Evening star., 1909-06-01
TAFT SEEKING FACTS
Wants Information About In
vestigation of Corporations.
CONFERENCE WITH SMITH
Latter Complains of 1nadequacy Of
His Force.
AFTER AUDITOR PERSONS JOB
President Invited to dwelling of
CONFERENCE WITH SMITH
AFTER AUDITOR PERSONS JOB
President Invited to dwelling of
the Custer Monument in October.
Indians at White House.

| Herbert Knox Smith. commissioner Of
corporations was in conference this
morning with President Taft. There have
been a number of reports that Mr.. Smith
would not continue in his present position
and that some one else had beeen picked
to succeed him. The best information does
not sustain these rumors. and it is pretty
we'll understood that Mr.. Smith will re-
main at the head of the bureau. at least
for some time to come. The bureau is to
have a new assistant chief in succession
to +. Dana Durand, who has been named
as chief of the census bureau President
Taft has offered the vacancy to Robert L.
Raymond. a Boston lawyer, and Mr.. Ray
mond mas the offer under considerable
Investigations in Progress.
Mr.. Smiths conference today related to
the work of the bureau and to informa-
ton which the President wants. Impor
tant Investigations are In progress by the
bureau. At least one of these has been
on the boards for about two years and
some Of the others have also been pending
a long time. Mr.. Smith has informed the
President that he would be delighted to
complete all these Investigations without
further delay. but the inadequacy of his
force prevents his doing this. He has
100 examiners, who are on the road all
the time. but there are so many ramifi-
cations to each subject that 1t Is difficult
to wind it up with the completeness that
Is required. The steel trust and Its busi-
ness, the harvester trust and machinery
combination, cotton exchanges lumber.
water transportations. water powers and
tobacco are the principal matters under
investigation.
The bureau has been working upon the
affairs Of the harvester trust for two
years. although not able to give enough
men to finish the work. About all the ma
terial available in the United States has
now been secured. and .Ir. Smith will
direct his efforts to discovering the. prices
of machinery sold by the trust abroad. so
as TO make comparison in prices on iden-
ticall- the same machinery In other coun-
tries and this.
The investigations into the harvester
trust. cotton exchanges. water transpor-
tation and tobacco are being made at the
request of Congress. which passed reso-
lutions calling for reports.
New Auditor to Be Appointed.
Robert s. Person. auditor for the In
terror Department. Is to lose his position,
according to White House developments.
Mr.. Person is from South Dakota. He
has been a follower of the kittredge
faction in that state. Just now that
faction is badly out Of the running in
the way Of offices. Senators Gamble and
Crawford represent. the opposition fac
today and asked him to give Mr.. Per-
sons place to Howard Shober of High
more. 9. D.. now lieutenant governor OF
the state. There Is no obligation upon the
President to give the authorship to a
South Dakota man at all. but If he decides
to do this Mr.. Shober will be named. Mr..
Person has been auditor Of the Interior
for nearly eight years. For four years
~ hot No ~f
the Interior Department.
A Monument to Custer.
A monument to Gen. George A. Custer
is to be unveiled in October at Monroe,
Mich. Clusters birthplace. by the state
Of Michigan. President Taft was today
invited to attend the unveilinx, and said
that he would go II he could And the
time. The invitation was extended by
Senator Smith. Representative Townsend.
Mayor Jacob Martin Of Monroe and Rev.
Father NJ J. Crowley OF the same place.
A coincidence Of the Custer invitation
was the Introduction to the President OF
eighteen or twenty Cheyenne and Arapahoe
Indians Of western Oklahoma. Many of
them wore fancy costumes and feathered
headgear. They are In WashinRton look
ing after the extension Of land patents,
and wanted 10 meet the Great White
Father. Among the chiefs who shook
hands with Mr.. Taft were Yellow Bear
and Wolf Robe.
C. P. Taft of Cincinnati is visiting his
brother and will be guest at the White
House several days. There is nothing
political about my visit said Mr. Taft.
Il wanted to spend few days here with
my brother and his family and get away
from my work that long. That is ALL
Return Of. the President.
President Taft arrived in Washington
from Gettysburg at 8:15 last night He
was accompanied by his brother. Charles
p. Taft. and his daughter, Miss Helen
Taft Others Of the official party missed
the train.