The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-25
BINGHAM EDITOR
ON JOE HOWELL
Visit of Congressman to Camp
8 Is Basis of Red-Hot
Article.
p0ST0FFICE MUDDLE
DISCUSSED AT LENGTH
Howell, 1t Is Claimed, Now Be
lieves That Serious Blum
der Has Been Made.

Congressman Joseph Howell visited
Bingham last week to look after his
nolitical fences, and here is what the
Bingham Bulletin said Of him:
Congressman Joseph Howell of Logan
spent Tuesday and Wednesday in BinR-
ham looking over the political situation
aud trying to find out why the people
10 not like his selection of Atha Will
liams as postmaster to succeed man
named Roberts.
1t was not hard for Mr., Howell to
discover that his Bingham protege was
not holding any y,,T medals for popularity
urging hard upon the Congressman to
Gght for the nomination of Williams,
even the distinguished lawmaker was
little reluctant TO swallow the pill OF
backing up the gun-6ghter for the Fed
cral appointment.
. What He Learned.
Mr.. Howell learned that the indorse-
lnent Of Williams came from not more
than twenty people in the DISTRICT,
while not less than 80 and probably ~
per cent Of the residents were opposed
10 him. Mr. Howell also learned that
the solid opposition to the Republican
party in Bingham district. and which
brought about the defeat of such lead.
ing politicians as A. V. Anderson and
Charles II. Roberts, was due. solely TO
the attempt of the party to bolster, up
Howell discovered that the two prize
packages of the Republican party in
Bingham had been made TO bite the
dust, one of them. no less q parsonage
than the postmaster, being put to sleep
by Democrat who polled a vote or
three to one over the "'Big Mitt -
1t was sad news for the Logan man
and the warnings that The Bulletin has
been sending out to tho party seemed
70 reach the right spot in Mr.. Howell,
who is regarded as one OF the most in
telligent party leaders of Utah.
Reconciliation Sought.
The visiting Congressman was and-
Gus To see a reconciliation between the
warring factions OF Republicans in
Bingham, with the hope that the party
might be cemented tightly for the COM
ing fray in November next. But when
ne found that the grafters of the party
insisted on having another chance, to
grab the peoples pennies and that they
were going to the front with their little
fake newspaper seeking recognition and
political preferment at the hands of the
voters next fall, the Logan Congress
man saw the hopelessness of the situa-
tion and abandoned his efforts.
Not Entirely Pleased.
1t is said that notwithstanding the
Endorsement of "Fussy' Jimmy Ander-
son and the Bingham grafters, Mr..
Howell is not entirely pleased with hav-
ing Atha Williams forced upon him, OF |
course, the. Bingham contingent prom
Ised that if Mr.. Howell would stick to
Williams the Republican gang would |
send n delegation to the State conven-
ion which would place Farley P. Chris. |
fensen, Mr.. Howell 8 formidable rival
Tor the next nomination, on q back |
shelf. This assurance did not altogeth- |
er make Mr.. Howell happy, as he had |
learned with what poor success the Big |
Nitt bunch had conducted the last two |
local campaigns in Bingham, and it is |
said as a result OF the Congressman IS
distaste for the Williams pill, even
when sugar-coated with this promise Of |
support, a private conference of well
known politicians was called last Tues
lay night and behind drawn curtains |
the possibility of naming some one else |
or the postmastership was freely dis
cussed.
General Expression.
With the plum thrown open for com
petition there are many bids, although |
the general expression obtained by Mr..
Howell during his stay was "anyone
but Williams He was then told that
if he would select the next man coming
along the road driving a team he could
feel assured his choice would come near
ec meeting the approval Of the people
who must patronize the Bingham post
office than will his present prospect.
lp Bingham 1t is not a question of
preferment. II is merely an earnest
desire to avoid the worst. While the
obnoxious Charley has gone. the people
would rather call him back from his
chickens than contemplate a postofice
under the control of "Guu Playn Atha,
With him behind the letter window pat
rons of Uncle Sam office will expect
20 be shot at while calling for mail
Tough Field to Work In.
Mr.. Howell found Bingham a tough
field to work in, and his fences badly |
decayed. Graft germs had eaten thor.
oughly the political system of the dis
trict and mis- mission of reform prom
ised discouragement.
By cutting loose from the shell game
workers of the party and giving Bipp-
ham clean, competent and sensible Of
fceholders, Mr.. Howell could win I'M
dying support for himself and the Re.
publicans of Utah, But for some reason
the Salt Lake county gang still seems
to be able to fool their Representatives
at the National capital In the past
year the Republicans have discovered