Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-02-11
ANOTHER CHANGE IN SIGHT.
Assistant Postmaster General Is to Go
 to the Treasury.


 Washington, D. C., Feb 11.-It has been announced unoficially that Frank H. Hitchcock, now first assist ant postmaster-general, will assume the position about the 1st of next July of first assistant secretary of the treasury. While this change is de- cidedly, probable, it has not been de- termined on definitely.
 MT Hitchcock is a Massachusetts man and he is being urged strongly by Senator's Lodge and Crane of that state to remain where he is, not only because he could be of great assist ance to the incoming postmaster-gen- eral, Hon George V. l.. Meyer, also a resident of Massachusetts, but be- cause he has evolved plans for the improvement of the postal services which they believe he ought to carry into effect.
 The probability is, however, that Mir Hitchcock will go to the treasury department. Postmaster General Cortelyou, who is to be the successor of MT Shaw as secretary of the treas ury, is insistent that Mir Hitchcock shall me associated with him in the treasury work, and MT COrtelyou has a way of getting what he wants.
 When Mir Cortelyou was selected by President Roosevelt to be secre- tary of the treasury, the president promised him a free hand in organ iZing his executive force. His first choice for the assistant secretaryship vacated by Mir Keep was MT Hitch cock. He really desired that MT Hitchcock should accompany him to the treasury early in March, but, after consideration, it was decided to be in the interest of the public service that Mir Hitchcock should re- main at the postoffice department for a few months until MT Meyer should become familiar with the department routine and methods.
 Mir Cortelyou has ideas about the operation of the treasury department which he proposes to put into effect. He has not outlined his policy yet to anybody. In fact, it is not his prac- tice to make forecasts of his actions. He will go into the treasury, how ever. with well defined plans for the service, and it is intimated that there will be a general overhauling of the department. He has knowledge of branches of the treasury service gained by personal contact with them, as he served in the appraisers office and in the office of the surveyor of the port at New York several years ago, and he has kept in close touch with the treasury situation since he became q member of the cabinet.
 Assurance has been given him by the president that he will not be in terfered with in the management of the treasury and he will have the same free hand in his new depart ment that he had in the department of commerce and labor and now has in the postoffice department. It fol- lows. therefore, that he will stand or fall absolutely on his merits.
 To overcome the moss-grown tra- ditions of the treasury service prom ises to be a formidable task, but Mir Cortelyou will have to overcome it if he is to accomplish any genuine reforms. He is fortunate in being a man of proved ability and of the highest integrity. His friends. in and out of congress and administra- ton circles. believe in him and in his ability so to administer the affairs of the treasury as to redound to his own credit and to that of the admis- istration.
 Naturally. in undertaking the SO Iution of so formidable problem he desires assistants who are in abso- Iute accord and sympathy with him. NIT Hitchcock is such man. He Is able. courageous and indefatigable2 He appeals to Mir Cortelyou as most capable and loyal lieutenant Wheth- CT other changes in important treas ury offices will be made is not dis closed at this time. but it is quite certain that no official will be re rained unless he demonstrates his fitness to secretary Cortelyou-