Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 219, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1913 — Republican Has An Interest In Selection of Postmaster [ARTICLE]

Republican Has An Interest In Selection of Postmaster

Employing his habitual tactics of conveying false impressions, the editor of the Jasper County Democrat seeks to make it appear that The Republican favors the removal of Postmaster Murray. The suggestion is founded in* the hope of deceiving both republicans and democrats and is certain to effect neither to the advantage of Editor Babcock. The effort to have Mr. Murray removed is despicable from the standpoint of republicans almost if not quite unanimously, and we believe of a large portion of the democrats of this city. The Republican regards such pill tics as the vintage of days long past except in remote cases. An inspector came here some time ago and made what was supposed to be a thorough investigation and in conversation with citizens said that the charges against Mr. Murray were very flimsy, but after his report to Washington the demand for Mr. Murray’s resignation soon followed. This shows the policy of the Washington department and not the effect of any local criticism of Mr. Murray’s administration, which we feel certain Is in every respect' satisfactory to the great majority of patrons and entirely satisfactory to The Republican printing office and its proprietors if we were in the habit of expressing any selfish motives in public mattefk The first knowledge The Republican had about the anticipated change was after Mr. Murrfcy had been notified that his resignation was expected or his removal would follow. 1 Editor Babcock was a candidate for the postoffiee. He was using the power of his paper, which he has so often proclaimed the active agency of his party and the public interests, to procure the postoffiee for himself, and The Republican, in speaking of the claims of Mr. Littlefield, has only aimed to give the public the information and Mr. Littlefield the support that he was to be denied in the paper of his party faith. The Republican has never conferred with Mr. Littlefield about the post office until after the first article supporting his candidacy in this paper. We have never discussed the matter with Mr. McFarland until after Babcock secured signatures to his petition, alleging that Mr. McFarland was supporting Mr. Littlefield in order to haVe the postoffiee removed from its present location. We have never discussed tlio matter in any way with either Mr. Nowels or Mr Gerber, gentlemen of the highest type of citizenship, who have according to Babcock given support to Mr. Littlefield.

Who has the post office here is a matter not vitally affecting The Republican nor its publishers. But as a matter of who deserved the postofflce, since a democrat is to be chosen, and there are only the two activo candidates, we believe there is no comparison btween Babcock and Littlefield. The former came to Rensselaer a poor man and the patronage he has received from democratic sources has given him a prosperous business, made him very well-to-do, in fact, while Mr. Littlefield has worked in the trenches for years without reward. Babcock egotistically makes the elaim that ninetenths of the democrats favor his candidacy over Mr. Littlefield, while democrats who have called at The Republican office have expressed the conviction that the majority is in lust that proportion in favor of Mr Littlefield. There are many who would like to see it placed to a vote of the democratic patrons of the office, but Brother Babcock, with his reactionary belief, would never consent to this plan. His criticism of William Jennings Bryan during the Baltimore convention was an outbreak that showed his contempt for the Bryan-Wilson movement and which identified him more clearly than ever before with the Harmon-Un-derwood crowd. A man who attended as a delegate the democratic congressional convention at Lafayette and who supported Mr. Peterson, stated at The Republican office today that Babcock was ardent in an effort to divide the Jasper county vote between Mr. Peterson and Mayor Durgan, of Lafayette, and while this democrat was at the office another democrat made the same statement. And both knew that Mr. Littlefield, as the county chairman, was an ardent supporter of Mr. Peterson. Readers of The Democrat know that the chief support that paper has given to Mr. Peterson has followed his election and they believe that the support has eminated from the editor’s desire for the post office and not because of any sincerity. The Democrat thinks there must be some ulterior motive behind our support of Mr. Littlefield and suggests that it is very meddlesome for us to say anything in a democratic campaign, and at the same time the editor of The Democrat was securing a petition to Mr. Peterson from republicans, asking that ho be made the postmaster. He charges that Mr. Littlefield’s republican friends must keep still, ,while he goes out and secures republican support by making the false claim that Mr. Littlefield would change the location of the postofflce. The Republican does favor Mr. Littlefield. We favor him because

he will devote all of his time to the office and because he has no established business at this time. We favor him because he has always been a elean, hard-working democrat and because he served for several years as the county chairman without any reward. The Republican is opposed to Mr. Babeock because he already has a well established and prosperous business, a business of such magnitude that he has occasionally bragged of his own prosperity. We are opposed to him because he is trying to secure a fat office as a political reward when at heart he was opposed to the policies of the leaders of the party that was successful. We are opposed to him because we believe that he expects to use his influence if he secures the postoffiee to have it moved into his own building in order to get all the money he can squeeze from the government. We are opposed to him because we believe that the big majority of honest democrats in this city are in favor s os Mr. Littlefield. We are opposed to him because he has used deceitful and dishonorable means to secure the assistance of citizens in his effort to get the postoffice. There are abundant reasons for The Republican’s attitude and the reasons are ail outspoken and aboveboard. There is nothing ulterior, nothing concealed. The tactics of deception are left wholly to Babcock and his managers, who, we believe, have been discredited long ago by the* really sincere and effective mass of democrats in this city, and county.

The Roseland Carouselle company arrived today from Gary with dheir fine j umpi ng-horse-earry-us-al 1 mer-ry-go-round, and will be set up ready for business Monday night. This is the same outfit that was here the fourth of July week and all will agree that it was one of the best outfits that was ever here and that the management was in every way satisfactory. They will remain all week, being in their former location on the east side of the court house.

It is mildly suggested that this is not a good year for the “wets” to sign a petition in a “dry” locality for an option election. Elections are not going wet, except in a very few townships. Eighty-nine local options have been held this year. Sixty-four went dry apd 25 wet. The wets have gained 12 saloons and lost 60. Their majorities have been decreased 75 per cent, compared with the election two years ago, while the drys have increased their majorities by 45 per cent. In June elections in five units resulted in four dry victories by a total majority of 253, and one wet victory by 9 votes.

Crawford Fairbanks, the wealthy Terre Haute brewer, accompanied by Judge Shea, of the appellate court, and Mrs. J. M. Williams, of Indianapolis, motored to Rensselaer this morning, dined at the Makeever hotel, and went to Chicago this afternoon. Mr. Crawford has a new Peerless 7-passenger, 0cylinder car of the 1914 pattern, a $5,000 machine, and one of the most luxurious cars we have seen. Mr. Fairbanks was asked about the Terre Haute city campaign. He replied, “Oh, I guess it is conceded that Dop Roberts will be elected, probably getting more votes than his four or five competitors combined, just as it is conceded in Indianapolis that Mr. Bell will be elected. Of course, the Indianapolis newspapers are shooting off a good real about the situation in both eities, but they are not having any influence.”