Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-02-03
WIRE PULLING
For the Small Post Offices Is
Something Astonishing.
Paying from so Cents to $500,
Scores Are After Each Cne.
Washinglons First Snowstorm Of Seastn :
Latest Speah, Reed Story.

I Washington D. g. Feb 2-(SpeciaD
! While the contests of candidates for the
| big postofiices of state are freely
/ chronicled in tho newspapers. the highly
artistic manoeuyring& for the small Of
! fees that pay all the way from fifty
! cents up to 500 year are rarely heard
/ Of. And yet among the cnterprising New
England Yankees the electionecring and
4 the wire pulling for these offices is
something surprising During a session
/ Of Congress well informed newspaper
J man, who keeps his eyes open. will spot
| something like dozen visitors from
! Maine who are here on postofice err
rards It is sometimes delicate matter
| 20 ASK Z man in a pleasant manner what
| he came 10 Washington for but when you
| have dshed around and learned the truth
/ there are lots Of them admit there is IA
| postotiiee in the case
The folks at home don't know / am
here. Please say nothing about it in the
Maine papers. My neighbors would re-
sout IL Il they knew | had come on here
to interfere in the fight"
! II S always easy enough to guess the
rest IN nine cases out of ten it is not
| the candidate himself who has come on
/ 70 Washington to get the congressman's
| ear. The candidate has already seen the
| congressman several times during the re-
/ cess Of Congress. has exploited his in
/ fCause, and displayed his endorsements.
1 When the congressman came to Wash
/ eGt0u the candidate began To write let
iers, US ardent and as frequent as a low
or would write to his own true sweet
/ ~. err no.
! unable TO sleep nights, ana finally. after
/ consultation with his wife, decides to
| hazard the amount Of a trip to Washing
| ton thar he may learn the latest news
about the Office Generally one of the
| village lawyers Is sent on the trip but
times it is a trusted friend or one
Of the selectmen. The emissary has a
| jaunt at tho expense of the candidate.
| The cost Of the round trip Is hardly less
| than so and the candidate. If he be-
! comes postmaster will have to open his
little office early and late a good many
| days to earn that sum
! The secret postoffice emissary generally
stays Dur a brief while in Washington
he gives il cut that ne is going to Ros-
ton on q little business and the people at
home are completely fooled But does
he stop in Boston? Oh no He makes
and hastens back that the neighbora may
NOT suspect the real character of his mis-
SION He hardly spares himself the time
10 see some Of the great objects of in
terest in Washington. during "a visit that
| maT be the only one OF his life
a recent instance in point was a con-
test over The postohice al Fryeburg Me
1T WaS rather amusing in some particIl-
lars Postmaster Frye of that town sud
denly died few weeks ago He had NOT
he!d the ofiic" very long and before his
bqdy was cold the candidates began to
huSlte- some of the villagers wanted the
WIDOW 70 have the office and a long neil
t!on was started in her behalf While
the sNmpathics of the community were
+ei freSh business men, farmers and 9TH
"f patrons of the office put their ,lames
10 the ron ana il was forwarded RI
Washington. A Mr. Ward. who had been
4 candidate. before Mr. Frye was nom
mated began 70 hustle, although it is
port
There was one Republican, who did want
the office very badly. He was Mr.. r. /.
aStlnan. very worthy Republican of
The village but the widow stole a march
on him BY circulating her petition very
carry. While people were stricken with the
SENSE of her bereavement So when Mr.
eastman began to hustle he found him
S"if Tar IN the .rear. There was nothing.
70 90 but try To influence the congress-
ma H At Washington and 50 Mr.. Eastman
agent was mere a few days ago. His
E1me is not mentioned because he did NOT
wish 1t 10 be made public. His neighbors
supposed ne had gone to Boston. Mr.
Fsastnan, however. Will not receive much
consolation when his man returns for
the answer he received here. was that
poatoIAces were awarded solely on the
stfeiGth or the candidates petitions and
the numerous signatures on Mrs Frva's
PaIer could not be ignored. The matter
III not settled yet but an appointment is
expected any day.
The presence Of Hon. Elliott Wood or
Nhfhrop. In Washington the past week.
n reminder that Maine has Jared pretty
Wgi, u 9 los me postmastership of the
! hitca states Senate. Mr.. Wood held
that ofhce. many years ago the salary
being in the nciehborhood of S3U0 y
year Hon. Stanley Plummer of Skowhe-
gan. ana later Of Dexter, Me. was post
master until about two years ago when
ne gave way 70 "A Democrat. Mr. Plum
nrr Is credited with having his eye on the
office st.Il. should the Senate at any
future time become Republican. However.
Mr. Hlummcr. has denied the soft i'm
pe2chmerf.
Washington is having this week the
first anowst0rns Of the season which al
Ways delights people of northern blood
sleigh rides are rare in the Capitol city
AMI hardly more than once In q year
sometimes not at all. is there opportunity
10 rice DOWN Pennsylvania Avenue in a
utter. AZ This time some rare old tyDes
Of sieishs are brought out. All are OF
ancient vintage, so ancient that George
" aaf!uEtGn might have seen them In his
nav. II generally happens that these old
sjfls tss are pressed into the service night
ana dHy while the snow lasts and ID is no
e&ag9eTatipn to say that merry parties;
an hn seen gliding up and down streets
ard avenues way long into the wee sma'
hours.
One of the latest stories they tell here
about Sneaker Reed concerns a party Of
" sstppLns. who caIled*upon him to
ur-c THAT he let bill for the creation of
z national park at Ficksburg come up
for consideration In the House There
Vas an eloquent spokesman who set forth
the beauties Of such park should Com
1rcSs appropriate the money. He closed
with statement that Speaker Reed
would endear himself to the people OF
and the entire country If ne
would allow the bill 10 pass
YES. nodded MIR. Reed sarcastically.
Tut this yeaF J N not in the endearing
business.