The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-01
IEBBETTS AND HUGHES
THEIR PLACES INTEREST ALA
 BAMA REPUBLICANS.
Collector of Mobile spent Day in Mont gOnaery-Referee Scott Talks of the Forthcoming Appoint
 ments by President.

ments by President.
 Who will succeed J. W. Hughes as postmaster at Birmingham? Will Col lector W. F. Tebbetts of the port of Mobile be reappointed?
 These two questions are uppermost in the minds of Republicans of Ala bama. There is hardly a Republican in the State who does not feel keen interest in the solution of these two questions. This is due to the fact that each Republican has one or more friends who believe he is well fitted to serve acceptably in one or the other of the places.
 Interest centers in the collectorship of Mobile because the term of Major Tebbetts expired on December 19. He will of course serve until he or his successor is reappointed. It is a fee office and one of the best paying in the State. The compensation is vari- ously estimated at from $3,500 to ST. 900 a year.
 Major Tebbetts was appointed four years ago by President Mckinley. He succeeded the late General J. w. Burke. The Mobile collector is 9 young man and a nephew of Senator Frye of Maine, for whom he Is named. The young man came South as an of ficer in the volunteer army during the Spanish war and, marrying Miss Mc- Kleroy of Anniston. he located there.
 It is charged by the Republican ma chine In Alabama. presided over by President Roosevelts referees, Captain c. H. Scott of Montgomery and J. o. Thompson of Birmingham. that Major Tchbetts is persona non grata with the Republicans of Alabama; that he Is not acceptable to the people of Mo bile: that he has been guilty of mis- conduct and that he is not a loyal Re- publican from the viewpoint of the President and his friends
 Among those who have been named as prospective applicants for the Mo bile plum are Captain Ben. W. Walk CT of Montgomery. R. F. Mcconnell a lumberman of Mobile. and Frank H. Lathrop. a wealthy lumberman of Riv- erside. St. Clair County.
 Major Tebbetts spent yesterday in Montgomery returning to Mobile, from trip to Birmingham. He will leave for the Gulf City this morning. He declined to discuss the fight being waged upon him by the referees fur ther than to say that he had been to Washington and had invited a full in- vestigation of his private and official conduct. He said 1t was charged that he had stood for the lily white move lnent" in the Birmingham convention which was not fact
 T am neither a black and tan nor 9 lily whlte," said Major Tebbetts. "J am Republican and l advocated the seating of accredited delegates, black or white. in the convention There Is too much talk of the color line in pol itics. Men are men in politics wheth- CT they are black or white"
 s-
 has filed with the Department in Washington strong endorsements from leading business and professional men of Mobile. Montg Birmingham Anniston and other Alabama cities
 Captain Scott. one of the referees who will leave this morning for a bus mess trip of TWO weeks duration to New York city, w.ts aSke9 yesterday afternoon to state the opposition to Major Tebbetts as Collector of Mobile
 The opposition to Major Tebbetts" said Captain Scott, comes from the Republican organizations of sixty counties and eight Congressional Dis triets of Alabama"
 "Who do you favor for the placer" Captain Scott was asked
 T have not suggested any one" he replied, but I am opposed to Major Tehbetts."
 The names of Captain Walker and Messrs. Mcconnell and Lathrop were suggested as applicants for the place.
 ''Mr. Mcconnell has very stronog en- dorsements.' said Captain Scott T don't think MT. Lathrop wants 1t"
 Tt has been suggested. Captain Scott" said the interviewer, that you might ask for the collectorship your self"
 Not me-" answered the young ref cree quickly. Under no circumstances would I have it. You may say that do not want it."
 Who will be appointed postmaster iR Birmingham"
 That is MT. Thompson's appoint ment." replied Captain Scott. Under our arrangement Birmingham is in his section of the State"
 Then Mobile Is in your section, is it not?"
 Well. yes" said Captain Scott. with some hesitation, but I have not given much thought to the Mobile Collector ship"
 Captain Scott said it was not at all certain that Postmaster Hughes would be removed. He gave 1t as his opinion that If Dr. Hughes was removed. J. H. Montgomery would be appointed post master of Birmingham.
 All things being equal" said Cap tain Scott, T would favor Mir. Mont gomery for the place
 Postmaster P. D. Barker of Mobile, who is a bitter opponent of Collector Tebbetts. was in Montgomery Friday night, and had a long conference with Captain Scott, the nature of which Captain Scott declined to disclose.
 How about appointments in Mont gomery?" Captain Scott was asked
 They are too far off to discuss at this time" he replied.
 Captain Scott will leave Montgomery this morning, going direct to New York to attend meeting of stockholders of