The Washington times., 1917-08-30
PRESIDENT
S|LENCESTIRS
COMMISSION
CANDIDATES
By BILL PRICE.


President Wilson's failure to name
a District Commissioner to succeed
Major o. P. Newman has stirred
things nightly among the candi-
dates and their friends and is today
arousing endless speculation.
The effect of the delay has been to
hearten the friends of different can
didates and cause them to put forth
renewed efforts TO strengthen their
recommendations at the White
House.
Bets were offered today, however,
at even money that Ben Prince, Col
lector Of Taxes, with the backing Of
. Commissioner Brownlow and Major
Newman, together with other strong
friends, will be named.
Johnson's Dark Horse" Well Up.
Congressman Ben Johnson's dark
horse" candidate, laid before the Prssi-
dent q few days ago. was running
next to Prince In the speculation,
while several OF the supposed out
Siders were closing up and coming
with q rush. These include Julius
Peyser and W. Mex. Clayton, both
classed a. strictly local men to whom
no objection could be made as to To-
cal citizenship.
While Mr.. Peyser's name was not
first on the list offered by Mr.. John
- -
70 him. IL iS said to have been second
on the list. Mr.. Peyser is known TO
have some peculiarly strong backing,
the sort that is able to reach the
President directly and obtain his Der
SohAl attention. II includes Secretary
Lane, an associate justice Of the St.
prem. Court OF the United States, and
Congressman Kahn, not to mention
many leading local men
Mr.. Peyser is well known in Wa1h-
ington business and civic circles. A
few years ago he was the Washing
ton representative Of Nathan Straus
when the latter established free milk
stations here for the poor OF the city,
and himself spent much money to
Keep them In operation.
Mr.. Clayton has a string OF strong
local Endorsements before the Prssi-
dent, and a number Of Senators and
Congressman, Including Senator Pit
man, have written President Wilson
In hts behalf, basing their recon-
mendAtioaB upon the work done by
him In various hearings before Con-
gressional committees in past years.
Captain Oyster IL Booned.
TrfhNHea l.
?. Oyster by friends throughout the
District. He is not a candidate for
Commissioner and has sought no sup
port. but many letters in his behalf
have been going to the White House
right along.
Captain Oyster was seIected by
President Taft for Commissioner sew
eral months before Mr.. Taft went out
OF office. The Republican President
did not, however, send in the name
because OF Information that the
Democratic Senators would not con-
hrm political appointments they
thought should be left for President
Wilson. When Mr.. Wilson took the
oath he nominated oliver p. Newman.
The support back OF Frederick ].
Rice and Charles W. Ray continues
active. energetic and hopeful Both
are presented as purely Washington
men, coming well within the require
nentS OF the law.
President fer washInEtsnIan.
Men in the confidence OF President
Wilson said today that he will noni-
nate a Washington man for Commits
sioner, one who will be satisfactory
here. He is too busy with national
and international questions TO hAy.
time for listening TO delegations, but
he is said TO be receiving information
en- the subject TO which he is giving
thought
Congressman johnson told tn.
Iresioent Monday that he believed
the people here ought TO be favored
win man whose residence has been
Iong enough to establish him as a
real WGshingtonian.