The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-04
PRESIDENT TAKES STEPS TO SE-
CURE DELEGATES FROM
INDIANA
NEW IN PAINFUL DILEMMA
Would Like to BE First Assistant
III. Postmaster General if 1t Were
Not for His Political
Future.
AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN IS ON
FROM THE GLOBE BUREAU,
Washington, ID. c.


Washington, ID. c.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March Sine
once of first assistant postmaster gem
eral has been going begging of late years
II IS gong begging at present There is
salary of $4,000 a year appurtenant to
lt, but that does not seem to attract.
Nor does the honor. Perry S. Heath seem
ed to like it well enough While he held
1t; and he graduated from it into an
operator in railroads and dealer in news
paper plants. He is one Of the cOadjutors
of Senator Tom Kearns and Senator Viii
liam A. Clark in the Los Angeles q Salt
Lake railroad. But since Mr.. Heath re-
signed the office has been something OF
a drug on the market. Mr. Mckinley
trst gave the filling of it to MIR. Ch3rles
H. Dawes, of Illinois, and Mr. Dawes Of
fered it to Mr.. Pullmans son-in-law, Mr.
Frank o. LoWden, of Chicago. 1t was
represented to that gentleman that the
place was one of distinction, without any
very Onerous duties, and would be just
about the thing for a man having plenty
of money and wishing to have a Whirl at
Washington society. But Mr.. Lowden
pleaded business and regretted. lie sus-
pected it was a plot to head off any plans
he might be cherishing to enter the SEN
atorial race for Masons seat.
After some delay and a little peddlinS,
1t was offered to and accepted by a gen
tleman by the name of Johnson, Of New
Jersey. He filed the requisites of having
a good income and wanting a little pO-
litical distinction. So he came to WASH
ington and called it his home for while;
but he was in New Jersey, where MS
factory is located, about three days out
of the week. His heart was in his factory
and the office Of the first assistant hard
ly made his acquaintance. He never got
any grip on the affairs of the office; ana
Chief Clerk Maston did about all the bus1-
ness. When Mr. Johnson went back TO
New Jersey the place was vacant fer a
while; at length Mr.. Roosevelt offered
st to Harry New of Indiana. At present
New is considering it, with indications
that he will pass it up.
why New Won't Accept.
There are reasons why Harry New will
hesitate to accept the presidents offer
of the office of first assistant postmaster
general. New is national committeeman
for his state, and in addition to being
editor of the Indianapolis Journal, the
party organ of the state, he is a large
political factor in Hoosierdom. President
Roosevelt likes New personally; but in
addition to any personal considerations,
he would like to have the influence of Mr..
New when it comes time to gather the
delegates to the next Republican nation
al convention. The state of Indiana is
In a critical position. Its politicians are
In the position of the coy maiden who
Woulu be lever so happy with either,
were tother dear Charmer away" Sen
ator Charles Warren Fairbanks, husband
of Mrs President General Fairbanks of
lie D. A. r., is a candidate for the Re
publican presidential nomination in 1904.
Senator Fairbanks has the Indiana Re-
publican machine pretty well in line;
the only rift is Senator Albert J. w.
eridge, who is on very, cordial terms with
President Roosevelt, and undoubtedly IA
Vors him for another term. On the 9TH
ha NTr ovid nay mol 1~ala
tiOns with his colleague in the senate
are rather strained. The status may be
described as an armed peace.
1t is evident that President Roosevelt
is maneuvering for control of the state
of Indiana, and if Mr. Harry New ac-
sistant postmaster general, Roosevelt will
have secured for his side the states ma
tional committeeman. An acceptance
would be equivalent to an open declaTa-
tion by New IN favor of Roosevelt for
denomination, and against hs old friend
and political co-laborer, airbanks. In
so doing he would cause an open rupture
between himself and the Indiana machine
and would undoubtedly precipitate a fac
tional division between the forces of
Roosevelt and Fairbanks in the state.
The natural consequence would be an al
lance between Beveridge and New, and
a hot campaign in the district elections
for the election of delegates favorable
to Roosevelt or to Fairbanks.
There are personal reasons why Nation
al Committeeman New would like to ac-
cept the offer of the president, and be-
come first assistant to the postmaster
general. Henry c. Payne and New are
personal friends. In their work togeth-
er on the national committee the post
master general and New were thrown
much together, and they became pretty
well acquainted. During the last cam
paign New spent most of his time in
Chicago at headquarters, and was one OF
Payne'S most intimate advisers. 1t is
known also that there are business and
social reasons why New favorS the change
of residence to Washington But there
are also business reasons, quite as strong
which bind him to the fortunes of Sena-
tor Fairbanks. New is at the parting
of the ways. He must stake his political
fortunes on one of the two asprants for
the presidential nomination.
Perhaps the most significant feature
of the affair is the aggressive step taken
by Roosevelt He mas evidently deter
mined to carry the war into Africa. He
has struck at the heart of the opposi-
ton; for it cannot be denied that every
thing hangs on Indiana. If Roosevelt
can get the delegates from Indiana he
will win 'handS down." If Fairbanks
loses Indiana he is out of the running.
If Indiana is divided, and there S any
considerable faction in the state which
does not rally to his support, he cannot
hope to get support from the surround
ing states. He must give up the race
politicians here are watching the STU
alton with considerable interest 1t is
remarked tnat it is characteristic of
Roosevelt to have taken this aggressive
course. His campaign is evidently to
be open, vigorous and from the shoul-
der. The methods of Fairbanks are
more Machiavellic in their character. He
relies more on strategy than boldness. 1t
should be a pretty fight.