The times., 1898-02-23
BARGAIS-coUNTER POLITICS.
Advertising Contracts and Party
Feaity Go Together.

/
| Feaity Go Together.
The Philadelphia postofiice is just nov
| affording an interesting political obiec
| lesson. A good deal of plotting and play.
! ing is going on there between the Quay
and Wanamaker factions Of the Republi
| can party. The new postmaster is g
| Quay man, and the Wanamakers are Civ.
| ing him as much trouble as possible. The
newspapers are divided. The cid ostho
dox organs ofsthe Republican party stant
| by the Administration, while the Ledger
Record and Times and other independent
| and Democratic papers are taking tho
| side of Mr.. Wanamaker. The consequence
may be noticed in their advertising
| columns. The Ledger. Record and Tele-
| gram have large display advertisements
| from Mr.. Wananaker's store every day
| because they have stood by him faithfully
| when evil-minded men have attacked his
reputation, and they have encouraged ano
| assisted him in the pursuit of political
honors. The Press. Inquirer, North
| American and Bulletin get no advertising
| whatever from the Wanamaker estab-
! lishment, although they were formerly
| his fayorites. He shut them OFF severa
weeks ago on the theory that he could
not afford to furnish the snews OF war tc
his political enemies.
The publishers of these papers say
however, that the absence of Mr.. Wana-
makers advertisements from their col
umns has increased rather than diminish
ed their incomes, because other merchants
in the city who have not been in the
habit of spreading their announcements
over so much space are now coming up in
great shape and buying columns where
they formerly only took a stickful. As
the Philadelphia Times is only half-heart-
ed In its Endorsement OF the great mer-
chant 1t only gets half u loaf of patron
age The tone of the Times editorials
and the treatment of the political events
in it's news columns, which are variable,
regulate the size of the advertisements
Mr. Wanamaker sends in.
A municipal election was held in Phila-
delphia week ago. in which the anti
Quay faction won. and thus secured con-
troll of the party organization. which is
very important, as it dictates the nonni-
nations and runs the election machinery.
A few days before the event the Wana-
maker newspapers published circum-
stantial account of an alleged case Of
bulldozing on the part of the postmaster.
1t was charged that he had called the
chief subordinates in his Office for con-
ference and delivered a lecture upon their
duties as citizens and individuals, In
which they We're advised that the tenure
of their employment depended upon their
political influence and activity, and that
they were afforded good chance to dis
play il in behalf of the Quay ticket at
the approaching election.
This publication. of course, caused a
great deal of excitement among the poll
ticians, and particularly among the mug
wumps and civil service reformers. as il
was interpreted to mean that the Adj
minIstration was -Wanamaker, and
was permitting the use of official patron
age and power to secure his defeat. The
publication undoubtedly cost the Quay
candidates a large number of votes Com
plaint was made to Washington by both
sides. and two Investigations We're or
dered one by the Postmaster General and
the other by the Civil Service Commission.
In the latter case a volunteer committee.
consisting of William Dudley Foulke, of
indianapolis; Charles Jerome Bonaparte,
OF Baltimore, and Richard Henry Dana.
of Boston. was authorized to conduct the
inquiry while the Postonice Department
intrusted that duty to an ordinary spe-
cial agent. The great mugwumps have
not vet completed their report, but II
is expected daily.
The postoffice inspector finds that no
such meeting as described in the Nana-
maker newspapers was ever held, that
no such speech was ever made and that
the postmaster carefully abstained from
any attempt TO control the votes or poll
teal conduct of his subordinates. Affi-
davits signed by every man who was
represented to have been present at the
meeting have been submitted to that ef-
feet and fully acauit the postmaster
Ii now appears that man Of the name
of McDevitt gave the anti-tQuay man
ayers the information upon which the
published account of the bulldoZing was
based and it appears to have been an
invention of his own McDevitt made a
partial confession, and endeavored to i'm
plicate a fellow-clerk of the name of
Murphy The latter admits that he talk
ed the matter over with McDevitt, but
swears that he had nothing to do with
the publication.
IT is understood that the civil service
reformers who are making the other in
yestigation have ascertained that al
though the published accounts were in
correct there was some foundation for
them. 1t is expected that they will re-
port that the postmaster did make an
address. and that Immediately after per-
sons known 10 be in his confidence cir
cuiated among the employees and explain
ed that he was speaking from political
standpoint when he said that their tenure
would depend upon good conduct and
efficiency.
An interesting feature of this fight is
an attempt on the part Of the Quay fac
ton to secure the removal of the sub
station of the postoffice from Mr. Wana-
makers store, where it was established
when ne was postmaster general They'
complain that it is only three or four
blocks from the main postoffice and is.
therefore. unnecessary for public conYe-
nience. while it affords him a decided adj
vantage over his mercantile competitors
by drawing trade.
They contend that If the Government
keeDs a branch office In Mr.. Wanamakers
store. II ought TO place them in dozen
other establishments of a similar charac-
ter. While these protests are pending III
the Postoffice Department. an application
has been made by Mr.. Wanamaker for a
branch postoffice in his New York store.
and it is indorsed by Senator Platt. Rep
Quigg. chairman or the Re
publican county committee. and other
leaders of the Republican party. II is a
curious coincidence that while the Repub-
lican machine of New York is trying TO
get branch office in MIR. Wanamakers
store in that city, the Pennsylvania ma
chine is trying to get one out OF his
store in Philadelphia.