The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-17
SENATORS IN MERRY WAR.
BACON AND CLAY FIGHT OVER
POsTOFFICE LOCATION.


ON Proposition TO Change Location
of EIberton PostofHce to the Swift
or Long Building the Difference
Exists-CIay Is for Swift and Ba-
con for LOng-FiGht for the Post
mastership Involved in Present
ROw-NIass of Papers Causes Act
ing Postmaster General TO Grow
Faint-TriviaIity of Matter Makes
1t Funnfer.
Washington. Aug. 16.-Senators Ba-
con and Clay are involved in merry
war over a little third-class postoffice
site, at Elberton, and the humor OF the
situation is that seemingly they are not
aware they are working at cross pur-
poses.
The proposition is to change the 10
cation of the postofice from its pres
ent site to either the Swift Building or
the Long Building. Senator Gay ia
vors the Swift. and Senator Bacon is
an advocate of the Long Building. The
amount involved is a rental of S175 a
year. Judging from the mass of pa
pers filed in the case and the clerical
labor involved in filing them. it would
seem that thousands instead of hun
dreds of dollars might be the prize
ccntended for so strenuously.
While at the Postoftice Department d
few days ago. a messenger came into
the acting postmaster generals office,
bearing an immense pile of papers.
Here are some additional papers in
the Elberton case" remarked the pri-
vate secretary, placing the bundle be
fore his chief.
Fight for POstmastership.
What" exclaimed the acting post
master general, will We never hear
the last of Elberton?"
There was some official talk about
the matter, and it was finally decided
that in view of the apparent conflict
between the two Georgia senators on
the subject final action shall be post
poned until Postmaster General Paine
returns from his vacation.
The Elberton case has been pending
before the Salary and Allowance Di
vision of the Postoffice Department Cor
several months. 1t appears that the
present site is not regarded as con-
NCllltilt VI ADEQUATE lOI TIE Qtlll1il4S
of the Office, hence a change is desired.
"win 1t Never End."
Back of the controversy over the
location of the site, there was a con-
test over the postma stership. An ef-
fort was made TO have Mrs. Harris
ston, backed largely by Republican in
fiuence appointed. There was a gen
eral miX-up and the result was the APP
- % &
ocrat. 1t is said that his appoint
ment was reached through a compro-
mise by which it was agreed that Mrs.
Harriston should be mace deputy post
master. In addition, it is said, an I'M
Outstanding was reached at the same
time, and through the same influence,
that the postoffice was to be trans
ferred to the building known as re
Long building owned by Mr. Long,
VINO was urging the appointment of
Mrs. Harriston.
Soon after Postmaster Heard took
charge of the office he recommended
the removal of the office to the Swift
building, in violation, it is said of the
agreement to take the Long building
Senator Clay and Representative How
ard, went to the postoff1ce department
several times and recommended the
transfer to the Swift building, in ac-
cordance with the suggestions of the
postmaster. and other citizens who
seemed to be interested in the matter.
Apparently without knowing what ac-
ton Senator Clay and Representative
Howard had taken. Senator Bacon
comes along with an Endorsement of
the Long building site.
Department up Against IT."
AS Senator Clay is a member of the
Senate Committee on PostofIlces and
Post Roads, his recommendations have
great weight at the department. Sen
ator Bacon is also an influential mem
Der of the Senate, and his suggestions
are worthy of consideration. The postof-
nee authorities are up against tito use
a popular expression. Ordinarily such
an insignificant case would be disposed
of with hardly a passing notice, but
in this instance there appears to be
so much feeling exhibited by the par
ties interested that it threatens to
become a state issue.
Letters, petitions, kilograms and me-
MORALS of great length and frequency
crowd the files of the department, and
IT is said a case involving thousands
of dollars could not excite more local
interest in Elberton than the contest
between the owners of the Swift and
the Long buildings, for the privilege
of renting TO the government $175 worth
of space for a postoffice. AS there is
no indication of a compromise being
reached, and there is no sign of yield
ing by either side. the department will
allow the postoffice to remain at the
present site until Postmaster General
Paine comes back to Washington and
has an opportunity to wrestle with
the "Elberton case"