Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-04-23
CLEVELAND STARTED HIM
Strange Rise Of big GUS Machen ir
tho Postal Department..

Strange Rise OF big GUS Machen ir
tho Postal Department.
Washington, April 3D.. When demo
cratic politicians; swept down upor
Washington In 1903, consumed with
hunger for office, Augustus w. Machen
then assistant postmaster at Toledo
came also. The postmaster in Toledo
was relative by marriage of Grover
Cleveland. fortunate circumstance
calculated to facilitate Mr. Machen ir
landing easily on good thing. One
day, after weeks and even months had
gone by, Governor Campbell of Ohio, a
warm friend of the assistant postmas-
ter In Toledo. visited the White House,
accompanied by Il friend in this city.
You forgot to speak to the president
about Machen." said this friend, as the
two We're leaving Mr.. Clevelands pres
ence.
That's So" said the governor, and
thereupon returned.
rs that fellow still here?' exclaimed
Mr.. Cleveland, fondling the little curl
upon the top of his forehead. as was
his wont in perplexity, when Governor
Campbell brought up the subject of an
appointment for Mr.. Machen.
Yes said the governor, who knew
we'll that MIR. Machen had come here in
the hope of becoming first assistant
postmaster general.
What will he be willing to take?"
asked the president.
Almost anything" replied the gov
ernor laconically.
How will the place as superintend-
ent of free delivery suit?"
That's splendid"
Mr.. Mechen's First Start.
Thus Mr.. Machen, then 80 years old
entered the public service, where he has
waxed great. Sometimes they call him
big Gus" A powerful United States
senator not many months ago referred
to him as The keystone of the entire
difficulty in the postofice department"
No matter what other things persons
may say about him. everyone agrees
that he has grown to great influence
In the administration OF postal affairs
and will not be deposed from office
without a fight which Will make itself
felt In every political quarter.
No other bureau OF the government
has increased in Importance in the last
decade as has the bureau of free de-
livery. From his roomy office on the
fourth floor, northwest corner of the
postoftlce building, Mr.. Machen is In
Of $4,000 men. The ultimate au-
thority, of course. reaches up to First
Assistant Payne. but they have much
less than he to do with the actual de-
tails.
When I came to the head of the
office in 1893" said Mr.. Machen today,
careful to talk nothing except the char
acter of the service In view of pending
Investigations, st comprised force of
fifteen persons. BY 1896, think. the
force had increased to about ninety.
Now l have an office force of 26S with
special agents and others on the road
and In the field to increase the number
of the force to 450. For the rural free
delivery there are now eight division
headquarters and another will be es-
tablished July l. These headquarters
Nashville, Tenn. Marietta, o., Indian
apolis, St Louis, Denver and San Fran
cisco. For the free delivery In cities
there are four assistants; one here in
Washington and one each in New York,
Chicago and San Francisco. The as
sstant of free delivery in San Fran
cisco is now also acting in charge OF
The rural free delivery division there"
A Big Increase in Carriers.
THE number of carriers under your d.
vision has increased enormously" was
suggested.
Yes" replied Mr.. Machen, as he
reached for report, from which to verify
the figures July /, 1897, there were for
ty-four rural letter carriers In the service
of the United States government. One
wear later the number was las and another
year later, SOL. BY July !. 1903, 1t Will
reach 1850, and 10000 more carriers will
be added to that force in the next fiscal
year bv reason of the appropriations by
the last congress-
I'm 1893, when l came into the service,
there were 11.625 city letter carriers BY
next July their number will be approxi-
imately 1880. Then the revenue of post
offices in cities with free delivery was
h;aivAiin1gs doubled. The rural free delivery
covers about $4,000 square miles, out of
total available area of 100000 square
miles"
Every congressman in the United States
who has secured a free rural delivery
route for his constituents has got 1t
through A. w. Machen. Democrats have
been placed under the same obligations
to him as republicans and this is the rea-
son why political influences are felt In
his behalf so strong that only the clear
est case against him can shake his hold
with the postofflce administration.