Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-06
PROVING LIABILITY TO ADMIN.
lsTRATioN OF PRESIDENT
WILSON.
NOT ONE BUT MANY
CASES CREATE FEELING
Meredith and Progressive Wing Of
Party in Iowa Feel They Have Been
Ignored EntireIy-FaetionaI Rows
Over Appointments Of Postmasters
at Des Moines and Other Cities.
Especial correspondence.l

Washington, March 6.-Recent fed
eral appointments in Iowa have left a
long scar over the democracy OF the
state. 1t will be many a day before
this scar is effaced. 1t is almost need
less to say that republican members
OF the Iowa delegation are not shed
ding tears They are chuckling audi
bly, over the democratic patronage
troubles.
In the first place, the appointment
of Judge Wade has brought out many
protests. The anti-Wade democrats
of the state don't like his nomination
for the federal judgeship and dont
pretend to. Besides. the anti-Wade
elements of the southern judicial dis
trict OF Iowa have a grievance on
geographical grounds.
But add to the feeling stirred by the
appointment of Judge Wade there
have come the appointments of var
ious postmasters. First Of all, there is
the appointment of George A. Huffman
as postmaster of Des Moines. This
has raised a furore of opposition. The
opposition is based not alone on OBJ
yestlOIlS 10 l1uillildIl. Jul oISo OA3 Liz
ground that the other candidates had
assurances the selection would not be
made for some weeks to come and they
had-plenty of time to file their papers
and endorsements. Suddenly. taking
what is alleged to have been snap
Judgment, the other candidates in Des
Moines wake up and find Huffman has
been appointed.
The Des Moines postoffice is the
latest political job in Iowa, if one ex-
cepts the federal tudgeships. Aspir-
ants who were defeated and especially
aspirants who are beaten before they
are given chance to make a case
can not be blamed for being sore. It
appears Judge Wade acquiesced in the
Huffman appointment and is trying to
calm down the opposition without
much success.
Meredith Sighted.
E. T. Meredith, by reason OF his
his prominence of late in democratic
affairs, had the right to suppose his
word would go far on the Des Moines
postoffice. Mr.. Meredith has been
ignored. Mr.. Meredith and his friends
naturally feel that il the Wilson adj
is a progressive demo-
cratic administration, they ought to be
taken into account.
All OF the candidates for the Des
Moines office other than Mr.. Huffman
have made a protest here. But there
is no indication this of other protests
will change things. The time of POST
master Kurtz does not end until May
l.
The row kicked up over the Des
Moines appointment is no worse than
the one stirred over the appointment
Of j. F.. Kerberg in Sioux City. This
is blow in the face Of
Representatives. Steele. 1t was
against the wishes Of the Wade organi-
zation. 1t has aroused all sorts Of
among the democrats In
Sioux City.
Then there is the Manchester case.
where Judge Carr wins the office
against the will OF the organization:
the Leon case, where the appointment
Of Mrs. Carolyn Young Smith has
made trouble: the Council Bluffs case,
where the appointment of Hughes has
stirred up a lot of protests. Other
cases might easily be cited. In short.
the idea that patronage is a liability,
not an asset. is being borne out by the
latest Iowa developments.