Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-13
Campaign For Appointment as
Postmaster at Mason City
Has Already Begun
POLITICIANS ARE ALL INVOLVED
Some Interesting History About the
Appointments Of the Present lncum
bent and the Defeat of Blythe for
Nomination for consress-candi-
dates for FarreIl's Place.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Mason City, July 13.-There is prom
Use here of regular old-fashioned
postoffice fight, one in which no quar-
ter will be given or taken. There are
and before the summer grows old there
will be enough more to make the tenn
perature hereabouts warm enough to
make the corn grow rapidly in Cerro
Gordo county. Nearly all the promi-
nent politicians In the city will be
mixed up in it before the prize is
awarded, except j. Il. Blythe. and the
influence he would have with the Hon.
Gilbert Haugen in making postmasters
cradle as if Senator Allison or Senator
Deliver had the appointment to make.
What was formerly known as the
Blythe faction, and which passed away
when he was defeated for the con-
gressional nomination. is not much In
terested in the contest 1t Is largely In
the other camp, and they will have TO
fight 1t out among themselves. POST
master Farrell. the present incumbent.
of course is a candidate to succeed
himself. 1t is the general belief that
he was not the original choice of Con-
gresham Haugen, but was appointed
solely as part of the contract with
Updegraf when he threw his strength
to the present congressman In 1898 and
nominated him. That was the year that
Blythe had the nomination practically
Won Haugen had two counties. his
own and Winnishiek. Blythe had
within six votes to win and Updegraf
saw that unless he soon gave his full
strength to Haugen. Blythe would be
the nominee. He sent for Haugen and
promised to deliver his entire vote II
Haugen would allow him to name the
postmasters in various towns and cities
in the district and take care of Hon.
William Fuller and others. That is the
popular version of>the deal. Haugen
won and ]. A. Farrell, who had fought
Jim Blythe in season and cut of sea-
son. went to the convention when
Blythe's own county had sent strong
delegation for him and plotted against
him. 1t is said that Farrell was the one
who suggested the deal with Haugen,
and 1t was finally successful. Upde-
graf, when he went back to congress
and before his term expired, appointed
Farrell as his reward for fighting
Blythe. but the appointment went to
the senate and was pigeon-holed for
two years until Senator Gear died, and
then Haugen reappointed Farrell and
the appointment was confirmed Far
reli took undue prominence in the sem
atorial fight against Senator Gear, and
the late senator was known to pursue
the policy Of rewarding his friends and
not his enemies. Farrell will have been
postmaster for four years in December,
and there are aspirants here now who
think they have fully as good claims
as he.
Prospective Candidates.
Farrell had hoped that he would be
granted a second term without a con-
test but he will have to fight for It, A
few days ago Nate Kotchell cashier of
the Iowa state bank decided to become
candidate and then the music began.
Kotchell is q good handshaker, good
natured affable citizen and he enlisted
for his manager I. w. Keerl president
of the bank. Keerl Is T. A. Ways To-
cal political sponsor and Way and his
influence at once f1ocked to Kotchells
standard. Duncan Rule also promised
him his support altho Farrell claims
Rule as one of his certain hackers
The man on whom Farrell relies
most as his chief support is G. N.
Macnider resourceful politician and
1t will be an interesting game to see
how he and Tom Way will make the
moves on the chess board. Those who
are the shrewdest politicians in the
city declare that Macnider will in the
tirely and that Way will also. Judge
Chambers one Of the justices of the
city IS a brother in law Of ]. j. Clark
who is a powerful political factor. is
also said to be candidate and Will
Randall who is a coming political man
ager and who has scheme of forming
a new machine of the younger men and
RELOCATING the leaders of both the old
factions to the rear, is also said to be
a candidate. He has family connec-
ton which ramify into probably forty
or more prominent families In the city
and with his wife's relations would
present most formidable following
from consanguinity alone. The one
man that the candidates fear more
however, than all others is John III.
Amundson He is n lumber broker, a
scandinavian by birth and close
personal friend of Congressman Hau-
gen who is also Scandinavian. He
has been pressed into service by Mr..
Haugen to settle a number of post
office contests and the feeling is gem
eral that If he enters the contest he
will win. He has declared that for the
present he would not interfere with the
contest but it is good guess that he
will get into the game at the right time
to prevent his friend the congressman
from being too badly embarrassed by
warm fight and will present himself
for a peace offering for the place
Meantime there are others with claims
who are looking over the field ready to
get in il an opening presents itself.
A RIP VAN WlNkLE TURTLE.