The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1914-08-18
THE ANDERSON PosToFFlcE

o. =.
It. Is charged that have kept an
unworthy man, a republican, in Of
fee az postmaster at Anderson be-
cause OF political cowardice. This Is
the frat tiincSI have ever been ac-
cused OF cowardice, and 1t will prob
ably be the last time, Here are the
facts as to the Anderson postoffice:
Soon after President Wilson's in
nounced to be- the policy of the ad-
mInistration that, where republican
postmasters were giving good SER
vice, and there were no demands for
their removal on the part Of the
patrons Of the Office, the postmasters
would be allowed to serve out their
terms. opposed that policy then and
am opposed to 1t now. If l had had
my way. every republican postmaster
In the country would have been fired
within a month, after Wilson's inau-
guration. But the administration
thought tho other, course should be
followed. and haze had to 'acquiesce.
Some months ago Mr., Cochran, the
postmaster> at Anderson; and the as
sistant postmaster and the assistant
postmastcr'B father, after having
been friends for long time, became
estranged and some bitter feeling
ensued. .ss
Serious char .es were filed against
tho postmaster. and postoffice In
spector was detailed to investigate
them. When his report came in It was
iiHiav0Fabie TO the postmaster. But
the officials of the Department, having
had experience In matters, Of this
kind, and pursuing the policy Of TAX.
ing nothing for. granted-and per-
.haps having reason to believe that
the Inspector wns not without bias
or had been deceived in the NATTER
had another Inspector detailedM,to
make an investigation. This inspector
had never been to- Anderson before,
and knew nobody there. He. spent
several weeks in Anderson, mingling
with the people and trying to. get at
the facts. and HIS, report was alto
gether different from that OF the first
inspector. Still another iSspector
made q report, and his report corrob-
ortaated that of the second INSPECTOR.
These reports. made wholly independ-
ent OF each other, Tailed in almost ey-
cry detail. The department officials
were thoroughly s0hyinced that the
charges against NE Cochran were made
tuLouSu 6pltc, 6uQ Stl sWdat Ck9dIly SS-
tablished that most. Of the charges
were without found datioh while, 9th!
ers were grossly Exaggerated. The de-
partmerit officials Informed me- that
mt amfacieMt Jsss.sssd. fer ~ Pet
masters removal had been shown.
and that there was nothing for me
to do. % - & ~ ~
II is true thar when the dlfficuIty.
betweenithe 3pUstmaster and the; as.
sistant postm6stdr 81 firsts <, occurred
some good people al Anderson wrote
that they thought the e postmaster
should be removed. Most Of them
have since writtan. that fhav - we're
that they did not fully: Mn.
derstand the cireurtstances,a and that
they thou ught 70 would sbG only Justice.
for him to serve tout his term, which.
expires in vi -. 81: g =
number Of applicants Tor the al acss all
OF whom are my fEiendS md every
one of them has nfortned ti1e Mkt ne
Is willing for Mrs G6cff Fam 10 ,sefYS'
out his term. It iS worthy or msnt ton
In this connecti ior that tSsre are some
% or 80 clerks And Aet1 IN The AM
cerson posto f1cas They are as fiha dnd
clean q body of men IA I have ever
known. Eyerx single one s6f them has,
sided unre7ervedly with the postinas.
ter In this affair. Guselys ~ there had
been. anything very badly wrong. they
would not have stood for ertain-
ly not all OF them siss I:
Z It Is true that sAss 80 n1iniaters aof
thu c3fv 49, y, ~ o3xy, AZ Sfaffs