Evening star., 1904-02-24
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Presidents Efforts to Com
plete the Canal Commission.
TWO LATEST OFFERS
FOUR MEN OBTAINED WHO ARE
REGARDED AS CERTAIN.
Senator Depew Has a Conference on
Senator Depew Has a Conference on
New York Politics-Babcock
for Vice President.


President of a place on the Panama canal
commission. 1t has been much desired to
secure the services and talent of Mr.. Noble
on the commission. even If it were possible
for him to give only a part of his time to
the work. While the President has not
been definitely informed that an arrange
ment with Mr. Noble is out of the question.
the feeling is that such answer is likely.
The probable declination of Mr.. Noble
leaves the President with only four men
who it is believed can be counted on. These
are Rear Admiral Walker Brig. Gen. Da-
Wis, Col. FRANK I-ecker of Detroit and b..
NJ Harrod of Louisiana. Whether Mr..
Harrod has accepted is not known, but 1t
is believed he will do so.
OF the three remaining places one has
been offered to William Barclay Parsons,
the engineer of the subway improvements
in New York 1t is believed that Mr.. Par
sons will accept. The rapidity and thor
oughness of the work on the New York
subway has given Mr.. Parsons an interna-
tional reputation and it is learned on ex-
cellent authority that he has not only the
offer of the President. but he has under
consideration an offer to become the engi-
neer of the immense subway improvements
to be made in London. These improvements
will be made at an expense of many mil
lions of dollars. and when completed will
place hundreds of miles of street railway
The declination of John CARRIER, the San
Francisco mining lawyer, left a vacancy
on the original list made up by the Presi-
dent. This vacancy has been offered to c.
Ewald Grunsky, a hydraulic engineer of
San Francisco. No answer has yet been
received from Mr.. Grunsky. Should he and
Alfred Noble and Mr.. Parsons accept the
seven members of the commission Will be
named at once. Should all three decline
the President will have to look for men OF
similar reputation.
The seven men to whom the places were
originally offered were Admiral Walker,
Gen. Davis Col Hecker, Alfred Noble b.
M. Harrod, John CARRIER and William Bar
clay Parsons. So far, as stated, only four
of the seven are regarded as certain. As
selected by the President at first, five of
the seven men We're engineers of note,
Gen. Davis and Admiral Walker being
engineers Col. Eecker is a business man
of great executive ability, and Mr.. CARRIER
was a mining lawyer.
Senator Foster of Washington today
asked the President to appoint ex-Repre-
sentative Doolittis of Washington as
member of the commission. but the Presi-
dent as stated, has offered the place he
will give to the Pacific coast to Mr..
Grunsky.
Senator Depew's Conference.
Senator Depew talked for good while
with the President on New York politics
today. There has been much gossip in re-
cent months to the effect that Senator De-
pew was not among those to be numbered
as admirers and friends of the President.
These stories, however, like those of SEN
atOr Hanna'S opposition to the President,
have never had any basis of truth, so far
as the relations of the two New Workers
appear to the observer. Senator Depew is
received cordially at the White House, and
is consulted freely about patronage and
other business pertaining to the state, al
though Senator Platt has long been ac-
n QC hp nat m Sya car in
the state Senator Depew has co-opera ted
with Senator Platt, however, and the APP
pointments have been made on the recon-
mendations of both men.
The various stories that have appeared re-
Gently to the alleged bitter struggle
between Senator Platt and Gov. Odell for
the mastery of the New York organization
and the turning down of Senator Platt by
the governor have contained statements
that Gov. Odell, when he secured complete
control of the New York machine and had
deposed Senator Platt, would displaee SEN
ator Depew and send eX-Gov. Frank Black
to the Senate.
There is the best of authority for saying
that this story is untrue. Gov. Odeil and
Senator Depew are good friends, and for
mer Gov. Black has intimated to friends
of Senator Depew that he will not oppose
the latter for the Senate. The legislature
to be elected next fall will elect Senator
Depew's successor. Senator Depew is a
candidate to succeed himself, and his
friends are proceeding on the assumption
that he will not have opposition. II they
knew that there would be opposition they
would begin to lay their wires accordingly.
With the friendship of the President and
Senator Platt and the backing of a num-
ber of influential and earnest friends, it
is claimed that Gov. Odell would not be
able to accomplish his purpose, even if he
planned the overthrow of Senator Depew
The junior senator from New York is the
only republican in the state who has can
vassed the state for the republican ticket
In every state and national campaign since
the time of Fremont and who has con-
tributed to every campaign. In the upper
counties of the state he has personal
strength that is represented as superior
to that of any republican in New York.
Any plan to defeat him, if known openly,
would. 1t is said. be met with such opposi-
ton would result in failure.
Senator Depew began stumping the state
of New York for the republican ticket the
year of his graduation from Yale in 1856.
and he has never missed a campaign year.
Mr.. Babcock's Nomination.
Representative Babcock of Wisconsin
who is about to leave for his home to ap-
pear before the republican convention of
the third district when it meets March 3
at Baraboo, had an interview with the
President. The convention will nominate
Mr.. Babcock and elect Roosevelt delegates
to the republican national convention at
the same time. 1t may go further and boom
WI. DdpCOCh lOf the vice presidential nOfnl-
nation. The convention will certainly do so
If he will consent
There is much talk in Wisconsin of Mr.
Babcock for second place the ticket
and there is no doubt that he would be a
most acceptable candidate, but for the ap-
parent belief that for reasons ST policy
the nominee should come from Indiana or
Illinois, in which states the democrats will
make fight for electoral votes.
Delegations Received.
A delegation of architects from different
parts of the country was received by the
President this morning. This afternoon the
President received about $50 members of
the southern branch of the National Den
tai Association. The organization is in
session in this city.
Senator MeComas saw the President
about the promotion and retirement OF an
army officer. Representative Bartlett of
Georgia saw him about the pardon of a
man who long ago served q sentence and
who wants his citizenship restored.