The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-20
BUCK TO GET A SNUG BERTH.
SECOND ASSISTANT POSTMASTER
GENERALSHIP TO BE HIS.

He Wanted 10 Go as Minister to Mex
leo or TO Get Some other Important
Diplomatic Assignment But Fail
ing in This was willing TO Take
Anything in Sight-Iniends to Com
tinue as Dictator in Republican
Politics ia Gcorgia--His New POST
tiOn Most Important One.
Washington, March 19.--Col. A e Buck
is said to be slated for second assistant
postmaster general and his nomination
will probably be sent to the Senate with the
next batch of appointments.
Col. Buck was anxious to so to Mexico.
but as soon as he learned that Powell
Clayton was selected for that place he
announced to his friends that he was will
ing TO be assigned to duty at any point
where he could best serve the Mckinley
administration
Col Buck has been the Tom Platt in
Georgia politics for a number of years.
and has managed to retain his grip on the
republican machine there in spite of all
kinds of opposition In and out of the state.
He rendered valuable service to the man
st. Louis convention and Mark Hanna en-
tertains high regard for his political sa-
gaclty and ability. Under the circum-
stances IT seems but natural that Col.
Buck should be well taken care of by the
Mckinley administration.
In assigning Col Buck to duty
in the postoffice department the ad-
ministratlon will have the benefit of his
advice and counsel in dealing with poliu-
cal matters In Georgia. AS the Georgia
delegation in congress is soidly demo-
cratic there is no one stationed in Wash
ington regularly who can perform the du-
ties of referee i'm political contentious.
Col. Buck will naturally be concerned
about the other federal appointments In
his tried and true friends are placed on
guard a all the important stations Col.
| Buck has already prepared to assume the
| duties of dictator in Georgia affairs and
! he has the office-seekers from that state
| better disciplined than those from other
southern states In the great army Of
| place hunters daily attacking the white
| house Georgia republicans have been con-
| spicuous by their absence. Col. Buck has
/
! not allowed to so TO the white house or
| to any of the executive departments, un-
less they are accompanied by him or have
his permission.
In his apartments at the Hamilton he
| has a map of the state of Geor-
| gia In which the eleven con-
! gressional districts. are marked
| off. He has a list of every republican OF
| any prominence In the several districts, To-
! gether with the political record of each in
dividual By glancing at his map and then
referring to his book of records he Is able
| to estimate the political value OF every
man in the party who aspires TO public Of
/ flee.
The office of second assistant postmaster
general is equal In Importance and In
| guence to that of the fourth assistant who
| makes the appointments 70 fourth class
postoffices. The second assistant has
| charge Of the transportation of all the
| mails. He has jurisdiction over all con-
i tracts for star. steamboat and mail mes
| senger service The railway mail service,
| the foreign nail service and all contracts
for furnishing mail bags, mail locks, and
| keys mail bag catchers, etc. comes under
his special supervision. The establish
| ment Of new postal routes, the extension
of old routes and all that pertains to the
| carrying of the mails belongs to the Sec
ond assistant. 1t has beenathe practice OF
late years, since the star route scandals tc
appoint practical railroad men to the Of
fice of second assistant
Col Buck is a railroad lawyer and his
| friends say he can fill the office accepta-
bly,.