The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-29
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS.


quently spoken of as valuable ad1uncts of
the political machines of members of Con-
gress. and this is undoubtedly true in the
sense that a representative is able to
strengthen himself in his district by any
and all offices which he can distribute
among his constituents. If district is
well covered by the rural free delivery serv-
ice it means that the representative, II he
be of the political complexion Of the admin
istration, has at his disposal from $50 to 800
"jobs." and it goes without saying that he
places them where they will do him the
most good in his hour of need. which comes
once every two years. The carriers are nat
urally grateful to the man who secures
them their positions. and, while 1T is not
expedient for them to be too active in poll
tics they find numerous opportunities TO 90
a little quiet work that will show their graf
itude In an appreciable way, and that en-
titles them to rank as important cogs in the
machine.
The influence of the operator of the ma
chine with all it's component parts Is taken
for granted The question arises. what can
the cogs do with the operator? And tnls Is
a question that the rural route carriers OF
the country are deeply interested in at this
time, when the proposition TO place the rurai
free delivery service under the contract sys-
6
officiais at Washington and few members
of both branches Of Congress. The carriers
are opposed TO the change, and they are
preparing to do all that concerted action on
their part can do to prevent Its peins maoe
by the next Congress
The carriers have formed associations in
most of the States, and movement Is now
making for the formation of national or
ganizatiof- The carriers of Iowa, the state
that has the most complete system OF rural
free delivery and the strongest local asso-
eel rfr7rr nj
and a meeting will be held, probably at Chi
cago some time in July to project national
organization. An effort was made to secure
this meeting in Indianapolis, but the Iowa
carriers are so strong that they were almost
able to dictate the city, and chicago mas
been settled on as a sort OF compromise,
the Iowa men originally demanding that the
convention be taken further west.
The Indiana carriers have an association
that is now almost eighteen months Old
The officers are Samuel F. Scott, Muncie
president; F. r. Hamilton, Fort wayne
vice president; W. L. Fetters, Blufton,
secretary, and A. II. Bushong, Portland
treasurer. The association has about 20
members and covers only fourteen counties,
but in view of the fight against the change
to the contract system a special effort Is
being made to extend the organization,
and Secretary Fetters Is now in the hed
as an organizer. There are between Loo
and LOO carriers in Indiana. and 1t is ex-
pected that practically all of them viii be
brought into the association before the
cred in Indiana are De Kalb, Steuben, La
grange, Noble. Elkhart, Marshall, Fulton.
Wabash. Cass. Tippecanoe, Clinton. How
ard, Ha milton and Montgomery.
Secretary Fetters was In the city yes
terday, en- route to the southern part of
the State to push his work of forming
county organizations. He went to Martins
vile in the afternoon, where meeting or
Morgan county carriers was held last night.
THE rural carriers are opposed to the
proposed change TO the contract system
mr. fxVO EHtterS.
First because under the contract system
their compensation will be reduced, and
goodness knows IL is small enough now,
and second, because the change would re-
suit in marked deterioration In the serv-
ice, which is now highly satisfactory 20
sas o p% If e let
contract the average will fall below that
| figure. Big contractors will bid In large
| tract them The big contractors will make
| money on the deal, perhaps, the subcon-
tractors will get enough TO live on after a
| fashion, and the patrons will get the poorer
service that is inevitable with cheaper
service. Well have a repetition of the
conditions of the star route system, when
men carried mail over twenty-hve-mile
routes for as. little as Noo or $50 a year.
and we might have a repetition of the star
route scandals.
1--WE shall fight the change by appealing
to our congressman; and we osheye that
| the patrons will back US UP, and add their
| arguments and protests If we get thor
oughly organized as we hope to. by next
| fall, we shall be able to bring considerable
| pressure to bear on members of Congress in
| all parts of the country. / don't believe
| that there is a single Indiana representa-
| tive who favors the change, and / don't
| believe il win be made
Governor Durbin and Senator Fairbanks
will leave for Cleveland this forenoon tc
be guests tonight at the first annual dinner
l - he
ernor will respond to the toast. Indiana
| and the senator has also been invited tt
| speak, but his address will be an inforrna
| one Senator Hanna and Mayor Tom L
Johnson, of Cleveland. will be guests al
the dinner, and are included In the list o.
| organized few months ago and now ha!
membership OF over one hundred.
|
John H. Edwards, OF Mitchell, who
| "clouded" his record as a member Of thu
last General Assembly by fathering th'
| anti-tipping bill, was in the city yesterday
| Mr. Edwards's legislative faux pas threat
ened for time to make him as unpopular
with the colored people as the chambermait
| who said she would not make Booke
| washington's bed, but he redeemed him
| self In a measure by assisting in killing
the bill soon after il was introduced, ans
he has since been doing his best to liv
| down his mistake. AT the time he offeret
| the Objectionable measure he was careful
| 10 state that he did so solely at the reques
| Of one OF his constituents, but that did no
save him from the onslaughts of indignan
| walters bellboys and porters, who charged
him with striking at their sacred rights an,
| constitutional prerogatives, and the thini
| was carried to point, under the careful
| manipulation OF his delighted colleagues
| where Edwards was almost forced to tax
to the hills OF Lawrence county.
| Edwards will in all probability be candi
date for denomination, although he sal
yesterday that IL was a little early yet t
be making any definite plans to that end
familiar plea from legislators at thi
stage of affairs. 1.-THE people OF Lawrenc
county are not thinking of politics at thi
time" he said. They are too deeply con
| cerned over the strike in the stone regions
The situation now seems 10 be more seriou
than was first anticipated, and II Is feare
that the strike will be prolonged almos
| indefinitely. All the mills, where the high
| priced labor is employed. are closed, an
| while the Quarries are being worked a
| present IL is only q matter OF a short tim
| until they. too. viii be forced to shut dowr
There have been no vicious features cor
| nected with the strike and Ii seems to hay
resolved itself into mere question or en-
durance."
Representative Crumpacker. OF valpa
raise. viii not be candidate for Gov
! ernor." said Harry A. strohm. OF Kent