Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-07-03
Lee And Lewis Clash.
Washington Correspondent of the Balti-
more Sun.

Washington Correspondent of the Balti-
more Sun.
Senator Blair Lee and Representative
David ]. Lewis have clashed over the ap-
pointment of new superintendent for the
Government reservation at Sharpsburg.
Md. This reservation embraces the battle
field of Antietam. ...t.
The fact has just come to light that Sena-
tor Lee has recommended the appointment
of James F. Staubs, Of Sharpsburg, for
this position, whereas Congressman Lewis
has put forward the name of his close per-
sonal and political friend, j. E. S. Pryor.
of Hagerstown.
And the conflict between these two Viii
son leaders in the State has left the Ad-
ministration in quandary. No desire to
offend either Senator Lee or Mr.. Lewis
exists among the executive officers of the
Government, and unless one or the other
of the Marylanders backs down the appoint
ment may be delayed for long time to
come
| Up to this time no compromise has been
possible, however The friends of Senator
Lee take the position that the superinten-
dency of the Sharpsburg battle field is not
local office, in the sense that it is-like
postmasterships-at the disposal of the
Congressman in whose district the office
happens to be located.
1t is. the Senator's friends insist, one of
the group of Federal positions which the
Senators from the State have the privilege
of filling, and the Endorsement of Senator
Lee, they assume. should prevail. Senator
Smith has made no recommendation in the
case. He is inclined to agree with Mr..
Lewis that the Office is part of the Sixth
district patronage.
Congressman from the Western Maryland
district have in the past regarded the office,
now in question. as theirs to dispose of.
and. following Republican precedent. Mr..
Lewis months ago indorsed Mr.. Pryor.
The Lewis candidate would have undoubt-
eddy been named but for the fact that
Senator Lee lined up behind Mr.. Staubs
and succeeded in holding up the appoint
merit.
II is stated too, that Senator Lee has
intimated that he will carry the fight for
the office direct to President Wilson him
self, if it is necessary. He is determined
to land his candidate. He did not make a
recommendation in the case without fully
weighing all the circumstances. and all the
possibilities involved and, having pro-
ceeded this far, he means to stand pat upon
his Endorsement.
This is not the first time that Senator
Lee and Representative Lewis have dis
agreed over Western Maryland offices.
Many of the Senator'S shameless friends
are in the Sixth district. He himself is a
constituent of Mr.. Lewis and many Lee
supporters in the western counties were
candidates for postmasterships.
These supporters naturally turned to
Senator Lee for assistance Mr. Lewis has
adopted the same policy as have other
Congressman from the State in filling these
| iOCdi OiIlcCS. iic has uCNCpNCu iiC iCCohl-
mendatons Of the local county committees
These committees have not. in many in
stances, notably those at Cumberland and
Hancock. been friendly to Lee. and the fol-
lowers of the junior Senator looked to him
to overcome the Lewis Endorsements.
Postmaster General Burleson has. how
ever. sustained Mr.. Lewis upon all issues
that have been raised. The Administration
has recognized the right Of COngressmen
to nominate postmasters in their districts
and the rule laid down shortly after Presi-
dent Wilson's Inauguration has been de-
waited from only in rare cases. The ap-
pointment of Sherlock Swami at Baltimore
and that of Washington F. Collins at Mill.
ington are the only Maryland postmaster.
ship nominations that were not made with
the consent of the local representatives.
In making his recommendation for the
Sharpsburg position Senator Lee is pro-
ceeding upon his announced course Of in
dOrsing friends for all the Statewide Of
fees in Maryland that are to be filled. As
has been repeatedly stated in The Sun the
junior Senator has no intention of cooper
ating with Senator Smith in patronage
matters