Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-09

Here is Congressman Loud's opinion of
Rural Free Delivery and its chief, August
W. Macheu, after reading, which the public
can see for itself that the GLoBE's criticisms
Of the Big Iniin" runniuglshat department
were entirely parliamentary aud closely
confined within the domain OF truth. Mr..
Loud in speaking to the question of de-
bate, the contract as contradistnguished
rom Machen's grass widow and Civil Ser.
vice Rural Free Delivery, said
This rural service has grown up within
two or three years. We have appropriated
S27S 1000 for il in the legislative bill. That
does not include even the salary of the
chief Il does include that Of the subchief
to whom have referred-the chief OF the
Literary Bureau--but not the real chief the
Big Injuu"
Perhaps you grasp the magnitude of
this great bureau that has been built up
here under your nose without legislation
The chief clerk of the Second Assistant
Postmaster General-I think one of the
most able men ia that department-receives
Z, 100 per year. aud the committee refused
to increase that amount Yet some assist
ant superintendent here-I understand il
was one II. Conquest Clark, who is a great
writer-gets 5000, Mr.. somebody else $50
year; Mr.. somebody else, who supervises
he Civil Service end bureau in there-they
have got little Civil Service Bureau there
81, 500 a year, and big salaries all the way
down along the line"
Now. when I first brought this subject
Of contract up, / naturally went TO the man
at the head of the division, Mr. Machen to
discuss the question with him. spent an
evening with him. He raised no objections
TO il. will not say that he advocated; he
seemed to advocate il. Ofteutimes we have
been 10 positions where someone seemed to
consent, vet did not consent have an
dea that when that gentleman went to his
home and reflected he said to himself,
Contracts, contracts. coutracts-secOnd as
sistant's department, second assistants de-
partment, second assistants department
no, mol it would take away from MY bureau
detract from il. while we are building up
che greatest thing in the universe And
he is but human.
with the first assistant did the same.
I spent whole Sunday with him at his in.
vitation and went over this question from
start to iuish. He raised every objection
that appeared to his mind, which I met.
When we separated he said, This seems TO
be the solution OF the question. I will think
il over further
yet within forty-eight hours he came be
E ore our committeeman his testimony is
pubhshed-and said that he did not think
that they could have as good discipline. and
thati all. He did not know anything about
contract service. Mr.. Machen knows moth
ing about contract service.
The practicability Of il could only be de-
{ termined by men familiar with IL; but after
fortY-eight hours consultation with the
agents which the hrst assistant told me he
had had the thought, perhaps. entered his
mind that the first assistants department
might not be SO great bureau; perhaps the
second assistant may get it, Then he op-
posed it. And he is but human. Every
man at the head Of A department wants to
make that division as great as he can.
The First Assistants Departmeut--well,
I will not say the First Assistants Depart
ment for the First Assistant Postmaster
General has rendered his resignation. /
hope this service has not been the cause Of
IL. I sometimes fear IL, but hope not He
has rendered his resignation. The head of
this bureau wants to continue the service
as now in operation He said ne could hold
them at 5000 If he had the power Vet he
told me within thirty days that whatever
action Congress might take the Post-ofice
Department would not increase the salaries
above $500 that If Congress appropriated
an additional amount in the deficiency bill
and ] will stand by my words-that they
would simply use it for the extension of
the service aud leave Congress to deal with
this question"
Mr.. Watson. You mean, now, that Mr.
Macheu said that to you2
Mr. Tn4fd Yea Marhau
Mr.. Watson. Is il a fact that M Macheu
himself afterwards regulated this salary aud
increased It to 5000.
Mr.. Loud. / do not know He spoke for
the department Presumably he regulated
it. do not know.
Mr.. Watson. Is il not a fact that he in.
creased the salary1
Mr.. Loud. do not know He seemed to
speak for the Department. Up TO the in.
coming of the present Postmaster General
he has been the Bureau absolutely. and
has had introduced bill TO make him the
fifth assistant postmaster geueral-not 20
make him that, but TO create the office
with greater power than was ever vested in
any assistant in any department in our
Government, giving the holder Of the Of
fee absolute power above the Postmaster
General. to perform acts himself
The bill did not name Mr. Macheu, but
il was his hope. as he expressed il to you
and TO me, and to many others to build up
a great division, a rural delivery division
with the dty delivery division, and under
the law they shall have the absolute power
now. IL this bill shall pass, to extend the
delivery 20 the towns There is not a law
yer in the world who eau contrOvert it.
Chase's