The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-08
HITCHCOCK WILL
 MANAGE FUR TAFT
PostoffiCe Official Will Soon Re-
 sign His Position
SPECIAL WORK IS ENDED
MT. Hitchcock Has Been Preparing For Campaign Work For Some Time and Will Take Up
 Duties February 15.

Washington February 7.-Announce- ment was made today of the approaching retirement from the postal service of Frank H. Hitchcock, first assistant post master general MT. Hitchcock will as- sume the active campaign of Secretary Taft for the republican nomination to the presidency. The exact date of the re- tirement has not been determined def initey. but it probably will be about February 15.
 MT. Hitchcock will be succeeded as first assistant postmaster general by Dr. Charles P. Grandfe1d, who, for little more than two years has been chief of the bureau over which Mir Htchcok pre- sides. Dr. Grandfeld has been activity
 identified with the. postal service for about 20 years.
 Several weeks ago MT. Hitchcock was requested by Secretary Taft to under take the management of his campaign. The secretary desires to enlist his serv- Ices, not only becalse he Is widely known throughout the country and has had experience of a valuable kind in cam paign work, but because he felt the neces- sity of having a man in charge of the campaign to whom he could refer ques- tions that were arising constantly and to which he was unable to devote the time they seemed to demand.
 When Secretary Taft made the proffer of the management of his campaign to MT. Hitchcock, he desired that he un- dertake the work immediately. AS that in the view of Mir. Hitchcock, would have necessitated his retirement at once iron, the office of first assistant postmaster general, he asked for time to consider the subject and to confer with friends. To this the secretary entered no objection, but expressed a desire that a decision be reached as soon as practicable In considering the matter with his friends, MT. Hitchcock found himself somewhat embarrassed because he had instituted on behalf of the postal service certain lines of action which he felt he ought to follow to their conclusion. This would render it necessary for him to appear in his of ficial capacity before committees of Con gress. He finally informed Secretary Taft that if he could be given time to meet his obligations and duties to the postal service he would accept his of fer.
 concluded the work of which he was en- gagged and in a few days he will tender his resignation and leave the postoffice department Mr. Roosevelt joined in re- questing Mir Hitchcock to make the cam paign work
 MT. Hitchcock has consistently declined to discuss the reports that he was to become Secretary Taft's campaign man ager and today when requested to make q statement regarding the matter insisted that 1t was subject which he was not in a position at this time to dis cuss.
 It is not known, therefore, what plans Mir Hitchcock may have prepared for his new duties. It Is not known, even, whether he will establish headquarters in this city, but 1t is assumed he will devote his attention to the campaign of Secretary Taft in all parts of the coun- try, except, probably Ohio, which Is be- ing looked after by Arthur I. Norys.