Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-29
THOMPS0A1T CURTIS
All 3
Hs u
Alabama Official Replies to
Correspondent.
FEDERAL PATRONAGE
INTERNAL REVENUE COLLECTOR
SPECIFICALLY MEETS CHARGES.
A Sharp Answer, With Detailed State
ments in Refuta-
ton.

on WIDE range OF SUBJECTS Contained Cfil-
icisms of the system of distributing federal
Offices in the state of Alabama, especially
directed against the patronage referees"
selected by the President. One of these ref
erees is Mr. J. O. Thompson, Internal rev.
enue collector for the state, who has taken
exceptions to Mr.. Curtis statements. and
has written a letter to him In reply. A
copy of this letter, dated March "a has just
been received by The Star. It has been
printed in the Birmingham (Ala.) News, in
which paper it appeared in the issue of
March %. In fairness to Mr.. Thompson The
Star today reprints those portions of his let
ter which relate to the matters involved In
the controversy between the correspondent
and the Alabama official. After a vigorous
verbal assault upon Mr.. Curtis personally
in introduction Mr.. Thompson takes up the
specifications of Mr.. Curtis charges and
replies to them at length as follows:
Vote Comparisons.
"You charge that the present referees
In Alabama upon whom President Roose-
welt depends for advice in matters of pa
tronage are said to be honorable men. but
they have reduced the voting strength of
the party to e, 600 at the recent election in
November.
TT is unfair to compare the republican
vote of 1904 in Alabama with that cast in
1900. Because by the going into effect In
1901 of the new constitution of the state
177,O00 colored voters of the state out OF
colored voting population of ISL 900 were
disfranchised. Perhaps there are at pres
ent but 5000 registered colored voters In
the state. The decrease in the republican
vote In Alabama, about which you write
and for which you arraign us as RESPONSE
ble is due alone and solely to the opera
ton of the new constitution.
"If 1t was not your purpose to unfairly
discredit the Presidents advisers in Ala
bama why did you not compare the vote
of the two elections occurring under the
provisions Of the new constitution! You
must know 1t to be. fact that the opposl-
ton to the democratic party after the adop-
ton of the new constitution in 1902 was
less than q, 1000 and that the opposition
vote in 1904, under, the new referee order
of things was more than 9,oOO, thus snow
ing an increase in the opposition vote since
I have been chairman of the republican
committee. "a ar
Democratic Disaffection.
Taking into consideration the fact that
there are over 232 600 white persons of voting
age in Alabama, and fully 100000 regis
tered white voters In the state, is there not
sufficient concern why democratic advisers
should employ their time in fortifying and
strengthening the following of that party
which polled only 10, 600 votes for Parker,
instead of criticising the leadership of the
republican party in this state, which sue
ceeded in polling nearly 25sO00 votes for
Roosevelt and caused great number Of
voters to decline to vote the democratic
ticket? -,
"a great majority of the white persons
of voting age in Alabama refrained from
acting with the democratic party, and a
larger number Of these voters would have
acted with the republicans but for the mis-
representation and abuse of the republican
ny,f md ~ hn inoy orfv in
dulged in by partisan newspapers and poll
ticians who are seeking to direct republi-
can affairs and to NEEDLE in republican poll
tiles.
Mr.. Thompson's Brothers.
you state the following as facts: The
chairman of the board who is also chair
man of the republican state committee, is
]. o. Thompson of Tuskegee, whose brother
was. recently the democratic member of
Congress from that district. Another
brother has been a leader in the populist
party. Mr.. Thompson Is a man Of good
standing and family, but is no more COM
petent to judge of the qualifications of can
didates for office than any one of the %, 900
republicans who voted for Roosevelt at the
last election. He assigned himself to the
most important Office in the state, that of
collector of internal revenue, and has thr-
ty-hye deputies travelling through Alabama
at the expense of the government and
drawing government salaries, in keeping up
the organization he has formed
1T Is true that 1 had a brother who was
democratic member of Congress, but 1t is
utterly untrue that I ever had brother
who was leader In the populist party. It
is ludlcrously, not to say, meanly false, to
say that as chairman I assigned myself the
most important office in the state. because
at the time l was appointed collector of
internal revenue / was neither chairman
nor referee. That have my deputies tray
cling through Alabama at the expense OF
the government to keep up the organiza-
ton l have formed Is absolutely SANDER
Gus, for such state of affairs would be i'm
possible, with my, office ranking as it does
as high as any in the United States. and
agents OF the department continually trav-
enng over the state and overlooking the
work OF my deputies. In refutation Of this
SANDER. reference is made to the depart
ment at washington, and to any fair-mind-
cd, truthful man In Alabama, republican or
democrat.
Charles n. scott's Standing.
Your statement that my associate, Mr.
Charles H Scott is no more disinterested
nor better qualified than Mr.. Thompson is
gratuitous statement on your part, with
out semblance Of fact to sustain 1t.
Had you wanted to know the facts, and
II you had been as diligent in getting at the
truth as you We're in trying to serve some
partisan end against the referees, you could
- As.SSA Aoihc0 txidt OaPt. OCOlC Is a man
OF wealth and standingC a southerner,
native Of Montgomery, Ala, who has not
asked ONCE under the administration nor is
ne going to do so.n YOU could also have
learned from those who mo doubt inspired
your libel as to Capt Scots ability, that
MS prowess was we'll known from the man.
ner In which he enhaseulated them in their
enorts to defeat hin for national commit
teeman. by placing In has stead man of
open hostility to the President as we'll as
to republican principles, You could also
nave learned that az very prominent posi-
ton was offered one 6f Capt scott's broth
ers, who declined the same, and that no
member of his family is an office holder,
or expects to be, and that the work he has
done in the upbuildiiIg of the party In Ala
ture. fSS 2 .
You refer to a thrd, referee who is not
working In harmony with his confreres,
ana who Is causing them a great deal of
trouble. 1t is well known In Alabama, as
well as elsewhere, that there is no third
referee.
The Postmaster at Dothan.
You state that upon the recommends
ton of Scott and Thompson the President
recently appointed postmaster at the
town of Dothan, a thriving place of about