The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-03-15

the following humorous and interest
ing sketches from Washington TO
Dixie:
The maddest men in the whole Unit
ed States, possibly in the whole world
just about now. are the Hon. Steve
Sparkman, the great chairman of the
great rivers and harbors committee,
and the Hon. ]. Fred DeBerry, the
great composer Of the great Wilson
campaign song.
Here's the reason why Uncle Steve is
mad: 1t seems that while he was going
around the halls of Congress receiving
congratulations, and feeling that he
richly deserved them, on the passage
of the rivers and harbors bill with all
of the Florida items fixed to suit him;
while he was walking about spreading
the glad tidings of joy for all those
who like to see good fat appropriations
made for river and harbor improve
ments; while he could see nary a cloud
on the bright horizon of his chance TO
tell the boys al home what he had done
for them in getting money out of the
treasury-some crude persons in the
House had SO fixed things that Uncle
Steve received a stab in his most vital
spot He really didn't know about it
until it was all over, until in fact two
days after it had happened, but one
Fitzgerald of Tammany Hall and
chairman Of the appropriations COM
mittee, got through an amendment
that changed the customs collecting
business in Florida by locating the
principal office in Jacksonville with a
six thousand dollar salary for the COL
| lector, and making all the other posts
| in the state only way stations in
charge of a deputy to be selected by
the Jacksonville man. Never was there
more vicious, brutal stab than this,
when the dagger of Fitzgerald reached
| the vitals of Uncle Steve. for it is of
| comparatively recent and unpleasant
memory among Florida people that
Uncle Steve was one of the % demo-
Gratis who supported the Fitzgerald
resolution which saved Cannon's scalp.
When it is remembered that the Gus
toms duties paid in Tampa total more
than twice as much as the customs
duties collected in all the rest of the
Florida ports, and when one recalls
the fact that last year Tampa produced
in customs more than $1,700,000 and
Jacksonville produced only $4,000, a
man can't really blame Uncle Steve for
being mad.
All because he made visit to the
postmaster general is the full and
complete explanation of why j. Fred
DeBerry is mad. The song writer and
erstwhile presidential elector wanted
to be second assistant postmaster gem
eral of the United States. He was in
real earnest about this thing and had
1 -
way remotely touching on or apper-
tanning to the contamination of his hot
desire from Florida's congressman-at-
large up Cor down, as you please) to
the president himself. I wrote him that
these selections were made by the
postmaster general and that he would
have to get next to him. Mr.. DeBerry
| came to Washington, and like other
aspiring patriots, called on the mem
bers of his state delegation. When my
turn came 1 asked him who was Tor
him. He said he had the endorsement
of the two senators, the national COM
mitteeman and a host of other good
democrats, that he had been in direct
communication with teh president and
! that he had sent the papers containing
his endorsements to him. / advised him
| to go get them and take them to the
new postmaster general, and told him
as he had the endorsement of the two
/ senators that he had better get one of
| them to take the active steps in his
| behalf, as it was difficult for me to get
around among crowds and that when
| the question OF his appointment came
up l would help him if 1 could as he
was the only Florida man applying for
the position.
Now on this fatal visit that the song
writer made to the postmaster general
he was informed that his name had
never even been whispered in the Of
! fee. And now in his anger Mr.. De-
Berry doesn't think much of the Flor
! ida delegation and has declared war.
He announces as his first field move
ment his intention to organize the
other disappointed Florida office seek
ers, who think like him that they have
been double-crossed. into a flying
squadron that will hop on everybody
who holds a congressional job by the
will of the people.
Of course, that little talk that the
| Florida delegation had in Senator