The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-02-01
CHUBB AND HIS COHORTS
The Little Bunch of Politicians Who
Control All the Federal Offices
In Florida


states OF Florida he says:
Picking up the list Of delegations at
here Is the Florida directory
II patriots who supported Mr.. Taft at
he 1908 convention. This is perhaps
ind. BY and large, il stacks up
against rather the 1uciest average Of
he real goods.
Henry s. Chubb, OF Gainesville, IS
both national committeeman and chair
nan of the state committee. He is the
BOSS of Florida republicanism at home,
md it's voice in the national party.
And don't suspect that these Southern
state bosses don't boss.
Now. in giving out postofhces in
Southern states, the authorities at
Washington consult the state chair
man and the national committeeman.
They are practically the dispensers of
the states share of patronage. For
instance there are nine hundred and
postoffices in Florida. ac-
to the Register" of 1909. Tire
national committeeman and the state
chairman distribute them, making
them the price of loyalty to their ma
chine; and their power to do this, in
turn, Is the price oi lHeiE loyalty 10
the national machine.
Mr.. Chubb, being both national COM
and state chairman. seldom
disagrees with himself If the depart
ment needs a postmaster, it asks the
referee to name likely one. National
Chubb and State Chair
man Chubb sit down together--inside
the same suit of clothes-and agree
Then Washington does the rest.
Well, MIR. Chubb was delegate at
large. He has home at Winter Park
and the postmaster there is Leland NJ
Chubb. at s1.l00 a year Whether Le-
land NJ. is kin to the puissant Henry
s., / can't state. This is where you
get another guess.
Along with the other duties which
a dual personality imposes, Henry S.
Chubb is receiver of the United States
land office a Gainesville. 1t is one OF
the biggest-and easiest-federal jobs
in the state, with a salary OF $4,000.
Along with Mr.. Chubb there went
to the national convention, as dele
gates at large. Joseph E. Lee. of Jack
sonville. and NJ. B. Macfarlane, of Tam
pa. The faithful blue-book Identifies
these gentlemen-Lee as collector of
Macfarlane as collector of the port at
Tampa. at $4,000.
Lee is a negro, one of the ablest men
and best politicians his race has pro-
duced-which is no small compliment
to his political abilities. He is rega rd-
ed in Florida as the real power behind
the Chubb throne. Appointed first by
Mckinley. he has held his present Of
civ IL &c oil 1ta~
of the state central committee.
These distinguished patriots took
along alternates, to vote for Mr.. Taft
in their places, in case any of them
should have an accident with a steam
roller or otherwise be incapacitated OF
the alternates, William H. Lucas, OF
Jacksonville, is collector of that port
one of the most important on the
Southern coast; John F. Horr. of Key
West. is United States marshal at $4,000
year Other delegates who absorbed
attractive federal positions to them
selves are:
William H. Northup, Pensacola, col
lector of that port
| George w. Allen. Key West collector
Of that prot.
NJ. w. Virgins, Jacksonville. bailif
/ in federal court.
| Henry w. Chandler, Ocala inspecto
of customs.
| D. T. Gerow, Jacksonville. postmas
ter. at s3.700 a year
| D. NJ. Pappy, St. Augustine, lahore
in federal building.
| John w. Howell Fernandina collec
tor Of that port.
T. F. McGourin, Pensacola, Unite,
: hal
| The salary list OF Florida's delegate
to the 1908 convention figures jus
about $4,000 year. This doesn't in
clude the vast sum paid out to othe
loff1ce-holders named on the recommen
dation Of these leaders-the nine hun
Idred and eighty seven postmasters. tn
city carriers. clerks in the big fedora
Ioffces, and so on.
Assume that there are only tw
Thousand federal officers in the state
the postofhce department alone ha
NEARLY that cumberland put the av
lerage salary at 800. The yearly pay
roll will figure sl.400. 900. In four year
that amounts TO s5.s0O.0O0 AS thi
whole federal establishment is devote
TO the purpose OF clinching the admin
istration control OF the states delega
tion to a national convention as a
appointments are made with referenc
| to maintenance OF the machine for the
and related uses, it is fair TO cour
that this large sum of the people
money is spent with constant view
the control Of the Florida delegation
Il Now Florida cast 1854 votes Il
Taft in 1908. II we divide this numb,
of republican votes into the quadre1
NAL amount of salaries, we find tn;
Republican votes in Florida cost abol
s525 each. Or. If we divide the numb,
OF national Observation-Disclosures Il
same sum. we find that each delega
, represents the properly discriminate
Expenditure of s466.ses.
No chance OF getting an elector
vote; no possibility of real support
the polls Florida has absolutely 7
value to the party save in nominatir
candidates. There, its twelve delegat
have just as much voice as twelve fro
! a state that regularly chooses repu
Ilican leaders.
Yet the Florida delegates, who re
Iresent absolutely no chance OF contr
button in the election, are morgag.
in advance to maintain machine co
Itrol Of the party. The very backbo1
of that machine is the petrifed repu
Ilicanism Of the South.
Sedentary habits, lack OF outdoor e
erc!se. insufficient mastication Of foo