Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-21
TO SUCCEED COCHRAN
POSSIBLY NO ONE OF THOSE MEN.
TONED WILL BE APPOINTED.
Probable Transfer Of the Inspectors to
the Control Of the Postmaster Gen
eral Before Long.

When the appointment of William d
Cochran to the position Of purchasing agent
for the Post Office Department il made by
the President ON July 1 the vacancy will
have to be- filled. Several aspirants. for the
Office are In evidence, prominently among
them being M. C. Fosnes, inspector in
charge of the st. Paul division, and Walter
s. Mayer, inspector in charge of the New
York division. Disappointment will prob
ably be visited upon these gentlemen II the
plans Of the Post Office Department carry.
as they seem likely to do between now and
the 1st of July. Neither Mr.. Fosnes nor
Mr.. Mayer is wanted for the chief ~in-
spectorship of the Post Office Department
by the powers in that department. But the
army contingent, with whom Fosnes be-
came very friendly during his regime as
director general of posts for Cuba, is said
to. favor him for the advancement to the
place which will be made vacant by the
promotion of Mr.. Cochran. 1t remains to
be seen whether the backing of Mr.. Fosnes
is as strong as the influence of his oppo-
nents.
Question Of Investigation.
There is strong feeling among the four
assistant postmasters general against any
of their number being called upon at any
time to investigate charges which may be
preferred against the conduct of their Of
L
division being under the supervision of the
fourth assistant postmaster general. The
feeling Is not against investigation, IL such
a measure is called for, but against 1t being
done by one Of their number They court
at all times, they say, the most searching
investigation of the conduct Of the affairs
which they have under their control, but
they dislike it when carried on under the
supervision of an official in the same class.
What they want is that the Postmaster
General shall have at all times the privi-
lege of instituting Investigations, and that
the division Of inspectors be transferred
from the Office of the fourth assistant post
master general to that of the head Of the
department.
At the last session of Congress bill was
before that body to transfer the inspectors
division to the control of the first assistant
postmaster general This was defeated,
and later the plan was tried of placing it
under the Postmaster General That also
failed, but it left a loophole, for the reason
that 1t is not necessary for Congress to pass
an act to make the transfer. The Post
master General has the power to do this at
any time, and there is good reason for the
assertion that 1t will be done before Con-
gress meets again.
Selection Of Chief.
In that event a chief inspector will be
named by the Postmaster General, and the
name will not be M. c.. Fosnes. Neither
will 1t be Walter s. Mayer. Fosnes has the
backing of Joseph L. Bristow, fourth as
sistant postmaster general, who also wishes
the inspectors to remain in his Jurisdiction
This Is antagonized by the other three as
sistants. and the only peaceable way out of
the enigma Is for the Postmaster General
to make the transfer of the inspectors divi-
sion to his own office. He can then name
his choice for the place at the head of the
list without being hampered by the sugges-
tons OF any assistant who might have the
division under his direction and who u,iobt
wish. for reasons which he would claim IN
ansWerable, to name his selection for the
place.
The likelihood is. therefore, that the divi-
sion of inspectors will be placed by Mr.
Payne under his own direction, and that he
will suggest the man to fill Mr. Cochran's S
place after 1t Is made vacant on July /.
This action will settle a controversy which
mas been in progress ever since the begin
ming OF the general investigation of the
Post Office Department. and which has Gre
afed antagonistfc feelings which never be-
fore existed in the department.