JOHN   H.MITCHELL. CHAIRMAN. JOS. R. H AWL EY, C.A.CULBERSON. R.A.ALGER. J. P. TALIAFERRO,
L , H . BALL. A.S.CL AY,
LEVI  ANKENY. F. M9L.SIMMONS,
W.B.HEYBURN, M.J.FOSTER,
HARRY C. ROBERTSON, CLERK.
COMMITTEE ON COAST DEFENSES,
UNITED STATES SENATE,
WASHINGTON,D.C.,
January 13, 1904,
Hon. Henry E. Dosch,
Portland, Oregon. My dear Mr. Dosch:-
Responding to your letter of January 8th in which you state you would he glad to "be one of the Commissioners in the event our hill making an appropriation for the Lewis and Clark Pair he-comes a law, I "beg to say the hill provides for seven Commissioners We have, I presume, not less than 20 applicants already.    No promise have been made by the delegation to any one because we have had an understanding that until the bill gets through we would make no promises to any one.    Our reason for this is that the President, after the bill becomes a law, will undoubtedly divide the Commission -ers among the different sections of tjre United States, just as he did in the St. Louis matter.    Oregon probably will get one, but no more.    I think we have some 12 or 15 applications on file from Oregon alone.   We have determined to not consider any of these until we see whether we will get the bill through.    There are many applications from other sections of the country and all of them are helping to secure the passage of the bill.    Of course only seven can be appointed after the bill becomes a law, and it may be reduced to five.    I can only say your application, in connection with all others will have cohsideration when the time comes'    No promises have been made to others that will rule out.       I might say further in
Hon. Henry E. Dosch,
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this connection that I think in all probability, the two Lewis and Clark Corporations of Portland will have considerable to say about who shall be appointed from Oregon.
With the compliments of the season, I am,
Yours very sincerely,