The Washington times., 1907-05-15
PATRONAGE CLUB
SMASHES OFFICE
OF COL. HUGHES
BrownloW Faction Post
master Removed, Al
legedly Without
Cause.
Reads Riot Act to
President and Shakes
Fist.

Fist.
NEW YORK, May l5.-The New YorI
Times today publishes the following
special dispatch from Washington:
The Federal Patronage club fell agar
with d crash on the Brownlow factor
in Tennessee today, when Col. Arch NJ
Hughes. OF Columbia, was removed
from the pOstmastership despite the
general testimony Of Republicans and
Democrats alike that his Office had been
administered efficiently. Secretary Cor
telyou OF the Treasury and the Post
Office Department are busy lining up
Tennessee in the Roosevelt ranks, and
the whole power of the Administration
IS being devoted 10 driving out OF power
Representative Brownlow. the only Re
publican Congressma from Tennessee.
Brownlow has been on here protesting
that he Is for Taft, but his word has
not been accepted. II. Clay Evans and
his faction beat him 10 the Presidential
ear. and Brownlow has TO go. Hughes,
VINO IS a politician Of influence In Ten
nessee, is going home full of rage and
preparing TO fight, and the Republican
2
Is 10 be split as wide open as the party
in Ohio.
"RiOt Act" to President.
Chairman Newell Sanders, of the state
committee joint head with Evans OF
the administration faction. promised
Hughes place TO a subordinate named
jackson months ago. Jackson, who had
been Brownlow man, is now post
master.
Hughes created some of the most stir
ring scenes that have been Witnessed in
Washington FOR many a long day. He
went 10 the White House IIu or fight.
ana read the riot act TO the President
as very lew ever have dared 10 read
a., ana ne read II also to Assistant
postmaster General Hitchcock. the gem
eral manager OF the patronage campaign
In the South.
The scene between Hughes and the
PRESIDENT was witnessed by a lot OF
prominent people. Hughes Is an old
confederate soldier who fought under
FORREST IN the civil war, and suisse
0ucnuy served as a lieutenant colonel IN
The Spanish war. He is politician
OF the Old stripe, and one OF the 3o5
VINO voted Tor Grant at Chicago in 1850.
lie has the look of man who is no
more afraid of a President now than
ne was of Yankee In 1864. or a Span
lard In lS9S; a gray-musJaCned old sol
der with rudy face, d sharp eye,
Waves His Fist.
Representative John Wesley Gaines.
Democrat. OF Tennessee. escorted Hughes
10 the White House. The President
received him in the presence Of several
other callers who were waiting their
turn. Hughes stated his case without
any attempt at Cancellation. and wound
up with this, emphasized with a waving
fist:
You wouldn't dismiss a messenger
from the White House without hear
ing. and Yet you dismiss me without
one, and on the eX-parte statement of
a man who IS interested in getting my
place"
You shall have a hearing" replied
the President. Il will introduce you to
the Postmaster General, If you will
wait"
Presently Postmaster General Meyer
came IN, and the President said This
is Colonel Hughes, the postmaster at
Columbia, Tenn l wish you TO give
him a hearing"
Mr.. Meyer said he would. and Hughes
started 10 go. The President turned 20
leave the room.
Tells President He'll Fight.
"One minute. Mr.. President" cried
Colonel Hughes. There is one thing
more I want to say to you. and l may
never have another opportunity"
What IS that?" asked the President |
Il mad two great-grandfathers at !
Kings Mountain, one of whom was
wounded cried Hughes, and my own
grandfather commanded old Jackson's /
bodyguard at Talladega and The Horse /
shoe, and l don't come from stock that /
will submit 10 this kind Of treatment /
without a fight
Good; very good" said the President. |
Hughes was removed from his post /
mastership. just as promptly as the |
q Nn HHna Il Ia don Il
see Assistant Postmaster General /
Hitchcock. who has been down South i
recently. bringing that section into line 1
for Roosevelt Hitchcock has been the
agent of the Evans faction in getting
Hughes out, in the interest. of course, /
of the Federal Administra tlon.
Removal Without Cause?
Hitchcock" said Hughes. "You think
you know something about politics. I
was voting for Grant at Chicago when
you were in dresses, and yet you think
YOU can teach me something about poll
tics in Tennessee. I'm going back there
TO be elected a delegate to the national
convention. and as soon as I'm elected
IN coming back here to shake my finger
In your face and ask you TO take a few
klhderkarten lessons before you go into
the South again"
No one pretends that Hughes office
was not efficiently run. The removal Is
made ostensibly on the ground that he
nad been absent at various times from
his office, but the force of this was
somewhat broken by the fact that each
time hughes was absent he had the
written permission Of the department.
on remove me because l have been
absent with permission" shouted tho ola
cavalryman TO Hitchcock. and vet YOU
have been absent the Lord knows how
long. going down South on political mis- {
siOns.'
BENJAMIN lDE WHEELER
TO HEAD R0ST0N TELL