Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-06
Alabama Politicians Lay Trou-
bIes Before President.
HITCHCOCK VS.. HILLEs
Question Is, Which Shall Control In
Southern State2
DELEGATION AT WHITE HOUSE
Strife Between J. o. Thompson and
p. M. Long for State Committee
Craftsmanship Discussed.

Alabama politicians at me White House
today asserted that a straight-cut Issue
has been precipitated before President
Taft to whether Postmaster General
Frank II. Hitchcock or Charles u. Hiiies
secretary to President Taft. shah manage
the politics OF the administration from
now until the republican national conwen-
ton meets.
carload OF Alabama officehoiders and
politicians saw the President this morri-
ing, and later conference of much i'm
portance took place at which there were
present Secretary Hilles j. o. Thompson.
collector of internal revenue OF Alabama
and p. d. Barker. republican national
ommitteeman. postmaster at Mobile
This conference was for the purpose OF
trying to adjudicate a factional row within
the republican organization. and also to
settle the question Of which faction will
be recognized by the administration. In
this settlement is involved the so-called
issue between Messrs. Hitchcock and
Hiles.
J. O. Thompson has been the almost
undisputed head Of the Alabama repub-
lican party for nearly eight years, dur
ing which time he has been republican
state chairman and collector OF internal
revenue. Three years ago +. ID. Barker
was made national committeeman. Dur
ing the Roosevelt administration Mr.
Thompson was the only patronage referee
in the state, and his recommendations
were not disputed. After the Taft ad-
referees. They were Thompson and Bar
ker, but in the last six months Mr.
Thompson has been out of the game.
eliminated by Postmaster General Hitch
hic fria nj
controlled the patronage.
The situation got to such point thaf
Thompson recently wrote Barker letter
declining to any longer continue with
him in running the affairs of the party
and virtually announcing that he did not
consider Mr. Barker a man whose history
would give strength or glory to the re-
publican party Of Alabama Thompson's
friends asserted that Barker had unfairly
undermined Mr.. Thompson with the adj
mlnistration and thereby brought about
factional differences. To add to the other
troubles Of Mr.. Thompson, q candidate
came out against him for chairman OF
the republican state committee.
This candidate is p. NJ. Long. United
st ates marshal Of the northern district OF
the state. More than twenty-five OF the
forty-one members of the present state
committee came out for Long. II is stated,
and there has been a general lineup OF
the factions.
Rush for Washington.
Down in Alabama the story was cir
culated that President Taft. through the
influence OF Secretary Hilles and Booker
T. Washington. would throw the weight
Of the administration with Thompson.
This caused a big delegation OF republic
ans to take train to Washington and To
make an immediate rush for the White
House on arrival here. Those who saw
the President this morning were:
j. ]. Curtis, judge fourteenth judicial
circuit of Alabama: O. ID. Street, chair
man seventh congressional district repub-
States district attorney, Birmingham;
Warren s Reese, United States district
attorney, Montgomery; Sim T. wright
representative In legislature and chairman
sixth congressional district republican ex-
ecutive committee: Joseph II. Mont
gomery state republican executive com
mittee and postmaster, Birminghamf
w. l. Chenault, member republican state
executive committee and postmaster, Rus
sellville; n. II. Freeman, chairman re-
r,ublican executive committee, winston
county and postmaster, Haleyvflle; q. Is.
Dean, United States marshal. Mobile, and
member republican state executive com
mittee: II. G.. Ashley, collector at Mobile:
w W. Simmons, member state republican
executive committee and postmaster,
Athens: Jesse w. Barnes. chairman re-
publican convention committee, Covlng-
ton county: T. H. Aldrich; N. L. Wilson.
chairman Bibb county republican execu-
tive committee.
The deleeation told the President that
all the Alabama republicans asked him
to do was to hold his hands OF and per-
nit them to settle the state chairman
ship for themselves, without any inter
ference from the White House. They
claimed that they represented the bulk
of the republican party of the state. IN
Guiding the negro vote or the six negro
members of the state committee they
said. four had signed papers friendly TO
Long and against Thompson.
Tired Of chickering's.
The President told the delegation that
he would investigate the whole thing.
but intfmated that he was sick and tired
of the chickering's of the Alabama fao-
tions
At the conference at which Thompson
and Barker laid their woes before the
President he ascertained something OF
the fight between the two men. and could
read between the lines that II must tn
volye q member of his cabinet and his
secretary. Thompson and Barker both
produced some of the correspondence and
attempted to make bad showings for each
other.
Postmaster General Hitchcock attempt.
ed some time ago to bring Barker and
Thompson together in his Office. but II Is
declared that Thompson ignored the re-
quest OF Mr. Hitchcock and did not ap-
pear For that reason Mr.. Hitchcock gave
the President to understand. 1t Is claimed.
that so far as post office patronage goes
Mr.. Thompson will have no further
weight He told the President that he
had tried to settle the differences between
Thompson and Barker, and Thompson
having failed to show any desire for set
tlement, he would not hereafter be reco8-
nized by the Post Office Department.
Prof. Booker T. Washington. who has
had much to do with the negro appoint
ments made by President Taft. was at
the White House a few days ago and
Hilles. Washington is declared to be
for Thompson, while Mr.. Hilles ID also
said to be for him. although he has so
FAR done nothing to bring about a clash
between himself and Mr.. Hitchcock.
How Politicians See It.
As the situation is now "doped out" by
the Alabamians, recognition Of Thomp-
son by the President will mean q throw
down. for Mr.. Hitchcock. while recogni.
tion OF the Barker-Long faction will
mean a rundown for Mr.. Hilles. Mr..
Hitchcock has the best Of the argument
at this tine because the post office ap-
pofntmento oOme under HIM, and he has
liberty, under the general orders OF the
President, to do a. he deems best.
The matter OF political pre-eminence In
the administration must be settled ~