The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-07-17
HOW DID MR.. DOUGLAS GET TT?

the meeting Of the republican state con-
vention at Greensboro the president
ended the long and hotly contested
fight over the postmasterships 1T
Greensboro and Goldsboro by appoint
ing the organization candidate 10 the
former and the Blackburn man to he
latter, after he had, during the late ses-
sion Of congress, sent 10 the senate
the names Of the Blackburn men for
both places and they had been held up
in that body until adjournment?
This is a question which has been
puzzling the people Of North Carolina
ever since the announcement vas made
that Messrs. Douglas and Grant mad
been given recess appointments to
these Offices.
There IS something nor than local
interest in this matter. 1t has much
bearing on the attitude toward and The
relationship Of the administration with
the republican party in this state.
The presidents final action does Q
mean that he has, after long cons:l-
Grafton, come TO the conclusion tnat
Mr.. Douglas is the better qualified Of
the two aspirants for the Greensboro
office and Mr.. Grant for that at Colds
boro. Every one knows that there is
politics behind it.
Up to a very recent date it vas re-
peatedIy asserted that it was the in
fuence with the powers that be- of
Marion Butler which kept the former
appointees of the president, Grant and
Frazier (both Mr.. Blackburn's recon-
mendations), from being confirmed.
Now it is said that Marion Butler had
nothing 10 do with it; that Mr.. Doug
las was appointed to prevent the Or
ganizatiOn party from being defeated
in the state convention and that Mr..
Grant was given the GoldsbOro office TO
keep the Blackburnites from being toe
sore over the defeat Of Mr.. Frazer.
1t is said Marion Butler was mOre
anxious to have Mr.. Grant defeated
than Mr.. Douglas. He was especially
DESTROYS that Postmaster DOdsOn
should hold the Goldsboro office.
The Greensboro Record gives what
it thinks is the true inwardness" OF
the action Of the president in appoint
ing Messrs. Douglas and Grant in the
following:
Judge Adams friends, could they be
induced to tell the correct story, would
tell you that up to MIN O'Clock on
Monday night, Blackburn had him
beaten, but with Taft n the appoint
ment Of Mr.. Douglas postmaster and
the kicking Of Mr.. cyrus P. Frazier
squarely in the ditch, Adams stock be-
gan to ook up n by the time Mr..
Taft was through with his speech the
shoe was on the other foot.
But Mr.. Butler gets credit for a lot
Of things he does not do. 1t was said
that he was instrumental in having
Douglas appointed postmaster. The
story comes right from the inside that
he did not know anything more about
it than did Frazier; he got his first
knowledge Of it after he had arrived
here. The trick was done by Judge
Douglas and MIR. ThOs. S. Rollins while
in Washington waiting to escort the
secretary Of war to Greensboro. They
set their triggers before they reached
the National capital and after arriv-
ing there managed to get Mr.. Roose-
welt over the long distance at Oyster
Bay. They told him the situation;
that the best healing oil to be used was
the kind that gave neither faction an
advantage; to appoint Douglas in
Greensboro and Grant in Goldsboro;
this would be showing no preference;
that Mr.. T. Glenn did not want to
serve any longer, wanted to get out,
in fact, right away, and so on. The
president told them he would do it and
they asked hat the appointment
should not be given out unit late in
the afternoon, so that none Of the af-
ternOOn papers could get it. This was
done.
There is reason in this story, for
Butler would at any time have let Fra
zier in could he by doing so, have kept
Grant out: Buffers friends here-the
men who We're fighting Frazier-knew
| this and We're expecting it all the time.