The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-17
AFTER THE BIG OFFICES.
REPUBLICANS SCRAMBLING FOR
A DIVISION OF THE SPOILS.

Other for the Custom House and
the ostoffice-Ex-Collect johnson
Opposed by Capt. M. j. Doyle-The
Colored Republicans Making a Fight
for. Their Share OF the Patronage
No Telling What the Squabble May
Develop.
If any one imagines that it is too early to
talk about the federal appointments under
the Harrison administration, that person
can get a point or two from the republican
offlceseekers that will convince him that as
soon as the egg pipped the chicks began to
look out for the pap. 1t is the early bird
that gets away with the worm, and there
are a great many early birds just now in
Savannah and not enough worms to go
around. In fact, there appears to be a
very pretty internal fight among the few
white and many colored republicans for the
Offices.
The customs collectorship seems to be
considered the bone with the most marrow
in it, and it appears to be the most sought
after. Mr.. I. F. johnson, whom the MORN
ING NEWS alluded to as a candidate, is
counting on going in with rush, but that
Capt. NJ. J. Doyle is not to be beaten so
ginning to learn.
AFTER T. p. JOHNSON.
II is claimed by some of the republicans
of the Doyle-Pleasants wing that they fore
saw Mr.. Johnson's ambitions long ago and
discounted them in the earlier stages of tile
campaign. The johnson wing wanted to lay
Pleasants on the shelf. When Peasants, who
seems to be party leader, with the solid
backing of his race behind him, saw how
IA pd m oil
Mr.. Johnsons wings Mr.. johnson wanted
to 60 to the Chicago convention, and it is
claimed solicited support. Peasants made
up his mind that the colored republicans
should have representation at Chicago and
the white republicans at home. There
was only beggarly handful of white re-
publicans and Peasants concluded that he
would select what they should have. He,
therefore, sent Col. John H. Deveaux to
Chicago, and Col. James Atkins was placed
on the electoral ticket. That is his story.
TO IGNORE THE COLoRED ELEMENT.
Whether true or false, the impression got
abroad that Mr.. Johnson wanted to ignore
the colored republicans, and that he asked
q few white republicans here to parcel out
the offices to suit themselves in the event of
The election of a republican President
Pleasants took the whip-hand from the
start. He was chairman of the republican
county committee, had named the delegate
to Chicago and the elector. Cutting away
from the johnson faction of the psrty, he
formed coalition with the Doyle and pro-
section wing of the white republicans, and
at the rally at the theater. over which he
himself presided, he had NJ. }. Doyle on the
stage, who came forward at the proper time
Bnd announced himself as a protectionist
and a republican.
Peasants calculated far in advance.
Special effort was being made IN the north
10 get an Irish vote. If Harrison won it
was because, through Patrick Ford and
other Irish protectionists, enough Irish, he
thought, could be alienated from the de-
mocracy. Winning in this way the candi-
dacy of Capt. Doyle would command not
only support in the north, but would be
strong at home. Harrison did win, and
Peasants and Doyle will stand or fall to-
gether.
NOT EASILY SHELVED.
The friends of Capt. Doyle say that he
cannot be shelved by any talk of the post
office for him He is not candidate for
postmaster His friends say that the John
son state means the return of ex-Postmaster
Wilson from Atlanta and his re-appoinJ-
ment as postmaster at Savannah. For this |
reason they claim that Mr.. Johnson, who |
took no active part in the campaign, hur-
sied to Atlanta after the election to make |
his peace with Buck and TO set the postoifice |
bee buzzing in Col. Wilson's bonnet Tho |
Peasants faction claim that an alliance, Of |
fensve and defensive, was formed with !
Buck before the election, which kept Mr.. |
Johnson from posing in Chicago as the re-
publican leader in Savannah. II he went |
he must 60 as a leader without following. |
AT home he represented less than two dozen
followers, among them Capt. Henry |
Blum, David Porter, Charles White and |
Philip NJ. Russell Jr, three of the |
four expecting office for their recognition
OF him as party leader, and few others |
who were willing to back him if he could |
show that he could control the distribution |
OF the federal patronage.
COL. ATKINS SUPPORT.
Capt. Doyles friends say that Col. James |
Atkins must support their favorite or keep |
hands off. They could have retired him as
well as Mr.. Johnson.
Peasants, it is understood expects to get
TIE postoffice himself He managed the |
campaign and directed its movement. Be |
hind him is the solid vote of the colored |
contingent. Behind Cant DOYLE are the Irish |
protectionists. Col Atkins, it is under
stood, is to be recommended for and given |
lucrative and honorable post elsewhere. |
He is not TO ask for anything at home. He |
cannot antagoniZe the men who gave him |
prominence in the campaign. If any action |
3s taken, 1t must be for his friends and he !
is expected to be in New York in a few |
days and take such initial action as will set |
the bail rolling for the contamination of |
the plan outlined before the election.
THE TWO STATES.
There are, then. two states for the custom !
house and postoffice. One, the Johnson |
slate, is I. +. Johnson for collector of Gus
toms, who, it is said, Is backed by Capt. |
Henry Blum and David Porter, and means
the retention Of Paul johnson as chief
clerk and Capt. John Riley as boarding |
officer. Ex-Postmaster Wilson is to be |
postmaster, and in the distribution Of |
subordinate offices David Porter, Charles
White, Frank Lamar and Philip NJ. RUSSELL |
Jr., are to be provided for, and MIR. Chris |
Melvin, although democrat is likely t. |
be retained. The colored wing, pit in
the petty offices, is to be ignored upon the
theory that to break the solid south white
mans government must be encouraged by
putting only white men in places OF trust.
The second slate is M. J. Doyle for col
lector Of customs, who will he expected to
make clean sweep and bring forward
new set OF republicans and protectionists
who have not been professional Office seekers.
J.. M. Peasants postmaster.
w. II. JOHNSON FOR REVENUE COLLECTOR.
In this combination, Walter H. Johnson
Is the probable collector of internal reve-
nue.. He was ousted by the present col
lector. He is the son of Ex.Gog. James
IL. L.. Al l..