The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-30
LETTERS 10 EDITOR
REPUBLICAN, PATRONAGE
To the Editor of The Age-Herald:

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 The republican club of Alabama, with it's several thousand membership which includes the leading republicans from every section of Alabama, who are fighting for republican ex- pansion and white supremacy in the building up of strong white republican party in the state, is taking no part as an organization in the fight now arising relative to the election of new state chairman of the republican party. It believes in rotation of office, is against family autocracy and boss rule is op- posed to so-called state leaders seeking while in power the holding of federal offices, is against one section one family becoming the administrators of the law for the rest of the people, which is contrary to the traditions of the American people and American institu- tions, and will fight any leader who assists in or connives in the appointment of demo- crat for federal office when there is avail able for appointment competent republican. The club considers competency and character and being true republican the only qualfi- cations necessary for appointment to federal offices.
 But since an incident to this fight and re- lated to it in some ways there has become current degree of criticism among the rank
 
 President Harding because of the appointment of democratic post masters where there were available republican eligibles, this club, which was the first organization in the United States to come out for President Harding for the nomination, through it's secretary, takes this method of presenting the facts to the repub- lican voters of Alabama regarding these ap- pointments.
 Post master appointments have been decided by the post office department on the sole recommendation, until recently, of the national committeeman for Alabama, Mir. O. D. Street Soon after the withdrawal of the opposition of the democratic senators of Alabama to the confirmation of MT. Streets brother-in-law Mr. Sneed, to be collector of internal revenue there began to appear occasional appoint ment of democrat to post office where there was an acceptable republican eligible on the list. This course eliminated in the ap- pointment of William B. Crawford democrat as post master at Decatur, when the second man on the list was Frank S. Harris, busi- ness man of the highest standing and staunch, lifelong republican. Naturally this appoint ment aroused great indignation among the republicans and numerous complaints were filed at Washington. letter was received from leading republican senator stating that this appointment was made lat the request of MT. Underwood, o. K.'d by MT. Strret." Then followed the appointment of MT. Folmer, democrat over MT. Starke, republican, as post master at Troy; Charles E. Brooks democrat, over William s. Smith, republican, at Fort Deposit; John F. Frazer, democrat, over E. ?. Bosworth and w. B. Nichols, republicans, at Lafayette; R. H, ManRum democrat Under woods manager), over T. H. Miller, republi- can, at Selma; Mrs. Alma Collins, democrat, over Mrs. J. M. Cline, republican, at Ken- nady; MT. Reynolds, democrat, over MT. Hicks, republican, at Centerville; MT. Mccormick,