The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-06-26
CUSTOM OFFICE
NAY Be MOVED
BACK TO. TAMPA
SPARKMAN HAS INTRODUCED A
BILL, ASKING FOR THE
TRANSFER
Whether This Can Be Put Through
Remains to be
Scn.
lBY Winfield Jones. }

Wy WluuclU JOuc6.
Washington, D. c., June ga
lively fight began here today for the
position Of Collector Of Customs for
ne Florida district Now that it has
teen practically conceded that the
bill introduced by Senator Fletcher
and passed by the Senate providing
FOR six months suspension Of the
customs reorganization plan cannot
pass the House the Treasury De-
partment is in haste to secure man
for the Office Of Collector of the Flor
ida District with headquarters at
Jacksonville.
1t has been known all along that
when Jacksonville Is made the
headquaraers Of the district ]. W.
Martin. who about month ago was
appointed Collector at Jacksonville,
Will vacate the Office. In fact 1t has
teen known confdentially here that
before the agreement was reached to
give the position to Martin his resig-
ration Of the Office to take effect July
l, was already in the hands of the
Secretary Of the Treasury.
" When Senator's Fletcher anu
Eryan took up the matter of select
ing man to be Collector of Flor
IDA, Secretary McAdoo expressed a
wish to see the candidates person.
ely before making a choice. There
fore the Senators wired to the most
prominent candidates to come to
Washington at once and those here
are A. J. Angle, W r. Frecker and
r c, bowyer. all of Tampa.
1t was said here today that Mar
N has been ill-adviscd by his
friends in Florida into making d
night to retain the office when the
reorganization is affected, and has
hten tod that it is impossible to
remove him before his four-yea.
term expires. This is erroneous. as
the Secretary of the Treasury has
the risht to remove Martin at 4
moments notice. Should Martin en-
deaVor to repudiate his resignation
row held in Washington, he will
"''nout doubt be promptly "re-
moved for cause" 1t is not believed
he will do this, however.
1t is probable that before the re-
organizations plan has been under
way very long the headquarters of
the Florida district will be moved
lrcm Jacksonville to Tampa. Rep
resentatives Underwood is UNDER
stood to have told Senators Fletcher
and Bryan today that he was in IA
'or OF a bill which would bring
'bout the transfer. The enormous
'"venue receipts at Tampa compared
% the very small amount received
1t Jacksonville, is the principal
'eason for desiring the change.
1t is not beyond the range of DOS
'ibility that when Secretary McAdoo
:ecides upon a man for the Florida
dictatorship he will arrange with
nc successful candidate to maintain
'ls nome and establish an Office at
tampa, while maintaining a nom,.
'al headquarters at Jacksonville
Representative Sparkman has
Introduced two bills. either of which
passed, will bring about the trans
er from Jacksonville to Tampa One
'lii instruct the President to trans.
er the collection headquarters from
Jacksonville to Tampa. The other
'lii be a straight-out bill transfer.
ing the headquarters from Jackson.
lille to Tampa. |
1t is quite doubtful, however. that
20 bill will pass at this session
representative Underwood. the
Louse leader, has declared that no
'glslation will be taken up at the
Ntra session except the tariff and
and currency. He fears that
the bars are let down to admit the
lorida customs house bill, other
cngressmen will take advantage of I
ie situation to push through legis-
tion equally imperative for their |
wn States.
The bill will have an ayooIro