Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-02-19
Behind the Scenes in This District

Behind the Scenes in This District
There no longer appears to be
any doubt that Ed Knott of Waver-
ly, since the withdrawal Of Con-
gressman Birdsall, is doing all in
his power is line up the federal pat
ronage for Pickett.
1t has recently come to the knowl-
edge Of your correspondent that on
January 80 there was held in back
room in Waverly a meeting Of four
persons, of which Knott was the
leader The purpose of the gathering
was to map out a course of proceed
ure in the political situation. After
a casual survey of things Mr.. Knott
outlined the policy of himself and
his associates as follows:
Dirdsall, Knott said. had made up
his mind that he would withdraw
from the contes-, and that the with
drawal was then i'll the hands OF
George Wright of Eagle Groye, hut
for tactical reasons would not be
made public until Feb. 5. Knott,
further declared that he was going
over to Eagle Grove to see Wright.
at which time plans OF operation
would be further laid cut.
Following the plan OF campaign.
Knott went to Waterloo on Friday
or Saturday, Jan. 81 or Feb. l. and
held a conference with George Lich-
ty, the manager Of Picket'ts politi-
cal fortunes. After the interview
with the Pickett forces at Waterloo,
Knott, in pursuance Of the plan
mapped out, went to Eagle Grove.
where he met Wright, chairman of
tho congressional committee, and
well known as Birdsall's political
manager.
! What was said at Eagle Grove is
net known; but it is a matter too
we'll known to oadmit of dispute that
on Saturday, Feb. l, Mr.. Wright
and Ed Knott went to Dubuque to
hold conference there. An unex-
pected delay at Oelwein compelled
them to lay over four hours, during
which every phase Of the situation
was gone over.
| On Sunday there was held in Du-
buque a meeting of politicians whose
antecedents leave no doubt as to
what was brewing. Ed. Knott, long
ltime United States marshal, was
there, as was George Wright, Knots
fellow passengerof ofsthe night before
land Birdsalle . rolitical manager
1Joseph Morgan, postmaster Of Du-
Ebhque, and his right hand, man,
Herman Ternes, were not absent
| Messers Adams and Mclean, Sena-
tor Allison's political managers;
George Lichty, pilot of Pickett's po-
iitical fortunes, and Howard Ram,
another postmaster and editor of
| The Manchester Press, completed
the gathering. That there should
be gathered togethert together in sec
ret conference these men, represent
ing apparently diverse interests, is
significant. What was said at this
meeting has not been discovered by
your correspondent, but subsequent
events furnish no uncertain clew to
its purport.
After his return to Waverly, Ed.
. Knott conGded to number Of citi.
zens that substantially the following
course Of procedure had beer
, agreed upon:
As first, and to- Knott's mine
.. apparently the important step, the
conclusion had been reached tina,
the federal patronage, SO far as i
could be controlled by him, was tt
, beturned over to Mr.. Pickett i
had been further arranged, Knot
said, that Wright, Birdsall's mana
er, would look after" Hardin ane
, Wright counties and Howard L
,, Ram would deliver" Delawar,
county; that George Lichty woult
, manage" Black Hawk county, ant
Joseph Morgan, the Dubuque post
! master, with the assistance of hi
lieutenant, Ternes, would handle
Z Dubuque county.
Knott grew eloquent in his POI
: trayal of the clever scheme and wit
2 dramatic gesture declared that h
/ would float from one end Of til
district to the other in the interest
, of Pickett and to beat Sweet.
Sweet, he said, could have Bremen
but KNOTT controlled three counties
\ These were presumably Butle
i Franklin and Buchanan.
Much more which may have
profound bearing on the politics
situation in the future was said b
Mr.. Knott Rapids Gazett