The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-02-18
Politicians Want to Puncture His
Presidential Boom.
HIS FRIENDS HARD AT WORK.
Riot inquiry Tedious and Costly.
Canal Expenses May Exceed Limit
Set by consress-Mr. LittlsfisId Pays
a Compliment TO the Press.
u cHARLEs W. ARTHuR.

whose campaign for the nomination In
1905, as has been pointed out In these
dispatches heretofore, has long been
acknowledged to be making more sat
isfactory progress than that OF any OF
the other candidates, avowed or recep-
| tive. Ex-Governor Durblp of Indiana.
Mr.. Fairbanks own state, is leading
the anti-Falrbanks crusade, and nu-
merous conferences have been held in
Washington and elsewhere the last
few days for the purpose OF bringing
about some tangible results. In, the
meantime Mr.. Fairbanks friends are
going ahead quietly with the work Of
building up an organization, and evil
dences Of their success are coming
from many places. 1t remains to be
seen whether or not the fight on the
vice president in his own state will be
effective or not. A number of the Re
publican politicians who come to Wash
ington these days continue to insist
that the party should renominate Pres
ident Roosevelt regardless OF Mr..
RooseveIt's well known views in the
premises. One OF these is Cecil A. Ly-
on of Texas, the Republican boss" of
that state, who is chairman Of the state
executive committee and member of
the national executive committee.
Lyons Unanimous Vote. ..sf3.sss
Colonel Lyon had some fun with a
new correspondent at the capitol The
correspondent asked for political news.
and Colonel Lyon told him that the
latest development In Texas was the
desire that he (Lyonl should be sent to
the senate. You will see just how 1t
is" he observed, when l tell you that
l received the unanimous vote of my
party in the Texas legislature on the
recent occasion OF the reelection of
Senator Joseph Weldon Bailey" The
correspondent was much interested,
for he had heard somewhere that Tex
as is u certain Democratic state.
by the way, what is the strength of
your party in the legislatureY' he ask
ed finally. Two" said Colonel Lyon
grarelyi as he commenced to edge
away. "There are two Republicans
out Of the total membership of 1853, and
they voted for me unanimously
Cost Of Riot Examination.
( Unless 1t works faster, ii the future
than it has worked, In the past the
senate committee on military affairs,
investigating the Brownsville riot, will
not conclude the examination of the
colored ex-members of the Twenty-fifth
infantry it has summoned to Washing
ton before the close OF congress on
March 3. The witnesses are being dis.
posed Of at the average rate of one a
day. incidentally the expenses OF
these witnesses while In Washington
are costing the government about $160
per day. to say nothing Of the expense
involved in bringing them here from
the widely scattered places to which
they went after their discharge with
out honor by the president. Senator
Foraker has had rather the better of
the contest so FAR, a. his ability at
cross examination ID greater than that
OF any Of the senators who are uphold
ing the presidents aide Of the contro-
v0rsy. Senator Warner OF Missouri,
also Republican, is practically in con.
troll Of the administrations case
Would ignore Cost Limit.
Secretary Taft has caused something
OF furry in congressional circles by
an assertion that in the event the en-
gineers' estimate of cost OF the Pana-
ma canal exceeds the cost Limitation
fixed by congress he, IL the matter is
left in his hands, win go right ahead
with the work on the waterway and
look to congress to provide the add.
tional cash. While the secretary did
not say that the estimate might exceed
the cost limit, 1t is regarded as highly
probable that such win be the case.
He has made 1t quite clear that he ia
vors the plan Of completing the canal
by contract. Recently two or three
metropolitan papers have published
statements that the government has
decided to abandon the site for the
Gatun dam, which is the key Of the
whole canal scheme as at present con-
templated and without which a lock
and dam waterway win be impossible
Secretary Taft emphatically denies
that the government has any such In
tention and says, on the other hand, all
available information tends to confirm
the judgment OF those responsible for
the selection Of the Gatun site.
Littlsfieid Compliments Press.
Representative Llttleheld Of Maine
Is firm believer in the efficiency Of
newspapers in keeping public servants
straight. A party of congressman were
discussing the presidents move in the
direction Of the suppression OF papers
printing all the details of the murder
trial which has been agitating New
York and the country generally for
weeks when Mr.. Little6eld improved
the opportunity to give his views. "If
It were not for the newspapers Of the
land, with their corps Of trained cor
respondents here In Washington" said
he, Il believe would not care to serve
in congress. Ny experience here has
u A. Al