The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-10-04
Ben Hancock Declares Stories
About Him and the Postmas-
tership Here Are Sent Out
For Political Effect.
NEVER INTENDED TO
TAKE EXAMINATION
Told Journal Reporter Six Weeks
Ago He Was Going to Resign,
and Held Back So As Not to
"Quit Under Fire."

Postmaster Ben Hancock asserts that
he can refute every charge and insinu-
alton made againt him and his admin
istration of the local postoffice and
declares that the whole haloo is being
made for political purposes. II never
said that there would be 1000 appli-
cants for the office of postmaster at
did say was that if was supposed to
have blanks here I had better send for
a thousand"
ANY assertion that negroes, Chinese.
japanese, or any other nationality or
race are no eligible to take this ex-
animation is false" Mr. Hancock con-
tinued. ANY citizen of the United
States, 80 years of age and under 65,
in good physical condition is eligible.
1 repeat that any man who is native
born, and any man who is now a citi-
zen through naturalization. provided
he comes up to the specifications of the
tcivil service. is eligible and cannot be
prohibited from appearing"
| Speaking of the reports that he
had purposed taking the examination,
Mr.. Hancock said THAT is utterly ri
diculous. Everyone of my friends and
most of my enemies know what my
plans are and know that I have had
my plans made for sometime. Any
| attempts such as these appear to be-
| to bluff me or force me to make a
statement as to my comings and GO
ings, are due to fail. / know what
am going to do. You know what 4
am goingsto do. and that's ALL"
| When the subject of the posters was
| brought into the discussion Postmasf-
er Haccock said: Those posters came
into the office. rolled in the usual
WY. presumably correct, and anyway
III have no authority to change what
the postoffice department sends out
1 gave the posters to the janitor to
post. in accordance with instructions,
and did not notice the error in word
ing.
\ Later a reporter called my atten-
tion to the phraseology which made
it appear that Pensacola was rated as
a fourth class office and said: wait
until we get the centennial and we will
show them that we are not a fourth
class city"
"As far as / am concerned" the
postmaster continued, II believe the
public is sick of this attempt to perse-
cute me for political purposes. I was
once reappointed and my name sent
to the senate for confirmation, but
got lost in the republican fillibuster
Now do not want the office and
would have resigned some months ago
except that i did not want 1T to ap-
pear that 1 could be forced to quit
But as said, my plans are made and
1 am only too anxious to get busy
I executing them
| Postmaster Hancock told Journal
reporter nearly two months ago that
he was ready TO resign. The reporter
agreed to wait until the resignation
was properly drawn up and forwarded
to Washington before breaking the
story. couple of days went by and
the reporter again saw Mr.. Hancock
and held long discussion concerning
| the resignation. Postmaster Hancock
at that time had the resignation ready
to submit but after further consid-
Grafton. decided to tear it up, because
as he says he did not want to quit
under fire"