The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-08-18
RUTLAND POLITICS

| OVhoiuVthVtt Ddu rtthuS Jhiu w
Exist as Result Of the Appoint
ment OF George Y. Pease as Post
master.
Rutland, August 12.-With the ap-
pointment of George F. Pease as post
master of this city, the contest for
that office is ended but the whole
story has not yet been told. Beneath
the surface there is good deal of bad
feeling and it is evident that con-
siderable time will elapse before nor
NAL political conditions are restored
Gossip which the Journal represen-
! tative hears in substance is as fol-
lows:
J Postmaster John A. Sheldon died
on July 25 but it had been apparent
for some time that ne could not re-
cover from his Illness. When the va
cancy in the office occurred, there
were five candidates for the position.
These were ex-Mayor- R. L. Rich
mond, former United States Marshal
Fred A. Field, United States Commits
sioner James A. Merrill, Charles T.
Fairfield, editor of the Rutland News,
and Assistant Postmaster George F.
Pease. While, of course, the Presi-
dent appoints the Postmaster of city
the size of Rutland. under ordinary
circumstances the actual choice is
left with the Congressman of the dis
trict in which the vacancy occurs.
AS already announced in the Jour
nal, Congressman Foster recommend
ed the choice of Mr.. Pease and the
President has nominated him for the
vacant postmaster The state
ment made by Mr.. Foster was to the
effect that Mr.. Pease, having received
a good-sized majority of the names
attached to the petitions, he was sell
ected as being the popular choice for
the office
The story that the Journal man
hears is that other candidates did not
understand at the outset of the con-
test that general petitions would be
necessary but that letters of endorse
ment from substantial people of the
community were desired. 1t is claim
ed further that it was but two days
before the time for closing the con-
test that four of the five candidates
knew that general petitions would de-
about 700 signatures on his petition.
In the last two days of the contest,
one candidate who had already sent
in about 1876 letters of endorsement,
secured 291 names on his petition.
He claims that in weeks time he
could have secured 1900 names. 1t is
said that Mr.. Foster was asked to ex-
tend the time of the contest few days
when it was known that petitions
were desired but declined to do so.
The political affiliations of the candi-
date are said to have been as follows
Mr.. Field was known as strong sup
porter of DR.. John A. Mead and P.
w. Clement; Mr.. Richmond was
strong Proctor man; Mr. Fairfield has
been a supporter of both Proctor and
Mead; Judge Merrill has been a fol-
lower of P. w. Clement; while Mr..
Pease has not allied himself with any
faction having been in the postal SER
vice in one capacity or another for
about thirty years.
1t is understood that Mr.. Clement
desired the appointment of Mr.. Field,
but his appointment was not looked
on as being probable by those
on the inside. 1t is said that
Judge Merrill expected Mr.. Clements
support as second choice but that
Congressman Foster did not see fit
to select a man who had been an ac-
tive Clement supporter. Therefore
Mr.. Clements influence went to
Pease. AS the story goes, DR.. Mead
endorsed both Field and Fairfield and
lulS mas dIOuSeu ueep resentment
These are some of the stories that
one hears as an aftermath of the con-
test for Postmaster. What the effect
will be on Doctor Meads vote for
Governor in this city this fall and on
the Congressional situation two years
hence remains to be seen. At the
present time, however, the actual sit
uation is far from being harmonious
as some reports have indicated
GETTING THINGS REAnY