The Plum Changes Hands

To tli? surprise of most people of thia community the news was flashed over the wire's to this city frora Washington, I. C, lust Thursday, tliat President Cleveland had withcirawu tli name of E. 13. Pond as postmaster for Ann Arbor, and immediately substïtuted that of S. "W. Beakes. lt was the result no doubt oí the work of Congressman Gorman. Hart Mr. Beakes' name been sent in at first nearly everyborty would have Ocmgratulated him. and thought that the office had goneto a deservíais member of the party, who hart won it by party serviee. The treatment of Mr. Pond, how.ever, is the mnst contemptible piece of political ledgerdeeiai-n that has cmm' been knjwn in this district. It amounts to nothing more nor less than cruelty. Had there been anything to bring ag.iinst him, the president might (have had some excuse for his weak and vasJillattng action in the matter. But there was nothing. He is a clean and honest man with no taiait upon hhn in any way. He has i.lways been a staunvh democrat, and Cleveland had no warmer supporter in the nation. He even earried his democracy so far as to vote for Gorinan. And to senrt lrs name in for the place, and then keep him in suspense for three weeks or more, to at last throw hinn out without en use mil without a hearing, was a pioqeediTKg not ealenlated to improve the opinión this community has of Mr. Cleveland. If Mr. Cleveland marte a mistake in sendiug in a name in such a hurry, he shotild Jiad a sufficient sense of honor to stand by it. and not insult and crush a man for no cause. whatever exeept the dammor of the other candddates who wanted the plum. A majroity, aond perliaps a large majority, of people believed, in the first place, that Mr. Beakes was eaititled to the office. If his name had been sent in there would have been general satisfaction, the same as there was with Mr. Pond's, except by the pa-rtisans of the other candidates, who would have been no better satisfied than they are to-day. For all is mot harmony now, although heroic efforts have been made to cover up any diseatisfaction that may exist. But then, this is a democratie affair, and the republicans can afford to allow tliem to settle it in their own way. The community feel, however, that Mr. Pond has been unfairly treatod, and say what you may, his friends - and lie has hosts of t hem- are in no pleasant (frame of mind. One of the othr candidates made the remark upoai hearing the result : "Well, it is evident that Gorman is not a candidate for re-electlon." And that remark, coming from the source it lid, carried weight with it. The Ann Arbor Democrat in an article referring to the matter has this closing sentence : "The excuse which Congressman Gorman has to offer in this matter, that he delayed filing the narnes of the other candidates and therefore Mr. Poind's was sent in unbeknown to him, is a very poor one and shows that either Mr. Gorman is incapable of attending to the business with which the dem-ocrats of the second district entrusted him, or else has proven false to his Iriends. At best he Üias written his own politieal valedictory." The Daily Times witerviewed several prominent oitizens, and has this paragraph : ''JudgE Cooley would say nothing edther. When nsked how this aetion would affect the backbone of the deinocracy, he Baart that part of the democratie anatomy now seemed to be in the hands of the Coxeyites." We believe that Mar. Beakes wili an excellent postmaster, and the republicans have reason to congratúlate themselves upon his appointment, for it removes one and perhaps two hustling democrats from active work. rniler the preeent postal laws and regulations the postmaster must keep out of politics, aaid as the present incumbpnt of the oi'fice has been watched with aii eagle eye by the man who is to be ilie next postmaster, and every Httle thing ttoted ih,-it lie thouft'lit was in any way STispicious so the next administration will probably be placed -ander a like guard. Tlie prcsc-u! j s toaster Iris obeyed the civil service rules to the letter, and lias kept hls office force equal ydivided politically, amooig the tivo great partiee. Npw we shall sea liow civil service will prosppr in the hands of lts profeeaed admirers and friends. There is notliiiüï in the past of democracy to build amy hopafi upon, but perhapa the ïuture may have something better in store. Tlie Eveaumg News referring to the Presidential sllght-o"-hand performance in Ann Arbor, excuses Mr. Clevela.ml in thisway : "It is generally understood Ithat Pomd's nomination as postmaster at Ann Arbor was Judge Cooley's reward for finding constitutional reasons for a republie's upholdiag a monarchy in th Sandwich Isdands. But the sc-heme haviag failed, the president evidently has thought better of it and prefers Congrssanan Gorman'a active support ior the live future polIey of the administration to a theovetial delanse o! a played-out issue. A dead ILdii is not as useful as a living domestic animal." And ios the active supporter read it, hls ears eame iorward at au angle of 45 deg., wlnile the bray would have been reaogniasable in Honolulú. Tli' ïtlifsrield Adv,ai;-e has reealyeO a coinnninicatLoii irom R. B. French at AVashlngton. in wliU-h he says Congreman Gorman widl not be a candiilate this fall. He (French) does not expect to be home even to vote this fall, and will continue to hold down bis Job in the department of agrieulture. The Ypsilanti Cominerciil remarks: "AVell ! Poaid is out, and Beakes is in. The president has withdrawn nis nomination of B. B. Pond to be postmaster at Ann Arbor, and has sent to it-he senate the name of S. W. Beakes, of the Argus. Mr. Gorman is now pXacated, but it is hardly necessary to say that there are some other fellows who need placating worse than he did. Compared with Mr. Gormaii's postoffice row, Capt. Allen"s s:Timmage with the Ann Arbor office was a lovefeast." The latest pnase of the affair which lias cojiie to light is this : The ring, in whoeé management the affairs oí the democratie party of the county appears to be at preeeal . have decided to ca.ll James H. Bach off irom the county clerkship candidacy. and place Jacob F. .Schuh thereon. This, of of course, makes Schuh all right. It gives him a better office, if the people elect him, and salves over the sores aiicely. How Mr. Bach feels about it is not known. Mr. Beakes lias gone to "Washington. Pviimor ays to confer with Mr. Cleveland in reference to-the unifying of the Washtenaw democracy. Mr. Pond ás to be given ''some more congenial office than the postoffice would have been ; a eonsulship, perhaps." Mr. Duffy "is to le taken care of." Just wha.t Mr. Beakes and Jiinmy have in view is not fully known, but it is soraiething nice. What about Dr. Kapp ? "Oh, well, the Dr. ha.s an office now, and he Mi't much of a kicker, anyhow.'' Such was the information given the writer by a prominent democrat this üioniinir. Our readers have it for what it is worth. ■ . The great success of "Jane" which coinés to the Grand Opera House on Wedneeday night May 9th, is due to tho faet that persons have visited the performance six or eight times. AVhen a performance is so good that people waait to see it agaüi, success is assured. Ldght work and good wages for Students. Inquii-e of Stark, the Photographer.