Live Oak daily Democrat. (Live Oak, Fla.) 190?-190?, 1907-04-29
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Doings at the National Capital
HOke Smith Mentioned For
President

washington, April Zo--WuI L col
Wright, the Louisiana member OF the
Republican National Committee, &C
cept the position of Commissioner
of Internal Revenue offered him by
the President? The administration
would like to know, for the present
encumbent, John w. Yerkes, OF Ken
lucky, has rendered his resignation
to take effect next week. Although
Mr.. Wight has been in Washington
recently, and has Iunched at the
White House, he has yet failed 10
reach a decision, or, if he has, IL
has not been made public. The
Louisianian has heavy business inter-
ests that probably would suf1er
through his connection with gov
eminent post that would occupy all
his time. The salary of $4,000 a
year is no inducement to him, and
the. only attraction the place holds
out is the fact that he will be con-
nected with the Roosevelt Admins
tration. Mr.. Wight, who rejoices in
the title of Captain" for the reason
that he is engaged In the shipping
business, was appointed member
of the National Committee last year
by Secretary Cortelyou, then chair
man of the Committee. He was Sc
lected as a compromise between the
Lily White" and the BLACK and
Tan" faction of the Republican par
ty of Louisiana.
Much interest is being taken in the
approaching initial meeting of the
newly appointed Inland Waterways
Commission. This meeting probably
will be called by Congressman Theo-
dore E. Burton, of Ohio, as chairman,
for May L. The commissioners are,
besides Chairman Burton, Senators
NeNlands and Warner; Congressman
Bankhead, Gen'l Alexander McKen-
zie; DR.. w. J. MCGEE; F. H. Newell;
Clifford Pinchot and Herbert Knox
Smith. The appointment of this
commission is looked upon as one of
the most important acts of Presi-
dent Roosevelt's administration. The
commission will consider the ques-
ton OF waterways improvement, not
alone from the important standpoint
of making the rivers and harbors
navigable, but with a view to pre-
venting the disastrous floods that in
the Spring and Fall of each year
work havoc on the banks of the
streams, sweeping away property val
ued at millions of dollars. In Pres
ident Roosevelt's letter in which he
announced the creation of the COM
mission and outlined its duties, he
declared that he was Influenced in
appointing the new board by the fact
that the railroads were no longer
able to move crops and manufaetur-
eres rapidly enough to secure the
prompt transaction of the business
of the nation, and that there appears
to be but one complete remedy-the
development of the complementary
system of transportation by water.
The National Rivers and Harbors
Congress will lend its powerful aid
to insuring the success of the COM
missions endeavors. The organiza-
ton is pledged to bring forcibly to
the attention of Congress the necessi-
ty for appropriating not less than,
$5O,O0O,O00 a year for the prosecu-
ton of this work that is of such i'm
portance to the country at large.
There is considerable subdued ex-
citement among the Southern contin-
gent in Washington over the oDen
espousal by a number of Northern
newspapers, and especially by a DO
litically powerful daily in New York
of a policy of recognizing the South
in the conventions of the two big
parties next year. Coming so soon
after the "boomlet" that was
launched here for Governor-elcet
Hoke Smith, of Georgia, the change
of sentiment is regarded as signif-
cant. While the matter is not takan
very seriously by those who regard
Bryan as the logical nominee of the
Democratic party in 1908, neverthe-
less the situation is arousing consid-
cradle interest. There is no doubt
whatever of the campaigning quail
ties of Goyernor-elect Smith TO-