Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-04-20
Congressman Meredith on Mr.. Wanna
maker.


In the q. S. House of Representatives
last Wednesday evening Mr.. Meredith
said:
Mr.. Chairman, looking upon the gen
tleman from New York Mr.. Quigg, !
am reminded of one of the sweet sing
ers of Israel. When | see his hair part
ed in the middle and his countenance
irradiated with that smile which re-
minds me of the cherubim, am not
surprised that he should make the
speech that has just been delivered ;
but want to say to him that when he
has has been here a few years longer he
will perhaps have learned that this is
not the place for cherubim and sera-
phim. Laughter. Mr. Chairman, the
gentlemen who have discussed this
question have drifted away from the
subject under consideration, and | have
simply arisen for the purpose of reply
ing to what has been said by the gen
tleman from Pennsylvania Mr.. Adams
who has lauded the late Postmaster
General Wanamaker and given him an
advertisement for which l have no
doubt Mr.. John Wanamaker will
make him a very handsome present.
In reply to what has fallen from the
gentleman in the way of laudation OF
that "good man," Cheap John Wana-
maker, of the city of Philadelphia, late
Postmaster General Of the United
States, who contributed so much money
for the purpose of frying the fat out
of certain people and debauching the
voters of Pennsylvania and of other
States of this Union in the interest OF
Mr.. Benjamin Harrison and his party,
and leaving Mr.. Van Allen out Of this
question: gentleman who needs no
defense at my hand and no defense at
the hands of the democratic party-be-
cause his case has been passed upon by
the Senate, | desire to say that the
very charges which have been brought
here against the appointment OF Mr..
Van Allen can be brought with much
more force against the late Postmaster
General, whom the gentleman from
Pennsy lvania Mr.. Adams) had latlded
to the skies-that man who was tor
four years the Postmaster General OF
the United States and who used his Of
lice, as ] believe, for the purpose of adj
vertising his wares and merchandise.
Now, let me say | come from rural
district in which, in many cases, there
were not republicans living near enough
to the postoflice to hold those positions;
and under Mr.. John Wanamaker those
little postollices in our country were
farmed out to republicans who lived
miles and miles away. | wrote letter
to Mr.. Wanamaker-I wish had a
copy of it herein which stated that
the people who received their mails did
not care particularly who might hold
the postollice; that they wanted honest
men to distribute their mails; they
wanted men who, when letters were
received, would try TO deliver them to
the proper persons; and that the theo-
ry Of this Government and of the Post
Office Department was not, in my judg-
ment, to give postoilices to any particu-
lar party or any particular persons, but
that persons should be selected with
the intelligence and honesty to dis
charge the duties incumbent upon them
as postmasters.
To that letter received no reply. |
cited two instances in my own county
where the postmaster lived neartr
to some other oflce-where he lived
miles away from the Office OF
which he was postmaster yet the
position was rented or leased out
to some one else, and the emoluments OF
the office were divided between the
man who was acting as postmaster and
the real postmaster.
say that under the administration OF
Mr.. Wanamaker, this merchant OF
Philadelphia, who has had himself adj
vertised here by the gentleman from his
State, there never was such mismanage-
ment in the history of this country as
existed in postal matters in the district
from which | come; and the reason
was that the men who were appointed
posimasters lived miles and miles away
from their offices, and in many cases
did not receive their mail at the Offices
Of which they were postmasters, but
rented out the positions and divided
the proceeds with such persons as they
could get to perform the duties of the
office.
Now l am not here to defend Mr..
Van Allen, whose name has been
brought into this controversy but |
am here to throw back into the
teeth of the gentleman from Pennsyl-
vania the name of that man
who raised, it is said, whether it is
true or not, $4,000 for the election Of
Mr.. Harrison, and who received as a
reward for what he did this high Cabi-
net position under the administration
of Mr. Harrison.