Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1913-03-25
LIVELY SCRAMBLE ON
FOR POSTMASTERSHIP
Who VIII Succeed in Landing Job
a Question Just Now.
SIX AVOWED CANDIDATES
Leaders Said TO be Behind Senator
Bells But Friends Are Urging
Claims Of Others.


There is a big scramble on among
leading Democrats of the city to land
the postmaster app ointment.
Much interest is manifest in the
situation. The position pays about
So, 800 a year. and the appointment is
/ the only one of any consequence for
Annapolis, to be made by Preside nt
| Wilson.
At least six avawed candidates are
| in the field, the Friends of each of
whom, are quietly urging his claims
before the authorities at Washing
ton. but so far as known none has had
personal audience with Postmaster
General Burleson, as has been the
case with the several candidates for
the the postmastership of Baltimore
city.
In political circles and among pri-
vate citizens, the question of "who
will be the next postmaster" is asked
dozens of times a day. No one
seems to have key to the real situa-
ton. Two things stand out quite
conclusively, however. One is that
State Senator Joseph H. Bells has
the endorsement of DR.. George Wells
the veteran leader of the De Democratic
party in city and county, as well as
the others of the organization force s.
DIR. Wells has not made an open
declaration of mis- position, but Mr..
Bells was about the first candidate
mentioned for the Federal berth, and
it was understood from the outset
that he had the backing of DR.. Wells.
The other point Of certainty is as to
who will get the endorsement of
Congressman Frank o. Smith, the
new Congressman from the Fifth dis
trict.
Congressman Smith has announce
that the man whom he will recon-
mend for the appointment will have
to have the endorse ment of DIR.
Wells. So there is the situation in a
nutshell, from a purely political
standpoint. But this has not deferred
the activities of he other candidates
and their friends. On the contrary,
they point to the attitude of the pre- s.
ent administration tc weigh more
thoroughly the general fitness of the
candidates for postmasters or any
other positions.
There has been some talk of a po-
litical coup, as result of which the
Republican incumbent, Mr. Daniel r.
Randall, will be allowed to hold on
Tor another year. This, it is said, is
projected in the interests of Senator
Bells. Mr.. Bells is holdover SEN
at)r. having been elected in 1911 for
four years end. it is said, he is de-
sirous of finishing his term in the
Maryland General Assembly.
Linked with this plan also is the
Forthcoming Senatorial fight, accord
ing to the report, sand in addition in
dications point to considerable of d
contest for the several county Offices,
as well as membership in the House
of Delegates at the coming session
of the Legislature. DR.. Wells has
declared for Senator smith, and it
is known that President Wilson leans
to Mr.. Marbury.
1t is believed in many quarters,
however, that the vacant postmaster
ship will be filed SHORTLY after the
conVenlng OF congress IN april. In
addition to Senator Bells, other
candidates who are being strongly
urged for the Federal berth are Mr..
William H. Rullmau, druggist and
former collector and treasurer of
Annapolis; DR.. W.. C. Claude, Mr..
w. NJ. Holiday, editor of the Ad-
vertiser-Republican; Charles B.
Abbott, business manager of the
Evening Capital and former State
senator A. Theodore Brady.
Though he has not been formally
me ntioned as a candidate, it is known
that many friends of Mr.. Grafton
d. Ridout, vice-presidsnt of the
Farmers National Bank, and a
prominent merchant, are urging him
for the ofipe