The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-03
NEGRO TELLS IF
 FRIEND CHARLEY. Goes for Conference With
 Senator Fairbanks TALK OF VlRDAMAN INCIDENT 
Matter Is Discussed at Cabinet Meet Ing and Postmaster General lssues tatement-PoltcaI Gossip
 Heard in Washington.
BY PATTERSON sTEALEY.

| BY WA EhoON EAEE1s
 Washington August 2.--tspecial 1-chas. Felix La Fou, national president and or ganizer of the Afro-Amerioan National Republican league, and a negro politician well known throughout Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. has arrived in Indianapolis to take part in the campaign in Indiana. In an interview he sayss
 T have just organized a league in Illinois. and received letter of congrat- ulations from President Roosevelt. T will meet Senator Fairbanks Mon- day and talk with him about campaign plans and will organize a league in In- diana.
 Charley and I are old friends. I used to know him when he was a country lawyer and I was porter on the vandalia line.
 'I used to carry him up and down the country, and l was in the dining service part of the time. too.
 There used to be 8 colored republican league in Indiana. but 1t went up after Mckinley died. l am here to organize it again.
 Who will likely be the president Of lt2" was asked.
 Probably Gurley Brewer or George P. Stewart, or George L. Knox"
 Are Prominent Factors.
 The republicans, especially the colored republicans, have great deal to do in this campaign. There are the Dick and crumpacker resolutions to give us civil and equal rights the Mann resolutions ta enforce amendments lS II and 15 of tho | constitution; the Gardner bill and my own bill to prevent peonage of our people In the south, and discrimination against eolored people in street cars. steamboats. etc.
 The republican party is the trhegt friend we have had, the grand old par.s-- of Abe Lincoln, Fremont Grant, Hayes. Hanna. Harrison. William Mckinley and Roosevelt. In my proclamation I have asked the colored people to appeal to their churches and ask them to pray for the election of Roosevelt and Fairbanks and the entire ticket.r
 Consider Vardaman Incident.
 The cabinet today devoted most of It's time to the Vardaman incident. finally deciding to let the Mlssissippians bave a postoffice. The name "Vardaman'' was turned down and "TlmherylIle" selected In It's place. "Timbervlle' comes pretty near being Big Stick but the name is satisfactory to the people of Timberville as some of them had begun to fear that if they ever did get postofnce it would be named "MInnie," Cox" or "Crum.', After the cabinet meeting Postmaster General Payne went to the postoffice de- partment and issued a statement ex- blaming things which is as follows: On the 9th day of May petition waa f1led with the department asking for the establishment of a postofhce at a certain point In Calhoun county in the state of Mississippi, and requesting that it be named Vardaman.
 "Immediatey the usual investigation made by the department as to the neces- slty for the establishment of the office was undertaken. Pending the Inquiry a copy of the daily Clarion Ledger, a news paper published at Jackson, Miss. dated August 25, 1903, was filed with the de- partment containing an article to which tho departments attention was called
 This article was a copy of an edl- torial printed in the Commonwealth under date of January 10 19O3 which paper Is published and edited by Governor Varda- man. The article in question was SO vie ana indecent in It's statement concern- ing the mother of the President of the United States as to be unfit for reproduc- ton. The postmaster general did not es- ieem it proper to give a postonice the rame of any man who had used such lan- guage regarding any women The postof- flee in question has been ordered estab- lished and given the name of Timberville
 Tn exercising the discretion given him by law, the postmaster general fre- cuently rejects names suggested for rro- posed postoffices. He has never been clearer as to his duty than in this case.
 Tt Is proper to say that President Roosevelt had no Knowledge of the incl dent referred to-"
 Even Things Up.
 It is declared that the administration has at fast evened things up with Gov crnor Vardaman and Is waiting for him to come again. According to a Missssip- rian who reached Washington today, Ed gar S. w lson. the United States marshal of the southern district of Mississippi, Is D the party who first brought to the att tention to the President and postmaster general the proposition to name a post office "Vardcman" after the governor of the state. which request was turned down. Wilson represents the admnistra- ton in Mississippi All applications for inc appointments of postmaster and other minor offices are turned over to him. In return he turns over the delegates. When the Vardama1 case reached him he wrote a letter to the postmaster general telling nlm that Governor Yardaman had on sev- eral occaeioned found fault with Colonel Roosevelt and he should not be honored hy allowing his name to appear in the Postal Guide. for 19)5.
 The postmaster general thought the re'nt we'll tai en and so did the Presi- dent.
 One report at the department today is to the effect that during the rest of the administration the President will not all low postofflces to be named after any of his critics Postmaster General Payne may issue such departmental orders this week. The President in this connection Is said to be somewhat indignant with the post master general over the fact that he has in the past year or two allowed such names as "Carmack." "Culberson." 'I<itcheu" "Tilman." Williams" and "Watterson" to slip into the Postal Guide.
 Support Parker and Davis.
 The Sound Money league, a potential factor in rolling up the 12,QO0 majority for the republican national ticket in the