The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-04-24
CLEVELAND STARTED HIN
Strange Rise of big Gus" Machen i,
the Postal Department..

the Postal Department..
Washington, April 22.-When demo
cratic politicians swept down upol
Washington in 1903, consumed will
hunger for Office, Augustus w. Machen
then* assistant postmaster 8at Toledo
came also. The postmaster in Toledo
was a relative by marriage of Grove!
Cleveland. a fortunate circumstanc,
calculated to facilitate Mr.. Machen il
landing easily on a good thing. On,
day, after weeks and even months
gone by, Governor Campbell of Ohio, ;
warm friend of the assistant postmas.
ter in Toledo, visited the White House
accompanied by friend in this city.
You forgot to speak to the presidens
about Machen,' said this friend, as the
two We're leaving Mr.. Cleveland's pres.
ence.
That's so" said the governor, an6
thereupon returned.
rs la fellow still here?' exclaimed
Mr.. Cleveland, fondlipg the little cur.
upon the top of his forehead, as was
his wont in perpieXtty, when Governo.
Campbell brought up the subject Of ar
appointment for Mr.. Machen.
Yes said the governor, who knew
well that Mr.. Machen had come here iE
the hope Of becoming first assistant
postmaster general.
What will he be willing to take 2"
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.. Machen'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 postoffice 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 orfice on the
fourth floor, northwest corner of the
p%ostot1ce building, Mr.. Machen is in
immediate command Of a postal army
Of $4,000 men. The ultimate u
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 he
office in 1893" said Mr.. Machen today,
careful to talk nothing except the char
acter of the service in view of pending
fifteen persons. BY 1896, 1 think, the
force had increased to about ninety.
Now I have In office force of 26S with
special agents and others on the road
and in the field to increase the number
of the force to $50. Fol the rural free
delivery there are now eight division
headquarters and another will be es-
tablished July l.. These headquarters
are now in New York, Philadelphia,
apolis, st. Louis, Denver and San Fran
cisco. For the free delivery in cities
there are fou assistants; one here in
Washington and one each in New York,
Chicago and a Francisco. The as
sistant 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.
'sThe number of carriers under your d.
vision has increased enormously2'' was
suggested.
YES replied Mr.. Machen, as he,
reached for a report, from which to verify
the figures. July l, 1897, there were for
,ty-four rural letter carriers in the service
of the United States government. One
year later the number was AS and another
year later, 3s1. BY July /. 1903, 1t will
reach IS, 500, and 10000 more carriers will
be added to hat force in tie next fiscal
year by reason of the ai~f sopriations by
the last congress.
I'm 1893, when 1 came into the service,
there were 1,625 city letter carriers. BY.
next July their number will be approx
imately 1850. Then the revenue of post.
Offices in cities with free delivery was
$4s, 900, 900 annually; now it is s96, Np0 1000,
having doubled. The rural free delivery
covers about $50, o uare miles, out of a
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 it
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 ehalf SO strong that only the clear
est case against him can shake his hold
with the postoffice administration.
H-E..#