Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-13
CANAL FIGHT
Continued from Page One)

representatives in every congressional
district, except a few city congressman.
nave the endorsement of candidates
for postmaster, who, however, must
be approved by the postmaster gen.
eral. AS the rule goes, Democratic
congressional endorsement suffices, but
it does not always and there have been
many cases where Postmaster General
Burleson has vetoed endorsements and
returned word that some other more
acceptable should be selected. This has
been done with sufficient frequency,
so that every Democratic congressman
in the House knows it is worth while
to be on good terms with the post
master general. With him lining em
up the administration had every eX-
pectation of expeditions work and sat
isfactory results. Furthermore, there
was need of the postmaster generals
practiced hand because the selected
| leaders of the House, like Clark, I'm
derwood and Fitzgerald, had gone over
to the opposition.
There is no evidence, however, that
Mr.. Burleson threatened to withhold
favors. Apparently he did not but he
made appeals and possibly suggestions
and what he would have done, had
the issue been sufficiently close may
be matter of speculation. An Hi
nois Democrat. Representative Claud-
ius Ulysses Stone of Peoria, had an
experience with Mr.. Burleson. which
| indicates some readiness on the part
of the administration to take all the
| advantages. AS the story goes Mr..
| Stone was told at the White House
collector of internal revenue in Illinois
would be nominated This was after
| prolonged contest. which had lasted
about eight months. 1t had involved
Henry Pindell, who was nominated
and confirmed as ambassador to Rus
STA and then resigned because there
had been a tremendous huilabaloo.
| But, that aside, Mr.. Stone was given
to understand that his wishes about
the internal revenue collectorship in
this district would be respected by
| President Wilson.
! Very shortly, however, as claimed,
Mr.. Stone was summoned before the
| postmaster general and told that If he
| wanted to make sure Of his internal
| revenue collector he would best sup
| port the special rule in the House for
considering the canal tolls exemption
repeal. He demurred and, in fact, vot-
ed against the rule. There are said to
| have been further parleys and when
the repeal bill came to final vote
Mr.. Stone voted with the President.
There was much talk in a similar
| connection about Representative Will
| liam F. Murray of Boston. Mr.. Bur-
| Lesson announced some weeks, ago that
he would favor Mr.. Murray for next
postmaster of THE Hub" which is
! a desirable federal job, paying $4,000
! per annum. Mr.. Murray was very
anxious and is very anxious to have
| that place for several reasons which
| need not be detailed here. One might
| expect pressure would be brought to
| bear upon him, for he announced
early that he would not vote for re-
| peal of canal tolls exemptions. Word
| flew that pressure had been put upon
Mr.. Murray, but it seems to have been
! unfounded. In any event Mr.. Murray
adhered to his declared purpose and
did vote against repeal. He told
friends if he felt the obligation strong
| upon him to support the President in
| the matter, he would renounce his ex-
pectations of being postmaster.
Many incidents like this might be
told, including that of Representative
Church of California whose accusers
| claim the proposed nomination Of a
Mr.. Thomas Klipstein to be postmas-
| ter of Bakersfield, had something to
do with influencing his vote for re-
peal
! But the case is now up to the Sem
/ 10 ic, tad1
uring in the situation there. Whether
It will come to a point where patron
age will be used to gain Democratic
votes for repeal is yet to be demon
strated. Certain Democratic senators
are certainly inviting such course
| from the White House. 1t will be re-
membered that about two years ago
! Mr. Wilson made a most determined
campaign for the election of James
Edgar MARITIME, who had been desig-
mated in the Democratic primaries. Mr..
Wilson prevailed and Senator MARITIME
owes his election to MIR. Wilson's ac-
| tivity 1t could not be said that Mar
tine has been a bowling success as
senator. He Is now falling out with
the President, who will not nominate
for federal offices in New Jersey the
men that MARITIME wants. The conse-
quence is that MARITIME has gone on
the war path and is opposing about
| everything the President wants, in
| Guiding repeal Of canal tolls. If the
President would yield patronage, 1t is
believed, MARITIME would return to the
reservation and be good
Similarly James X. Vardamann, jul
nior senator from Mississippi He is
| the Negro hater and, as his slogan,
has been mo Negro for federal Of