The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-03-11
RUDOLPH WILL
STAY ON SLATE
President Harding Causes Sur
prise by Giving Important
Job to Democrat.
NEW CHIEFS ARE POPULAR
Rent Board Head Has Long
Been Active in All Civic
Affairs.
NEW CHIEFS ARE POPULAR

Capt. James r. Oyster, chairman
of the District Rent Commission, in
all probability, will be appointed
District Commissioner tomorrow.
John w. Fenton. jr., who was to
be named for the place, in a letter
today to President Harding, declined
to serve.
II is expected that the names of
Captain Oyster and Cuno H. Rudolph
Will 60 to the Senate tomorrow and
tbat They yu - conhrmod immedi-
.Rely, as the Public Utilities Com
mission. of which they will be mem
bers, will begin hearings on the gas
rates Monday morning.
FENTON wITHDRAws.
The selection Of Capt. Oyster was
made after Mr.. Fenton had asked the
President to withdraw his name from
consideration. 1t was said at the
White House that the name of Mr..
Fenton was ready to go to the Senate
several days ago when the question
OF his eligibility was raised. Mr..
Fenton went into the question and
hnally decided that he was not
eligible. and sent word to President
Harding asking that his name be
withdrawn.
Mr.. Fenton although born and
raised in Washington, through his
association with the Elkins family.
has aauired a voting right in West
virginia, and last year went to West
virginia and voted and was elected a
delegate to the Chicago convention
where he sat as Harding delegate.
The announcement that Captain
oyster would be named was greeted
warmly by the business men of the
city and they pointed out that it
was the first manifestation in the
District OF President Harding's prom
ise of return to normally"
They brought out the fact that
captain Oyster and Mr.. Rudolph
were the last men to be named by
the Republicans when they were in
power for the office Of District
Commissioners. 1t also marks re-
turn to the old system of appoint
ing one Republican and one Demo-
crat for the civilian Offices as Dis
trict Commissioners.
OYSTER Is DEMOCRAT.
Captain Oyster, who is a Democrat.
although he never voted, was asked
to take the Commissionership bv
President Roosevelt, but declined. He
was appointed by President Taft, but
on account OF the Democratic ma
jority in both houses of Congress-,
and the fact that the Taft admin
tstration was drawing to a close,
the Senate failed to confirm either
MIR. Rudolph or Captain Oyster
Captain Oyste- has for many years
been identified with civic improve
ments and betterments in Washing
ton and was for six years president
Of the Board of Education. He was
appointed to the Board Of Education
in 1906 and served for seven years.
the last six as head of the board.
Captain Oyster says he was born In
Washington about hundred years
ago" He was born in Washington
but not a hundred years ago his
friends say. His grandfather came to
Washington in 1880 and his father
was three years old at the time. The
Oyster family has resided here ever
since, being connected with the butter
and egg business for more than half
a century.
Captain Oyster now conducts the
place of business at Ninth street and
Pennsylvania avenue northwest
where his father located in 1878.
WORKED AS CLERK.
His first job after leaving school
at the age OF sixteen was as a clerk
in a haberdashery store which was
located at the northwest corner OF
Eleventh street and Pennsylvania
avenue northwest. After two years
with this store he went to work for
his father and has been In the BUSH
ness ever since. t
In addition to his many civic duties.
Capt. Oyster has been . director Of
the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank
for seven years He was nrst elected
in 1914 for a two-year tsrm, was re-
elected In 1915 for a thrce-year term
and was reelected In 1919 for an
other three year term. He has never
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