The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-04
(Communieated)
Gives Reasons For Being
For Knox For Senator

Admission, April ESPECIALLY Mr..
W. F. Curvin of oxford Ala, who was
formerly letter carrier on one of the
routes leading out from Oxford and
who occupied a very prominent position
among the Association of Rural Letter
Carriers, having been sent as dele
gate to the National association, when
asked by a reporter as to who the rural
letter carriers would be for in the SEN
atorial race said
4 do not know. Speaking for myself
I will say I am not for Mr.. Bankhead,
and ] am for Mr. Knox. l do not see how
the rural carriers or anyone else who
knows him can be for Mr.. Bankhead
Il have been a rural letter carrier
going out from this office since October
l. 1901 until January IA, 1910, when
my resignation went into effect. At our
last state convention, held at Admission
Ala in September, l was elected one
of the delegates to the national con-
vention, held at Rochester, N. Y, Sep
TENDER 21-24. 1899. which I attended in
the interest of our association in Ala
bama.
Il have done all that l know how TO
do to improve the service. and have
gone down into my pocket and spent
hard-earned money to get the associa-
tion up to a membership so that II
would command some respect and have
some weight with the postoffice de-
partment, and with the people Sener-
ally.
Il can give one illustration which
ought to justify me in, the Judgment OF
any fair minded citizen for not being
for Mr. Bankhead for reelection to the
senate. When | decided to retire from
the service 1 became interested in Sc
curing for my substitute the position |
had been filing He was a careful, ca
pable, efficient young fellow, and as
advised him in advance of my intention
to retire, he made special effort to quail
ffy himself to succeed me He was in
dorsed for appointment by practically
all the patrons of the route, and also
stood at the head OF the civil service
list after a practical examination held
for this office.
Il did what I could to secure the
place for him, but failed. Another car
rier whose route was about to be dis
continued at another office and which
was afterward discontinued, secured the
appointment, and, as l afterward
learned, through the aid and active as
sstance of Mr.. Bankhead.
Being wholly unaware of Mr.. Bank
heads participation in defeating my
plans. and in securing the appointment
for the gentleman whose route mad
been discontinued, and having been pre-
viously assured by Mr.. Bankhead THAI
he would be more than pleased to serve
me in any way in his power, / applied
to him for assistance, and sent him
petition from practically all of the
patrons on this route, urging the APP
pointment of my substitute to the place.
Now, please understand that ! have
no criticism TO make of the gentleman
f.l1 san
!. have l any criticism to make upon Mr..
ABankhead for securing the place for
him The man appointed may have
been and may be a better man than the
one / recommended, and Mr. Bankhead
may have rendered a public service in
defeating my plans, and in securing SO
efficient a man for the position. l do
not propose a this time to discuss that
question.
"The ground of my complaint against
M. Bankhead is: That, in view Of his
previous promise to assist me in any mat
ter where he could do so, when l pre-
sentcd my petition TO him in behalf of the
appointment of my substitute, he did not
frankly say to me that he had been the
agency through which my plans for the
appointment of my substitute had been
defeated. He did not do so. On the con-
trary, in his letters to me he led me to
believe that he was exercising his sena-
torial influence in my behalf, a promise
which the event proved was not full
filled.
MY efforts in behalf OF my substitute
failed, and necessarily failed for the reas-
on that, while | had a good case / had
q poor advocate If Mr. Banllhead would
have frankly advised me of the fact that
he could not assist me. / might have
taken the matter up with our other SEN
ator or with our congressman, or /
might have taken the matter up with the
postofficc department ! am a very hum
BILE citizen. / may not amount to much,
but | have feeling that / ought to be
Justly dealt with even by United STAKES
senator.
Instead of informing me Of the true
state Of facts, Mr.. Bankhead led me to
believe that | should and would have his
assistance, and even wrote me- that he
would personally call at the nostoffiee do
partment and intervene in my behalf. He
afterwards wrote me that he had done
so. and that his efforts in my behalf
had proven Intellectual
''ln the meantime he did not omit in
sach Of his letters to remind me thar he
was a candidate for recollection 10 the
United States Senate. and would be glao
in consideration of the service he was
rendering me, to secure my support and
assistance
THAT / may do him no injustice In the
premises, l furnish herewith COPIES of
his letters. the originals of which have
In ny possession:
United States Senate.
Washington. d. c., February 81, 1910.
Mr.. w. F. Curvin. Admission, Ala:
My Dear Sir
your letter of the 18th inst is received
ard carefully noted / am exceedingly
busy committee work. which begins
about o'clock in the morning. which
Nth sessions of the Senate, consume mosi
~ the day. The first opportunity I have
will see the postoffice department in re-