabl did not think we
had made such a strong case against him
and his accomplces.
Mr.. Payne received the congratulations
of the President on the effectiveness of the
government work in getting the case in
good shape.