Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-06-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.

(FrOm our Regular Correspondent
Washington, d. c., June 1.-Au-
gust W. Machen, General Superintend-
emit of Free Delivery, has been arrest
ed and admitted to bail in the amount
of $40, 600, Postmaster General Payne is
Frustrated by the occurrence and-the
impossible has been accomplished.
Ever since the Washington Times start
ed, last December, publishing charges
against the Postoff1ce Department and
especially against Superintendent
Machen, the Postmaster General has
figured as the apologist for that official.
Machen holds, as his proudest posses
sion, a letter from Senator Hanna en-
couraging him in his tribulations and
Mr.. Payne, who is the servile servant
of the Ohio boss, has protected and
shielded the dishonest official with all
the power in the possession of Cabi-
net officer.
The charge against Machen is that be
has accepted commission from the
firm of Croft Bros, from whom the
Government has purchased fasteners
used in attaching mail boxes to lamp
posts and collection boxes to posts on
rural routes, to the amount of $3.50, OOO
The commission paid to Machen to sc.
cure this contract was 40 per cent
The history of Machen's arrest il
Significant. Fourth Assistant Post.
master General Bristow was given in.
structions by the President to prose
cute relentless investigation into the
alleged POstoffice irregularities. As.
summing that he had the cooperation
OF Henry Payne, Postmaster General
BristOw has reported to him each dis.
cOvery as it was made. Finally, Bris.
tow became alive to the actual condi-
tions which confronted him. His in.
spectors suspected Machen of receiv.
ing commission but no word was
spoken to Mr.. Payne. A still hunt
was instituted. The positive evidence
was secured. Machen Was confronted
with 1t and practically broke down.
A warrant was secured and then, and
then only, was Mr.. Payne apprised of
the facts. 1t was too late to retreat.
too late for circumlOcutiOn. The Post
master General was compelled to give
his sanction to Machen's apprehension
Machen was already in charge of a
United States marshalD and the arrest
followed. Postmaster General Payne,
the politician, the lobbyist, whom Nc.
Kinley had refused to admit to his Of
fetal family, whom Mr.. Roosevelt had
appointed only to placate Senator
Hanna, was outwitted and the man
whose political machine, carefully
built up at the expense of the taxpay-
ers, was to elect Hanna president,
went to Jail.
Incidentally, it is worthy of note
that the further the Machen rascalitv
is probed the more implicated become
a member of the Mckinley family and
a former First Assistant Postmaster
General. For leniency towards the
former Mr.. Payne had appealed to the
newspaper correspondents with the
words, "Have not you boys little
warm blood left in you? Would you
drag that Sainted family in the dust ?'
For the latter be had appealed with
the statement, HE was one OF YOU.
Would you boys. notably good fell
lows, blacken the reputation of a fell
low newspaper man ?" When Machen
and his friends had tried to blacken
the reputation of First Assistant Post
master General Wynne, a newspaper
correspondent of twenty years stand
ing, Mr.. Payne had no appeal. When be
and bis pals had secured the dismissal !
Of a managing editor, who charged
him with dishonest practices, Mr..
Payne had made no appeal. The end |
of the Postoffice investigation is said
to be in sight. More arrests are to |
follow and then, it is claimed the
criminal ring will have been eliminated |
from the postal service.
Will Senator Hanna be able to main.
tain control of the Hanna factibn in
Ohio, is the question which republi-
Gan politicians in Washington are ask
ing with keenest interest. The abiect
of Hanna Was supposed to
insure the action of the Ohio conven-
lion but Senator Foraker left Wash.
lngton Hr from assured. There is a
arge faction of malcontents in Ohio.
They have flocked to the Hanna ban.
Ter because they understood that he
vas opposed to the Roosevelt admins.
ration. There are leaders like 81. M.
and E. E. McKisson
Vho this year furnish large part of
he Hanna strength. Formerly they
we're intense anti Hanna men. Hanna
las surrendered but their loyalty Was
o any opposition to.the President, not l
o Hanna. Will they now surrender
DOp They will make trouble for the +,
lhio boss If they are strong enough.
he attitude of General Grosvenor is t
ttributed to his desire to keep a man Y
AIMED Jones in office as pension agent i
t Columbus, man whom Hanna en- !.
orsed but whom he would now sup
liant with General r. B. Kennedy, C
hey may be trouble in the Ohio con- r
ention yet. a
1