Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-10
At THE WHITE HOUSE
Conference With.the President
Regarding Postal Affairs.
BRISTOW SUMMONED
FEELING AMONG MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS WHO CALLED.
Expected That Special Inquiry Will
Be Ordered-Gossip Regarding Sue
cessor of Secretary Moody.
BRISTOW SUMMONED

Speaker Cannon and Representative Over
street, chairman of the post Office and post
roads committee of the House, whose man
agement of the Post Office scandal cases
and the connection of members of Congress
Herewith, has melted various comments,
held long conference with President
Roosevelt this morning relat tive to the stu
alton and the feeling in the House. They
did not even admit when they departed
that this was the subject under considera
ton, but they did not deny that this wa.
true. Speaker Cannon. suavity and COM
posure rolled into one, told some stories to
the newspaper men all tending to Indicate
that great tempest has been raisad over
matter that did not deserve SO much ex-
element but even the stories were not
pointed and were told with the understand
ing that too broad construction should
not be applied to them, even by analytical
newspaper minds.
Mr.. Joseph L. Bristow, fourth assistant
postmaster general. was summoned for a
talk with the President at 2:3O o'clock this
afternoon. 1t is stated that Speaker Can
non and Representative Overstreet were
aiso requested to come to the White House.
Another caller. who had an early con.
terence with the President was Senator
fenroSe, chairman of the Senate committee,
on post ofnces and post roads. He saw the
with him for half an hour Senator Pen
rose was too discreet to say anything
about his conference
The Feeling in Congress.
Among some of the members of Congress
who called on the President during the day
the impression prevailed that it was proba
BILE that an investigation would be ordered
OF post office affairs. so far as members of
congress and others mentioned in the re-
port made to the House were involved It
was the opinion that any inves tigation
would be limited in this way 1t was no.
.iceapie that there was tendency to mini
mlze the cause of the House commotion
but congressman who spoke this way were
carful not to desire the use of their names
ihey were also men whose names We're not
mentioned in connection with the Brstow
report.
Senator Foraker presented some Ohio
friends. Senator Millard introduced a
friend from Nebraska. Other, callers with
the President were Senator Elkins of West
Virginia Senator Foster of Washington
and ex-senator Turner of the same state,
Representatives Landis and Metcalf SEN
ator Elkins discussed pending legislative
and political affairs with the President.
Received Bundles Of Hay.
There has been hot controversy in prog
ress in California, Washington and Oregon
over the superiority of hay grown In those
states. Some time ago the quartermaster
general of the army, wanting some hay for
the army in the Philippines. advertised for
bids. The hay dealers all along the Pacific
coast entered into the competition, but the
California dealers were successful where
at the Washington and Oregon men de-
clared that considering the superior quail
ity of the hay grown in those states, the
California price was above the prices from
the other states. Senator Foster and other
western men have received many letters on
the subject and have been asked to make
trouble at the War Department. The
Washington hay men were confident of
the superiority of their article over that
cut and dried in any other state that they
telegraphed Senator Foster their intention
to send samples of the hay of the three
states to be submitted to the hay experts
Of the War Department.
Senator Foster forgot about the telegram
however. Last night when big package
arrived at his quarters in a Washington
hotel Senator Foster sent it to his wife,
thinking that it was something that would
interest her. Before doing SO, however, he
paid an express bill of $50, which was de-
manded by the express messenger. Mrs.
Foster proceeded to open the package and
to take out the hay that she found in yari-
Gus compartments. She thought that the
hay was only the wrapping for something
of a breakable character at the bottom.
Nothing but hay was found, and. while
Mrs Eos studying over the prob
lem, Senator Foster arrived and took in the
situation He intends to write the War
Department a letter stating the facts and
asking that the hay expert of the depart
ment analyze the different grades of hay
and ascertain if the Washington product
is not superior to all others.
Gossip About Ex-Gov. Crane.
The visit of ex-Gov Murray Crane of
MassacO setts to the President few days
ago has revived story that Secretary
Moody will retire from the cabinet in less
than year and that he will be succeeded
by either Mr.. Crane or Gov. John L. Bates
of Massachusetts. 1t is generally under
stood that no member of the cabinet will
sever his relations with the administration
until after the elections because of un-
founded stories that would be circulated,
but there has long been an understanding
that Mr. Moody desires to resume the prac-
a law partnership with Representative Lit
tlefie}d of Maine. and that he will enter
upon active practice early in 1905. In this
event either of the two Massachusetts men
mentioned would probably be considered
for the vacancy.
As to Mr. Crane he is one of those busy
men, with large business relations who had
no inclinations to re-enter political life.
The President would have invited him into
the cabinet two years ago, when Secretary
Shaw was named. but for the fact that
Mr.. Cranes connection with the manufac-
ture of a distinctive paper used in the
Treasury Department would have prevented
him being connected with that department.
Mr. Crane would not give up his business
relations to become Secretary of the Treas
ury, and so he did not come into the cab
iEet. He would be welcome an adviser
of the President at any time. His disincli-
nation to leave his business and to take up
work that would endanger his health may
prevent his coming in the cabinet in which