New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-25
THE POSTAL SCANDAL.
v4CHEN'S INDEPENDENCE
Caasod the Troable-His Office
Likely To Be abolished.


-,.s-,v demonstrated the Objectionable and
,,,alous conditions which precipitated tn,
-.esnt scandal than the deficiency in the divis-
a., of free delivery. which disclosed ex-
,l.zjyely in The Trihune's Washington dispatch
= Nav % Surprise has been expressed to the
postmaster General by former Superintendent
Nachens liends that the mere existence Of
dsfciency AS regarded as matter Of so much
e--s,ity Il view OF the fact that deficiencies are
N, uncommon either IN the Postof1ce or other
apartments Of the govesnment. and MT. Payne
has invariably replied that il was rot alone the
,rsati5n % Z deficiency. but the complete ig-
-orfng of his known wishes by Superintendent
,rachen and the latter's refusal TO consult the
head Of the postal service on the subject. to
which he so earnestly objected. These acts of
independence Mr.. Payne critlcises. and charac-
terizes as notwithstanding
To persons familiar with the circumstances It
is evident that the Postmaster General has now
experienced. perhaps for the first time. grave
ANNOYANCE from the same insubordination that
has long irritated the First Assistant Post
master General, under whose supervision the
affairs Of the free delivery division were osten-
siblv conducted. a disregard of those in
thority over him has long characterized Super
interdent Machen's administration. but. accom-
panied as il was by unusual competence 1t mas
been ignored until charges of extravaganza ap-
peared 10 necessitate stricter supervision
Machen's methods, which have brought down
upon him the reluctant and therefore more
severe condemnation Of the Postmaster General.
were the result of g mistaken idea that II he
granted every request Of inlportunate Congress
men and served their interests before ali else
he was performing the most important of his
duties as general superintendent Of free de-
livery and that there existed necessity for
consulting with or deferring to his superior
officers in the Postof1ce Department.
Rural free delivery. undertaken only a short
tine ego as an experiment, has met with al
most unparalleled success It's popularity has
more than kept pace with its growth. The test,
therefore, Of most new Representatives has been
their ability TO secure the establishment in their
districts Of one or more rural routes First AS
distant Postmaster Generals have come and
gone but Machen has stayed on and become the
alpha and omega Of rural free delivery lore.
He could tell on the instant the number OF pa
irons required TO warrant the establishment 81
q route. and give all other information per
tanning thereto; and gradually members of Con
gress got into the habit Of consulting him on
the subject and ignoring the First Assistant
Postmaster General The pressure on him to
establish routes was strong, and gradually. 1t
is admitted, he to regard the pohtcaI
rxigencies of his Congressional friends as worthy
of even more consideration than the economic
and well ordered administration Of departmental
funds Routes were established which brought
criticism on the department for its extrava-
Eance and Il may be safely said that many
members Of Congress assured the accommodate
gng sIperintendent that he need have no fear
OF making deficiencies. as they would provide the
funds
The situation has been accurately described
ty ex-Representative Loud. who has said that
there existed great extravagances in the free de-
livery division and has pointed out that they
were largely due to the popularity of and the
urgent demand for free delivery routes. which
demand was often met with more generosity
than Judgment These were the circumstances
which resulted In Machens distorted conception
~ his duties and his relations 10 his superiors.
He apparently forgot that he was, after al,
only clerk. an employe whose place must be
filed by the Civil Service Commission. and that
he was responsible TO Assistant Postmaster
General appointed by the President and con-
fr1ned by the Senate.
This, then, was the unfortunate condition Of
affairs which confronted Robert ]. Wynne when
he first assumed the duties Of First Assistant
Postmaster General and SO became response
be for every act OF the superintendent Of the
division OF free delivery. His requests for infor-
nation regarding the details OF that division
are said 70 have met with impertnent re1oln-
oers or 10 have been completely ignored HIS
efforts 10 ferniliarize himself with the workings
of that division were blocked at every turn
When Mr.. wynne got fairly into the saddle
and found that he was unable TO exercise what
he regarded proper supervision over ol-
vision OF his Office for which the Postmaster
General could properly hold him responsible. ne
attempted 10 correct the evils by issuing various
orders, as Tor instance that no oIhclal letleFS
be written 70 members OF Congress without ms
Signature that no free delivery routes De es-
;abiished without his approval, etc These Or
ders Machen first resented, then studlously d's-
regarded. He asserted that he had Tor years
exercised full and sole contro! over hLs 1sot.
and he declined TO be dictated to- MI W yt-i4e
1Een protested 10 the Postmaster General that
:als was an anomalous. perniclous and lnsup-
portable condition OF affairs. with the result
:har the current Investigation was ordered.
Postmaster General Payne never. 1t IS tnoueh1
actually realized the high handed metnocs put-
sued n the tree delivery oiVlslon uhII me- lhe re-
cent discovery that his wishes and instructors
regarding :. deficiency had been cc1teInptuous-
~ ignored; but that the situation mas Deen
brought forcibiy home TO him, II is belleVed lha'
he vsiT Institute q reorganization which viii re-
suit not Cnly in the permanent enTnina tlon oL
officials who have come 10 believe that there u
any other head TO the Postoflce Depa[ pIs men
than the Postmaster General. but also IN reIloer-
ing Impossible the continuance OF SYSTEM
which TO use My. Payne's own words. is "pouha
TO be Continental TO the entire postal service
il IS regarded as extremely prooaple that
wi.h the passing Of Machen, the poslGon oA
general superintendent Of free ue@iVery VIII Oe
abolished. Had Macken's earnest efeIt 10 nav e
tEis place changed 70 a bureau anu I!ililSC-II
appointed Fifth Assistant Postmaster Gene a
proved successful the Office would have mac a
reason for being, but at present il IS largely
anomalous. There is now superiEtenoent OF
city delivery and superintendent or TuTal Tree
delivery, each or whom is doubtless conpetenl
tc exercise such immediate supervision over hls
respective division as is essential. SO tiat -Ia
chen's position was largely that OF go-bet"een
between these officials and the FIRST Assistant
Postmaster General
Moreover FOR oF facilitating the