Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-13
NEW CHIEF INSPECTOR
INTEREST IN THE SUCCESSOR TO
WILLIAM E. COCHRAN.
It is Believed That It Will Be One Of
the Fifteen Division Inspectors
No Selection Made.

When William E. Cochran Of Colorado,
now chief inspector of the Post Office De-
partment, on the LIST of July assumes the
Office of purchasing agent of the depart
ment, to which he has been appointed
the first incumbent, another chief inspector
will have to be prepared to take his place.
Who this will be has not yet been decided.
1t is safe to assume, however, that it will
be one of the fifteen division inspectors of
the service, and that the coming chief will
not be appointed from the field or another
department of the government service.
A case of the latter sort occurred in the
appointment of the predecessor of Inspector
Cochran, when George 3. Hamlet, who was
in charge of division of the pension bu
reau, was appointed to the chief inspector
ship of the department Such an appoint
ment is not likely to be made again. as 1t is
recognized that the position of chief of the
post office inspectors must be a man who
has had ample experience in the field which
he is called upon to direct.
Chief Cochran had that experience, and
as a result gave to the department a serv-
Ice conspicuous for its excellence and which
was largely responsible for his latest pro-
motion to a position paying 80 per cent
more salary than the one he now holds. The
newly created office Of purchasing agent is
one of the most responsible in that service
but that Of inspector is also a very impor-
tant position. The latter official Is also
I bonded and handles in the neighborhood of
10000 year in collections made by the
inspectors under his direction.
For this latter named reason it becomes
almost imperative to appoint chief to as
sumo office spontaneously with the retire.
ment of Mr. Cochran, since the latter will
sign disbursements to the end of June and
then take up the work Of his new office
ana II his successor were not appointed q
that time 1t would be necessary for the
chief clerk. or whoever else filed the place
temporarily, to give bond in the sum of
1900 while occupying the place. 1t is not
desired to have this occur, yet the new ap-
pointment rests in a measure on many
others that will arise because of the
vacancy made by the change in the chief
irspectorship. Every vacancy thus created
VIII nave to be the subject of special study
Tor the right man to fill 1t, and this will
take In the entire service to the very bot
tom of the list of inspectors.
There Is strong reason to believe that
Postmaster General Payne will, soon after
his return to Washington, about the first
week in July, arrange for the transfer of
the inspectors from the control of the
fourth assistant postmaster general to that
OF the head of the department. 1t Is there
fCre not unsafe to assume that Mr. Payne's
selection for the chief nspectorship will be
man with whose work and ability he is
specially acquainted and upon whose con-
slant realty he can absolutely depend. Just
who this man is cannot be asserted, and
1nasmuch as the choice lies among at least
ffteen inspectors in charge and possibly
among others in the field who have not at
tanned the dignity of that position, there
is ample room for speculation. 1t is more
than likely, however, in view of the char
acter of the position, that the successor Of
MI. cochran will have been named by the
end of the present month, so he will be pre-
pared to give the required bond and as
sumo the duties of the office Immediately
upon the retirement of the present chief.