The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-09
Major Bittinger Makes 1t Known
That Fight Must Be Made for
st. Joseph Post Office.
ALBus' STRONG ENDORSEMENTS.
Struggle Is Now On and Promises
to Be Bitter-Silk-S Stocking
Faction Threa tened With
Disruption.

81 Joseph, Mo-, July e.-The luil IN the
st. Joseuh post-ofi1ce fight has given can
Gidates for the place an opportunity to
do little hustling for Endorsements
something they have not considered Of great
Importance heretofore. Among the ex-
ceedingly active ones IL H. G. Getchell, r.
o. stauber's candidate for Postmaster At
kinson's easy chair, and the choice of the
majority of the Silk Stocking faction In tho
city.
When the fight first opened a couple OF
months ago. when John Albus was hustling
for Endorsements night and day. the Silks
gave him the naughty eackle. and proudly
proclaimed that II every man. woman and
child in the city Of st. Joseph were to In
dorse him he would never be appointed, for
Major Bittinger could secure a leave of alb
sence from Montreal and so to Washington
and fix the whole matter in a pair of min
utes.
But couple of letters recently received in
this city from Major Bittinger has changed
the complexion of things materially. He
has informed the braves in st. Joseph that
II they expect to sit at the lunch counter
they must do little hustling before the
hot coffee and sandwiches are passed
around. The Major appears to realize the
power OF the large number of Endorsements
filed by John Aibus. and IL he ever gave
the Silk Stocking bosses in this city any
reason for making the statement that he
could deliver the goods regardless of any
pressure that any other candidate might
bring to bear. he realizes now that he was
mistaken 1t Is doubtful If the Major ever
authorized this boastful statement.
BittinEer Suggests ViEoroua Work.
In the letters recently received from the
former st. Joseph editor and political die
tator. he gives it out plainly and pointedly
that If something is not done to break down
the force Of Albns's Endorsements he stands
mighty good show of being appointed
Postmaster of St. Joseph.
He suggested that counter Endorsements
appointment be fired into Washington at as
lively a rate as possible. 1t was this that
set Getchell and his friends to circulating
petitions and trying to induce citizens who
had Endorsed Albus to withdraw their
names from his list.
This move on the part of the Consul Gen.
his friends here, as they consider 1t veiy
much like the trick a ward politician would
turn. But the Major has given 1t out that
his one and only object is to beat Albus.
and this is what is making the fight SO
bitter.
The Major also recommended that an
agent be sent to Washington TO examine
Albus's Endorsements for the purpose of
dissecting the big bound volume which the
protege Of Mayor Combe has filed with the
Post Office Department, and which has been
the subject of considerable comment by
the press Of the country. The purpose Of
this will be to show the department that
Albus or signed petitions for him, are not
representative business men or good Re
publicans.
Then will come the hand-to-hand combat.
for, II the Majors suggestion is acted upon,
the cotton cocks will meet the emissary in
Washington and will be prepared to make
Getchell's petition ID also vulnerable and
that some Of his principal supporters do not
live in the city. and are not patrons OF the
Then too, will come the uncovering OF the
skeletons that have hitherto been well clos,
eted. Charges grave and sensational nave
been made against nearly every man con-
nected with the fight, but the mud slingng
has been carried on under cover up to TINS
time Just when this mine OF rich pohtlcai
scandal and gossip will be opened up to the
public depends altogether upon circum-
stances.
silk-Stocking Faction Disrupted.
One Of the possible results of the 81 10
ton OF the SILK Stocking faction as here
tofore constituted
1t has been an open secret here for some
time that the best Of feeling did not eX-
list between r. o. stauber and Postmaster
Atkinson, both of whom were eager TO
step into the shoes OF Major Bithnger. , the ne
take Government job at Montreal ,nr.o-
ment Of two years ago which m s Gn.@p
Sock leader, and which has been the cause
Of considerable trouble in the settlement 81 OF
have the post office. Atkinson wants to
succeed himself, although he is not making
any open fight. and is not publicly making
Is supporting Getchell and Is very. anxious
to land his man in order that his credit
as the leading Republican in this part OF
the State. in the eyes of the administration
may remain good.
It is said that the fact that the silk
Stocking faction is divided against itself Is
what makes II hard for the big fellows like
Kerens and Bittinger to deliver the goods
and this is probably the indirect reason for
the note of warming which came down from
Montreal q few days ago, and which caused
Getchell and the others to suddenly bestir
themselves.