The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-05
is TAFT SWINGING
PATRONAGE CLUB?
Bristow Asks Senate to
Investigate His
Conduct.
NORTH CAROLINA
G ASE is CITED
Reads Letter From Southern
Postmaster Charging PERM
cious Activity" Among Fed
eral Officeholders in Their
Mad Scramble for Dele
gates to Convention. i

Washington. March 4-Seaator Bris.
tow tossed a hrebrand into the Senate
&C. day when he introduced resolution,
apparently aimed at President Taft,
Irsing an inquiry into reports that ten
nominations OF Federal otilccholdcrs in
North Carolina had recently been with
drawn BY the President to influence
politicians in that State.
The inquiry also would DC directed
To learn If post Office inspectors wero
being sent through the country as poll
iical emissarics. and IL postmastera
were being threatened with removal IL
they failed to support certain candi-
dates.
Pcrnicious Activity Charged.
Senator Bristow read TO the senate a
letter from Postmaster George r.
Lewis, OF Bessemer, Ala, which cnarg-
ed Postmaster Truman II. Aldrich, re-
Gently appointed ut Birmingham, and
other Federal officers with political
activity for President Taft. Senator
Eristow did not get the letter bcfors
the Senate. however, without objec-
ton. Senator Gail!ngsr objected to
it's being read by the clerk; thereupon
Senator Bristow called for the letter
and read 1t himself
Postmaster Lcwis's letter was to
Post Otilce Inspector W. j. Marles re-
plying TO the inspectors charge that
he had been guilty of political activ-
ity in December. 1910. and May, 1911.
1t is dated February "a.
Lewis began his letter by saying that
Marles had appeared IN Birmingham
two days after he (Lewis) had voted
for resolutions indorsing Colonel
Roosevelt. Marles arrived, he said, at
| ..
being held and when ct was a matter
OF public notoriety that Federal office
holders in tho Southern States, espec-
tally Alabama, arc u mass OF ssethinS
political activity"
He charged the inspector with shut
tinE your eyes to the most fluGrant OK
amples Of pernicious political activity
in behalf OF President Taft. while you
direct the scarchlisht OF your investi-
CATION along these lines only against
few postmasters who have expressed
Il preference to Roosevelt"
Among other things, Lewis charged
that Postmaster Aldrich and two OF
his letter carriers attended q county
! convention AZ delegates. .Aldrlch at
tended meeting of tins Republican
district executive committee, the letter
says, and this is Lewis's version OF
what happened:
Bolts Convention.
When II was developed on the roll
call that sixteen members of the com
mtttco stood In favor OF Endorsing
| Roosevelt FOR President and eleven
members were opposed. with those
eleven members Aldrich withdrew from
| the floor of the committee, and at the
time of his withdrawal became 80 en-
cited that he shook his fist at a mem
her of the committee and stated that
he would settle with him outside In
addition 10 this Aldrich has been writ
inS letters to postmasterS and others
over this district endeayorlng to line
| them up III opposition to Colonel Roosc-
| welt and liz favor OF President Taft.
/ If You are DESTROYS Il pursuing this
/ investigation as to 'perRicous politi-
cal activity, in an unbiased way along
proper and Legitimate lines you can
easily ascertain. aud ] shall furnish
| you with the names VI those from
whom you can ascertain Inc facts, thur
, en- the morning OF the meeting OF the
committee in birmingham, two post
irastcrs--N. l.. Wilson. of Blockton,
! Ma. and NJ. {. Fullcr, of Ccntrcvills,
Ald..-mcmbers Of this committee. came
4" the law office OF Judge Oscar II.
| llundlcy, in Birmingham. where A. [.
Elan, member Of the committee from
Eibb county. was in consultation with
iIundlcy and other fritrds OF Colonel
Roosevelt, when they requested a pri-
Nntc interview with Elan, and Judge
liun1icy rendered room IN his office
! where they could have their private in
tcrvicw
"Thcroupon these Two pos tnnasters.
hy persuasion ana promises az o,licivA
favor. ondeavorul 90 SIT Elan 20
cnangc his allegiance tiom Colonel
/ Roosevelt and side with them in their
! effort to have this committee inaorse
! the candidacy OF President Taft"