The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-03-09
BATTLE FOR DELEGATES.
BRISTOW STIRS UP FEDERAL OF
FTCE MESS.
Resolution of Inquiry, Apparently
Aimed at Taft, Accompanied by
Charges of PerniCiOus Activity.

Washington, March 4.-Senator
Bristow tossed firebrand into the
senate today, when he introduced a
resolution apparently aimed at Presi.
dent Taft, urging an inquiry into re-
ports that ten nominations of federal
officeholders in North Carolina had
recently been withdrawn by the pres
ident TO influence politicians in that
State.
The inquiry also would be directed
to learning if postoffice inspectors
were being sent through the country
as POLITICAL emissaries, and if post
masters Were being threatened with
removal If they failed to support GER
tain candidates. Senator Bristow
read to the senate a letter from Geo.
K. Lewis, postmaster Of Bessemer,
Ana, which charged Truman III. Aid
rich, recently appointed postmaster at
GERS. with political activity on behalf
of President Taft
Senator Bristow did not get the
letter before the senate, however,
without some Inconvenience. Senator
Gallinger objected to it's being read
by the clerk; thereupon Senator Bris-
tow called for the letter and read it
himself.
Postmaster Lewis letter was to w.
j. Marles, postoffice inspector, reply
ing to the inspectors charge that he
had been guilty of political activity in
December 1910, and May, 1911. 1t is
dated February "a.
Lewis began his letter by saving
that Marles had appeared in Bir-
mingham two days after Lewis had
voted for resolutions indorsing Col.
Roosevelt. Marles arrived, he said,
at the time when a political meeting
was being held and when "it was
matter cf public notoriety that fed
eral ofIiceholders in the Southern
States. especially, Alabama, are a
mass Of seething political activity"
He charged the inspector with shut
ting his eyes to the most fragrant
examples of pernicious political ac-
tvity in behalf of President Taft,
while you direct the searchlight of
your investigation along these lines
only against a few postmasters who
have expressed preference to
Roosevelt"
Among other things, Lewis charged
that Aldrich and two Of his letter car
riers attended a county convention as
delegates. Aldrich attended a meet
ing Of the Republican district com
mittee, the letter says, and this is
Lewis version Of what happened:
when 1T was developed on the roll
call that 16 members of the commit
tee stood in favor Of indorsing Roose-
welt for president and II members
We're opposed. with those II members
Aldrich withdrew from the floor of
the committee, and at the time Of his
withdrawal, became so excited that
he shook his fist at a member of the
committee, and stated that he would
settle with him outside
''In addition to this Aldrch has
been writing letters to postmasters
and others over this district endeavor-
ing to line them up i'm favor of Pres
ident Taft.
IF you are desirous Of pursuing
this investigation as to 'pernicious po-
litical activity in an unbiased way,
along proper and legitimate lines,
you can easily ascertain and / shall
furnish you with witnesses from
whom you can ascertain the facts
ing Of the committee in Birmingham,
two postmasters-N. L. Wilson of
Blocton. Ala. and M. c. Fuller Of
Centreville. Ala.-members Of the
committee, came to the law Office of
Judge Oscar II. Hundley in Birming-
ham, where a. l.. Elam, a member of
the committee from Bibb county, was
in consultation with Hundley and 9th
er friends Of Col. Roosevelt, when
they requested a private interview
with ELAN, and Judge Hundley ten
dered room i'm his office, where they
could have their private interview.
Thereupon these two postmasters, by
persuasion and promises Of official
favor. endeavored to get ELAN to
change his allegiance to Col. RoOse-
welt and side with them, in their eff
fort to have this committee indOrSe