The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-08
Wants Good Will of South.

w 0lIo OooA NlA VI NJSoIAAs
1t Is pretty generally understood that
the President is looking for,a South
ern man for Commissioners of Internal
Revenue, and that that man will In all
probability be Collector of Internal
Revenue Thompson. of Alabama, who is
known to bc In high favor at the White
House. Pearl Wight, the rich mcr-
chant. of New Orleans. who was tender.
cd the place, has practically decided
that he would rather hold on to his
million dollar contracts with the Pan
commissioncrship, though he has for
some time had yearning for resi-
dence in Washington.
Collector Thompson Is very highly
spokcn of by the Internal Revenue
Bureau here He is said to have made
splendid record as collector, and has
the high regard of his superior officers
here.
The President is said to be deter
mined to get his man from the South,
and TO spend the remainder of his
days in the White House trying to win
for himself the good opinion at the
South that he o-day holds at the
North. His firm resolve not to be lured
into third-tcrm candidacy Is becom-
ing known to the politicians generally,
and he has told several of his callers
that his chief desire now is to retire
with the good will of the people of
every section OF the country.
There is O great deal of politics in
his attitude favoring Mr.. Taft for the
nomination. Information Is gradually
| leaking out that the President wants
| to build the canal, and that Secretary
| Taft thinks he is the man for the job
| There are those politicians who say
| that the attitude of tho President IN
1 favor Of Taft Is going to hurt Mr.. TAFT
very much, but the weight Of opinion
seems to be that 1t Is the best asset
that Taft has. And 1t is definitely
known that Mr.. Taft thinks that the
| support Of Mr.. Roosevelt will land hin
the nomination.
Colonel Harper Honored.
Colonel Robert N. Harper. president
/ OF tho American National Bank, OF
! this city, was UNANIMOUSLY chosen
1 president of the new Chamber OF Com
! merce OF Washington at an enthusiast
4 tic meeting of the body last night
Several other names were mentioned
/ In connection with the position. but
i ascertaincd that Colonel Harper would
4 be urged for the place all other candi-
4 dates withdrew their names.
4 Colonel Harper's place as the fore
most In the business world OF Wash
7 ington is tribute to Virginia In
) dustry and enterprise and. business
acumen. He Is q Loudoun county man
who has been in-business in Washing
t ton for good many years. more thar
Fl his youthful features would Indicate
2 He has been very successful In bust
: ness. and tho American National Bank
| which he founded few years ago
and Of which he Is president, has eS
; cited the comment OF financial men O
the entire country 60 rapid has beer
its growth. It Is now one of the fore
4 most financial institutions OF tti'
: District Of Columbia, fact Target!
J due to the skill and business wisdom
of Colonel Harper. Although Colone
, Harper resides in Washington, he ha
4 not ceased to be Virginan, and con
: tinues to take keen interest in af
4 fairs in the old State, especially II
: political matters. He was colonel OF
J the staff OF Governor Montague an
was prominently mentioned In connec
s ton with the Democratic nomiation t
$ Congress from the Eighth District t
Z succeed the late Hon. John +. Rlxey
e but the demands Of business We're un
4 yielding. he may enter politics at
! later day.