The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-29
GAIN FOR CITY IF
FLETCHER WILLS
Congressman Elect Might Make
Minneapolis a Great Postal
Center.
BUT HE SEEMS LIKELY
TO IGNORE OPPORTUNITY
BY Seeking His Old Committee
Place He Will Sacrifice
District. -.
BY w. w. Jermane.

BY W. w. Jermane.
of common knowledge in Washington,
among Minnesotans, that it is the in
tention Of Loren Fletcher, congressman
elect from the Minneapolis district, to
press for reappointment to his old place
on the house committee on interstate
and foreign commerce, at the beginning
OF the fifty ninth congress, next Decem-
Der. When he dropped out of congress
two years ago, he was succeeded on this
committee by Representative Stevens
OF st. Paul, who is now doing work for
the northwest such as has not been done
for 1T by any northwestern member Of
congress for many years.
Mr.. Fletcher's desire to secure his
old committee assignment does not
mean that Mr.. Stevens is to retire from
the position which he has filed SO &C.
ceptably. There are many precedents
for appointing two men from the same
section or state on one committee. New
York and Iowa are thus honored in the
present house.
Whether Mr.. Fletcher will get what
he wants cannot be known at this time,
because the speaker, with matters Of
more immediate Importance demanding
Grafton to the new house committees.
Declines Good Field.
It was the hope Of good many Min
nesotans in Washington that Mr..
Fletcher would not apply for place Oh
his old committee. He will, if ap-
pointed, be at the foot of the list, and
therefore not in position to render the
northwest any important service. Be
sides, Mr.. Stevens can now very easily
take care of all northwestern interests
f0minU hafOra that commtffpa
The suggestion was made to Mr..
Fletcher that he try for a place on the
committee on public buildings and
grounds, as this would open up to him
a new and important field Of activity,
but he declined.
With the reorganization Of the post
office department during the next few
years, it is probable that the. country
will be divided for postal purposes into
some ten OF a dozen large districts,
each with a, headquarters where. much
business now sent to the main office in
this city will be transacted. Tt should
be comparatively easy for Minneapolis
to be selected as one Of these head
quarters cities. St. Paul, it is very gen.
formed, will not be in position to be d
competitor, and it might happen that
Minneapolis would be chosen by genera
consent.
New Buildings Necessary.
As a condition precedent to such Sc
lection, Minneapolis would have to be
provided with federal building OF
proper size. If Mr.. Fletcher were tc
take place on the public buildings
and grounds committee in the next con
site for new building, following ou1
the suggestions contained in the pla1
submitted to the present congress by
Representative Lind, he would be doing
his district greater service than it ha.
ever received at his hands.
In each of the headquarters cities re
ferred to, it is likely that large mum
Der Of postofice department clerks will
be stationed, men and women who
with their families, now live in this city
To furnish room for these clerks and tn
postal records would necessitate tn
erection of building larger than tn
present federal buildings in Minneapo
lis and st. Paul combined, and call TO
an initial expenditure for building pur
poses, Of at least $3,000,00o.
Turns Back on Opportunity.
By insisting upon going back on tn
interstate and foreign commerce CON
mittee, where he is not needed, an
where he will have no opportunity to
work for his district, Mr.. Fletcher wi
turn his back on an opportunity such q
comes to the average member of COZ
gress but once. His decision is 80 Ell
tirely contrary to the practical interest
Of his district and state, that peopl
here who have been advised regardin
It have made it the subject of goo
deal of comment.
The question is so big as almost t
call for the serious attention of sue
bodies as the Commercial club, for
may be said once for all that unlel
Minneapolis has building in sigl
large enough for that purpose, it wi
not be considered in the race for sele
ton as one of the great postal cente
of the country under the reorganizatic
scheme now being worked out.
Would Stay in Office.
Mr.. Fletcher has gone to Southe,
California for the winter, and he wi
not be in Minneapolis again until Apr
Before leaving here, however, he sa
enough to justify the belief that it
not his intention to retire from publ
life voluntarily at the end of the ter
for which he has just been elected.
will be remen bered that during II
primary contest last summer he stat'
publicly, over his own signature, tn
he only wanted to come back to co
gress one more time, as a '"vindic
tion.'' The character of that "vint
cation'' at the polls was such as
= lead Mr.. Fletcher to believe that +
people of his district are not ready
have him retire. At least, this is t
impression which has been gained as t
result of the very guarded statemen
which he was willing to make on tt
subject while he was in Washington.
es 80, ,,o.