Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-06
JOBS
SALISBURY ISSUE.
National Politics Also to
Figure in Delaware Sem
atorial Fight
DISCONTENTS ARE SORE
THIS is the last Of a series Of four
articles dealing phh Dciatudre's sena.
tortaI situation
BIZ STAG Correspondent y

WlLMlNGTON, Del, Dec. 6.
Seven postmastershps and disposi.
tfon to stand behind the national Admin
istration are responsible for consider
able part of the trouble that Senator
Willard salisbury, of Delaware. has on
his hands and that threatens his Demo-
cratic nomination to succeed himself
How many men are mad" at Senator
salisbury because ne supported the Ad-
ministrition nobody knows and nobody
Will know until the convention Is held
at Dover ne4 autumn. The ones who
are mad" 9re all men who expected
appointments as postmasters and didn't
get them. and friends of those men.
1t came about In this way:
Fourth class postmasterships having
been placed by law under civil service,
the Administration, without law, but
with perfect right to do so, placed third
class postmasterships in effect under
Civil Service rules. The Administration
decided that when terms expired in
third class postofiices the incumbents
should continue in Office unless there
was legitimate and nonpolitical reason
for their removal. This was consid-
erably different from the old system of
letting the Senators and Representatives
from the States recommend men who
had helped them reach Congress
In accordance with ;hi5 policy the
Postmaster General last summer, with
out consulting either Senator Wolcott or
Senator Salisbury or Representative
Polk, sent to the Senate these nomina-
tions for postmasters of third cl ISIS
Offices In Delaware to succeed them
selves:
F. Pierce Ellis. Laurel.
william Brockson, Middletown.
William II. Robinson. Milford.
Elijah Z. Carey Millshoro.
John B. Mustard, Milton.
John p. Murphy. New Castle.
Orlando w. Short, Seaford.
The nominations were referred to the
Committee on Postofiices and Postroads
which, in observance of senatorial cour-
tesy. sent the names to Senator'S Sauls-
bury and Wolcott for their approval or
disapproval or other comment
The names went first to the senior
Senator He vised them Then they
went to Senator Wolcott. He refused
to wise them and said he would never
approve appointments of men recon-
mended by the Government without con-
sulting the representatives of Delaware
In Congress Senator Wolcott's refusal
was on a question of principle. he said
Senator Saulsbury's approval was on a
question of principle, according to Sena-
tor Salisbury. Wolcott refused to sup
port the Administrations policy and
salisbury supported it,
The Senate confirmed the appoint
ments or recommendations.
Though each Senator based his action
on the question of the principle and
policy involved, the facts that concern
politicians in Delaware are not facts of
principle or policy; they are facts of
politics, and are as follows:
The reappointed men were all men ap-
pointed in the first place at the request
of Senator Salisbury. If they had not
been reappointed men who had helped
Senator Wolcott reach the Senate might
have been appointed.
" How many of these men who might
have been appointed will oppose Sena-
tor salisbury and how many of their
friends will oppose him nobody can say.
As far as the Republican party is con-
cerned with the senatorial fight little
is to be said.
The party in Delaware is split with
former Senator Henry \. du Pont and
General T. Coleman du Pont on one
side and Alfred /. du Pont on the other.
L. Scott Townsend. of Wilmington !:
Henry P. Scott, of Delaware City, and
former Governor Charles II. Miller are
all mentioned as compromise nominees.
but compromise is as remote as snow
balls are remote from Quito. Alfred /.
du Pont may be confidently expected TO
fight any compromise" candidate the
Republicans may name. He made VOL
colts election certain and he may he de-
pended upon to secure the election of the
next Democratic nominee--unless that
nominee should be the Kaiser, who can't
run because he is not a citizen of Della
ware. w. ii.