The sun., 1903-06-03
POSTAL SCANDAL AT A HEAD.
RLPTCRE BETWEEN PAYNE AND
WYNNE IN EVIDENCE.
The President WIN Want to Know which
Is Right when He Gets Back This Week
and Either the POstmast er.(eneral
or His First Assistant May Go.

and Either the ROSWhBteVsSchrThi
or His First Assistant May Go.
WASHINGTON, June 2,--Postmaster-G Cen
eral Payne said to-day that he had hoped
to have a brief report OF what the Post
Of1ce Department scandal investigation
had accomplished ready for the Presidents
perusal Immediately upon his return to
Washington, on Friday evening next. but
that, owing to the various ramifcations OF
the case and the serious detective work
that was yet to be done, this would be i'm
possible.
It IL not Mr. Payne's official report, how
ever, that ia awaited with keen interest
and attention. The particular matter OF
speculation and conjecture at present
concerns the question of what the Post
master General will say to the President
In private concerning conditions In the
Department, and whether the lack OF har-
mony between Postmaster-General Payne
and First Assistant Postmaster General
Wvnne will come to the surface.
1t has been intimated from various
sources that Immediately upon the Presi-
dents return Mr.. Payne will make COM
plant Of Mr.. Wynne for embarrassing the
detective work of the Department by fur
nishing too much copy to the news
papers.
If this is done it is just possible that the
President may consider the recent arrests
and other sensational developments In the
Department as vindication Of Mr.Wynne's
conduct in notifying the public through
the press that the postal service was rot
ten" in the face of the Postmaster Generals
repeated declaration that the scandals
consisted largely of -hot air." and act ac-
cordingly This combination of circum-
atances, ii Ia pointed out, could result in
but one thng-the retirement of Post
master General Tayne from the Cabinet
However this may be, 1t Is matter OF
that the strained relations which have ex-
isted between Mr.. Payne and his first assist
ant have reached a crisis during the last
few days.
1t became known to-day that after Post
master General Payne left Washington for
his Southern cruise with Secretary Moody,
President Roosevelt's q interest In the threat
ened scandals was 40 great that he received
almost daily reports regarding the progress
Of the Investigations:
Superintendent Beavers OF the Salary
and Allowance Division who got out in
hurry at the beginning of the inquiry, was
handed to Mr.. Wynne, II was by the Presi-
dents direction that it was Immediately
accepted, and the same high authority ap-
proved the letter Of acceptance that was
sent TO Mr.. Beavers.
The letter was extremely complimentary
10 Beavers, although written long after
he was suspected and accused OF rascallty,
Neither Payne nor Wynne will make 1t
public, but sooner or later Beavers will.
Up to short time ago when the first real
sensational Incidents OF the investigation
came to light with the arrests of Attorney
Miller and Supt. Machen, on charges OF
tinued to pooh-pooh the scandals Mr.
Wynne magnified them
Now Mr. Wynne, having accomplished
. large part of what he has set out to do,
in the ousting Of Beavers and Machen,
who he had reason to believe. were corrupt
officials, is minimizing the Importance OF
the various other cases of alleged scandals
and the Postmaster General Is magnlfying
them.
Mr.. Wynne thinks the worst of the storm
ia over, and that while other irregularities
may follow, the really great results of the
investigation have been accomplished.
In Mr. Payne's most recent interview,
he said: The end is not yet" and
OF the further Investigations of Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General Bri stow.
would make the Machen arrest and con-
sequent disclosures seem like "a small
affair, thing OF relative unmportance;
Who is right, Payne, or Wynne? That's
what the President will want to know
1t has been rumored that Postmaster
General Payne intends 10 resign as result
of the scandals in the Depart nen', that he
ia breaking down under the Dor neces-
stated by the continuance Of the inquiry,
and that he is not pleased with the general
conditions. 1t may be authoritativclys;ated,
however, that Mr.. PAYNE has no present
intention of leaving the Cabinet. II, how.
ever he should request the President to
remove First Assistant Postmaster-('enerRl
Wynne and his request should be refused he