The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-16
LETTERS TO EDITOR.
A Reply to Chairman WeIIman.

To the Editor of the Age-Herald:
 As republican and reader of Alabama's greatest daily, I wish space in your col umns to reply to State Chairman w. l. Wellman's interview as published in Sat urdays paper.
 MT. Wellman states: "The republicans of Alabama feel that the President has treated them very unfairly, and conse- quently are not enthusiastic for him for a second term to succeed hmself.h This may be true of some of the republicans of Alabama, but is by no means true of the majority of even the white repub- licans of this state. President Roosevelts s administration has already received the endorsement of Alabama republicans and MT. Wellman's statement that the com ing state convention will send a deega- tion to the national convention instructed for Senator Hanna. who, the state chairman well knows, is not and will not be candidate, is but an admission on his part that he and his immediate friends will not abide the action of Alabamas next republican state convention.
 The unfair treatment complained of by Chairman Wellman was the appointment of Judge Thomas G. Jones and District Attorney Roulhac, and the removal from office of certain federal office-holders in this state who had for some time been active in state politics and who for no other and better reason than the dstri- button of federal patronage had engaged in a factional warfare in this state to the great detriment of the republican party in the state, and their invariable action had for some time been an eye-sore to the national party organization. This con dition could not much longer be toler ated and republicans of Alabama now, for the first time in years, have the priv ilege of placing themselves in line with the national party organization.
 Besides. has not subsequent events abundantly demonstrated the far-seeing and wise course of the President in ap- pointing Judge Jones? Is there any just criticism attaching to the chief executive on account of this and other appoint ments equally wise? We think not and doubt if the republican party had at that time within it's ranks in the state man whose appointment would have better served the ends of justice and the inter- est of the people than President Roose- velts appointee, Thomas c. Jones. There fore, the charge of unfair treatment in this and similar instances Is but the plant of a dissatisfied politician.
 To sum the matter up, the republican party Tn Alabama had ueSenerdteu Into a miserable pie distributing machine and the recent great increase in the nu- merical strength of the party in this state has been just cause of alarm to the old-time party posses and their friends who feared that their tenure at the pub lie crib might at any moment be termi- mated by some unexpected party event.
 The failure on the part of the present chief magistrate and his illustrious pre- decessor. the immortal Mckinley, to re- cognize these anti-progressive party con ditions has given rise to all the criticism and obstruction tactics imposed by the factional party leaders in this state.
 It is to be hoped that this state of af- fairs is rapidly approaching it's perma- nent end, and that the leaders of the great party in Alabama directly charge able with the protection of the manufac- turing industries of this district and the improvement of the streams and harbors of this rapidly growing commonwealth will take a less selfish and a more patri- otie view of the selection and by their actions declare more strongly for har- mony within the political party that is working for the progress and industrial development of Alahamas great natural resources. w. w. SMITH. Guntersvile Ala. Dec. 14 1903.