The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-27
Reorganization of Post Office De-
partment Causes Much Appre-
hension Among Under Officials
MANY HEADS SLATED TO GO.
Too Much Independence and Disre-
gard of Orders in the Conduct of
Affairs Said to Be the Causes
of the Shake-Up.
The Republic Bureau,

| l4th 81. ana pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, March 26.-The reorganza.
ton of the Post-Offce Department, which
has been foreshadowed by the retirement OF
George W. Beavers from the position OF
| head of the division of salaries and allow
ances, has caused CONSERVATION among the
| clerks and under-officials
For years there has been a certain indie
| pendence among the heads OF some of the
important divisions Of the department con-
nected with the Office of the First Assistant
Postmaster General in the transaction of
Inc business of their respective divisions.
! mis- especially, has been the case in the
| division of salaries and allowances. from
which Beavers retires. and the free delivery
division, of which A. W. Machen is tho
mead. The work of these divisions has been
carried on by the two chiefs Of divisions
ana they have been permitted to q large
| extent to take the initiative in all matters
relating TO their forces. with the result that
the two divisions have been brought into
the position, it is claimed, Of almost sepa:
rate deoartments of the Government ser
vice, working independently of any other
machine.
INVESTIGATION BEGUN.
r. j. Wynne became First Assistant Post
master General year ago and Immediate
~ set about getting his working force in
order. 1t was net long after Mr.. Wynne
took charge Of his office that he came to
the conclusion that matters relating to free
delivery. both city and rural and postrnas-
tiers allowances, were being conducted in a
manner which was contrary to the estab-
ished policy Of the executive departments
IN general and In direct violation of the rules
lar.
He found that in these two divisions. and
in Others also. members of Congress visited
and called for information directly on the
heads Of the divisions. and not on the
ne heads Of the department as custom and
seemed to demand
Mr.. Wynne found that instead of coming
70 the postmaster General or his assistant
Congress would go directly to Mr.. Beavers,
and often the first thing the Postmaster
General or the First Assistant Postmaster
when the papers relating to 1t had all been
made out and waited only for signature
Both the Postmaster General and the
FIRST Assistant resented what they viewed
as a usurpation of their powers, and
quiet investigation was made to discover
Just how far the matter had gone This
investigation was carried on in connection
with the recent session of Congress.
POWERFUL INFLUENCE
In his report to the President the Post
master General recommended that his as
no recommendation regarding the chiefs of
the Free Delivery and Salary and Allow
anee divisions When the appropriation
House it contained clause appropriating
money to pay increased salaries to the
heads OF these two departments and paid
Postmaster General regarding increases for
his assistants.
This was supposed to show the influence
OF the heads of these two departments as
against the influence of the Assistant POST
master General, who had appeared before
the Post-Office Committee and had urged
the increases suggested, while the heads OF
the two divisions had not appeared at the
Capitol, and we're simply represented by
friends, it is alleged
The strained relations between Wynne
and Messrs. Machen and Beavers, which
have resulted have turned upon the Ques-
tion whether or not the Postmaster Gem
eral. with his direct assistants, shall rule
in the department.
The retirement Of Beavers and Machen
was decided upon. and other changes of a
like character will be made in the near
future.