The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-01
Will Dt, J w. Hughes be Retained or Dismissed?
PUBLIC OPINION IS DIVIDED
Hughes Friends Write Hundreds of Letters Urging Postmaster's Re- tention-story of the Case.
 Candidates for the Place.


 The intelligence conveyed in yesterdays Washington dispatches to The Age-Herald that Postmaster General Wynne had recommended the removal Of pr. J. w. Hughes from the postmastership at Bir- mingham set the whole town by the ears and precipitated an interesting contest in local political circles.
 The Birmingham public is separated into two classes on the subject: First, those who accept the postmaster generals recommendation as conclusive; and sec ond, those who believe that the President may reject the postmaster general s recommendation and retain Dr. Hughes in office.
 Hughes Has Many Friends.
 The latter class is numerous. Supporters of Dr. Hughes are making every possible effort to keep the incumbent in office. The postmaster's friends have been busily en- gagged for three days in preparing Dr. Hughes case. They insist that pr. Hughes has, at the worst, been guilty only of technical irregularity that he neither did, nor intended to do, any harm to the office, and that to dismiss him would be ito manifest a purely quixotic sense of official honor"
 These persons insist that Dr. Hughes financial integrity has not been assailed.
 Personal Honor.
 'Dr Hughes" said one of his friends today, lis, and has always been, man of absolute personal honor. He is a generous man who likes to accommodate tle public In cashing the checks pre- sented to him out of government funds he simply obliged his friends and asso- ciates. The checks were all good. HIS trouble Is due to his disposition to be courteous and obligng. His shortage, due to this habit of obHsing his friends, was slSoo"
 Thompson's and Roulhac's Checks. The fact that among the checks found l.. pr. Hughes accounts were those Of J. O. Thompson, collector of internal reve- nu,e and Thomas K. Roulhac. United States district attorney, Is enlisting pub lie sympathy in Dr. Hughes behalf, It is said. These mems checks, 1t is point ed out were perfectly good, and the postmasters friends say that 1t isn't just or reasonable to punish the postmaster merely because he was inclined to save A collector of internal revenue or Tinted States district attorney walk Of three or four blocks in the sun-or mavbe in the rain-to a bank nearby, where the busy collector of internal reve- nue or the buster United States dlstrict attorney would have to take his place in line and bide his time in front or paving tellers window.
 FusiIade of Letters.
 The upshot of it is that President Roose- welt Is going to be fusillated with letters bearing Birmingham postmarks and Err mingham date lines, pointing out Dr. Hughes efficiency as postmaster
 Presidents of railways, of steel, iron and coal companies, all the banks all the wholesale and retail houses, the baker the butcher and the candle-st1ck maker clereymen of various creeds, Hebrew, Protestant and Catholic-school teachers, aldermen, hotel proprietors, lawyers ana doctors, are, many of them for the mrs. time in their lives, giving themselves the honor of writing letter to the Presiuent of the United States.
 The Other Side.
 There is, however, a reverse side to the medal. whereon is printed in the pro- verbal letters of living light
 Hughes must go. Wynne has said so' and as says Wynne so says the Presi- dent.''
 Already the chorus Is heard in the street "The king is dead-long live the kingr And it is echoing wherever the lightning messenger can tell the tale, oHughes must go." More in sorrow than in anger the sentence is repeated An example must be made they say. The Birmingham postoffice isn't a clearing
 $1 I.1 nd but what If they'd come back stamped no funds? The supposition is, of course. absurd, but yet again what if they had come hack? Ave, there's the rub. The postmaster general can't be too careful. The President can't take any chances. . Besides MT. Wynne is postmaster general and one MT. Bristow Is fourth assistant, and every one who knows anything knows that that is a combination that won't stand for any irregular business. Yes. it's too bad-pathetic, in fact-but it's to the tall grass for. the doctor. Back to the tall timber-not back to the post office for him." is what they say.
 The Candidates.
 Inasmuch as Dr. Hughes must go, some one, of course, must. they say, step forward and apply for the place. This surely is as plain as a pike staff 'Twould never do to close the Birmingham post office.
 There isn't great deal of the Gaston- Aiphonse business about applications.
 The friends of James w. Lee might be called active" Mir Lee was skilled on tho postoffice business at Aberdeen, Miss. President Hayes put Mir. Lee into the business, he was kept in it for n years. If the president wants a first class postmaster-a man of experienced, integrity and popularity in the communil F ty. he couldn't do better say MT. Lee {; friends, than to appoint James w. Led to be Hughes successor. Mr. Lee is connected with the grocery jcbbing trade and is special representa- tive of the Wholesale Grocers associa1 ton. He IS the father of Syd W. Led.
 Aionzo Green.
 Alonzo Green who has been at the head of the Birmingham Powder company since its organization several years ago. isl an avowed candidate to succeed Dr. J. M Hughes
 My petition is being signed in a con- ditional way" said MT. ,9reenl yesterday.