The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-31
DEMOCRATS ARE IN AIR
MUCH SPECULATION AS TO CON-
 GREsSIONAL ORGANIZATION.
Attitude of Williams Causes Comment and Hearst Seems DesirOus of Downfall of Mississippi
 Leader In Congress.
Advertiser Bureau.

II There Is a lot of speculation among Democrats about what sort of a shape their Congressional organization as a party shall assume in the near future. | In the event of an extra session, which was a contingency discussed to- day in the event the President was not | satisfied with the works of the House on railway rate regulation, what the Democrats propose to do as party will assume early importance. There is yet | some dissatisfaction with the course of the minority leader, Williams, because he, himself, was reported widely as displeased with the disposition of mem bers to act for themselves, instead of ! following his leadership, as occurred in the vote on the Miles proposition. It | is still question in the air whether he will ask or be willing to undertake the leadership in the next House. Then l there is coming up the question of who i will succeed William s, Cowherd. Rep resentative from Missouri. as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Cam paign Committed. James s. Griggs, chairman of the committee two years ago, is understood to be again can- didate and to be favored by William R. Hearst, who has been, through his newspapers. the last few days, unusu- ally active in having unpleasant things said of the present conduct or the Democratic management In the House, especially of the leadership of MT Will Hams.
 Friends of Mir Williams say that he has never recovered from his disap- pointment that MT. Williams did not appoint him a member for the minority on the Ways and Means Committee in the place of George B. Mcclellan, when he became Mayor a year ago of New York MT. Williams simply left the choice to the New York delegation and Bourke Cochran was selected.
 1 Customs Building at Morgan. Representative Wiley today intro- duced a bill authorizing the construc- i ton, on the military reservation at Fort Morgan, in Baldwin County, of suitable building for the use and ac- Icommodation of the customs service at Mobile.
 The building is intended to accom- modate inspection officers of the GUS toms service who board vessels coming to the port of Mobile and has the ap- proval of the Secretary of the Treas ury. It affects both the first and sec ond districts, the station being In Col onel Wlley's district in Baldwin Coun- ty and is a convenience for the port of Mobile, in Representative Taylor's dis trict. Collector of Customs Tebbetts who has been in the city, has actively Interested himself in the measure and Mir Taylor is cooperating with Col onel Wiley in its success. They ex- pect with any sort of action by the House Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, to get the bill through at this session. It calls for building to cost not more than $1O,oOO.
 Machen Is Undismayed. August w Machen, formerly of To- Iedo. O. and who came into prominence during President Cleveland's admins tration as the organizer of the rural free delivery system, and rose higher in latter regimes. and who by the final action of the Supreme Court of the United States is to serve term in the ! penitentiary for criminal grating, to- day seemed as undismayed by his sen tence as he has been during the pe- riod he had to hear numerous accusa- tions that have been conveyed to his notice through the press.
 I Samuel A. Groff, a Washington po- liceman of an inventive turn of mind. who conceived device for mail box who was sentenced with Machen in the conspiracy with others to defraud the government, appeared to have great deal of sympathy in this com munity.
 petition circulated for him, asking the President to pardon him, got Q great many signatures here today Holmes Conrad, special attorney ap- pointed by President Roosevelt, in his closing speech expressed doubt of the criminal guilt of Groff, but the jury classed him with the others charged with conspiracy in their verdict.
 Threw Down Referees.
 Tho nomination of Lyman s. Roach ! to be postmaster at Texarkana, Ark.. was not only a great surprise to most members of the Arkansas delegation, who were familiar with the sharp con test that has been on for some time at that enterprising border town. close to the Texas line but the result of the contest rather threw fresh light upon President Roosevelt's way of handling situations In which there Is an un- seemly or what seems to him tiresOme Eracket over d Federal appointment in l Southern territory.
 It appears that as the time ap- proaches for the expiration of the term of office of the incumbent, Jacob C. Beckley regarded In local Republican circles as the regular that is having the support of the Arkansas referees. there were other aspirants ambitious for the price and honor and they de- velop so much strength that 1t was agreed that the fIireSt way to settle the affair was through primary of Republican patrons of the postoffice. A primary was accordingly held in due time. It was warmly fought out principally between the postmaster that last was Beckley and one Benja- min Foreman. The result was the face of the returns gave the election of the support of the Republicans to Beck ley. Foreman represented the faction known as insurgents" and his friends were not satisfied. They protested to the Republican State Executive Com mitteo and on last Thursday a decision was rendered by the Committee in fa- vor of the nomination of Beckley. That was enough, it was thought every