Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 266, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1912 — MELONS TO CUT BY THE DEMOCRATS. [ARTICLE]

MELONS TO CUT BY THE DEMOCRATS.

There is a Big Day Coining For the Victorious Democracy—Will You Be In On the Jobfest. To the victors belong the spoils. Not so extensively as they did in the eighties and prior thereto, before civil service reform made a partial success of the merit system, but still there will be a lot of “good things” to give out and there will be* just about a dozen times as many applicants as there are jobs. The melon cutting will begin with the inauguration of President-Elect Wilson and will continue until all removable republicans have been pried loose from their jobs. To begin with, there will be the Rensselaer postoffice. That is a job that pays $2,100 a year, with rent and fuel and lights and clerk hire all thrown in. It is generally conceded that the postoffice is spoken for and that it will go to N. Littlefield, the democratic county chairman, who has served long and faithfully without reward. He is said to have been promised the job by his fellow democrats and John B. Peterson, who is apparently elected congressman to succeed Hon. E. D. Crumpacker, is said to have given him assurances that he be taken care of. He telephoned the Jasper county congressional vote to Mr. Peterson today and was told by Mr. Peterson that he had probably been elected. Hon. E. P. Honan, who has long been a party wheel horse and whose ability has been recognized by democrats prominent in the state and nation, is said to be slated for the best position that was ever awarded to a Jasper county politician. Whether it will be an assistant secretaryship in the new president’s cabinet or a foreigfn consultate no one here seems to know, but it is no secret that Mr. Honan is to be splendidly rewarded for his long service. During the past two weeks he spoke at important appointments In the interest of democratic candidates and doctrines. ~ Then there will be an oil Inspectorship vacancy and it is probable that some Jasper county man will come in for this fat little sinecure by which he can bag about a thousand dollars per annum for testing a bit of the oil and gasoline used in the district. Other melons will be cut and the .tempting fruit will dazzle the eyes and whet the appetites of many democrats, who will be right after whatever is loose. George E. Murray, £be present postmaster, will hold office probably until his term expires, which will be two years from next April.