The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-01-19
Post ofnca Department.

bdlneu. In bne HTSu anu StCouu CLASS oiHCOo.
as a general thing. the employees work
from twelve to fifteen hours in the twenty
four, and have not the privilege OF rest
even on the Sabbath. The increase OF bu-
siness throughout the country and in the
activity in all business pursuits, have ne
cessitate1 the increase in the mail service,
both rail and star route; and in every in
stance the labors of the post office officials
are proportionately augmented. The Pub
lie only looks to its own accommodation
and regards it as all infringement OF It's
rights and an obstruction to business in
terests if the various post-offices OF the
country are not conducted in accorda zee
with the business demands. It is not i'm
proper that the Post Office Department
should be regarded as the Peoples Depart
ment, designed for their accommodation.
and that its appointments should be made
as perfect as possible to accomplish this
end No one who has right conception
of the purposes of this service will raise q
question as to this The people want the
accommodations. and as it is their money
that pays for them, they have right
to frame their wants into demand.
This fact of itself precludes the idea of
revenue, and means that the public do not
require that the Department shall be self
sustaining. They only ask that the mail
facilities shall be as complete and perfect
as possible. They know that it is an essen
tial agency in commercial enterprise, and
they are willing to pay for the labor and
! watchfulness which will bring it up to the
requirements of the business activity OF
| the country. 1t was never, therefore, con-
| templated that the receipts of the Depart
| ment should meet its expenses, or that the
service should be crippled and its agents
compelled to undergo the exacting duties
| assigned them without fair compensation.
1t was never intended that this Peoples
Department should be of less dignity. SIM
| ply because it accommodates the masses,
| than other Departments. or because il
does not produce as much revenue as is ex-
pended for its support.
Notwithstanding the popular character OF
this Department, and it's close relation to
! all classes of citizens, it is the object at
| which demagogues invariably strike When
| reputation for affected economy is to be
sought the first thing to assail is the postal
service, simply because it is not self-sns,
! tanning. No account is taken OF the i'm
mense and exacting labor performed by
| Postmasters and Postal agents-kuowing
| no hours OF rest, scarcely-but compari.
son is instituted between this department,
which was never intended to be source OF
revenue, and other departments which are
organized to produce revenue, and because
| the one can show no balance in the Treas
nry at the end of the year and the Other
can, the pay of the employees is accordingly
proportioned. We will take the Internal
Revenue Department. as distributed
Throughout the States. In these offices the
| hours of business are from 9 a. m. to ) p
1.-The pay of the Collector from 81. 800 tt
| Sd. 600 per annum. and the clerks ranging
from $1,000 down to $1,000, and norf
lower. In second-class post office, where
the hours for work are from a. m. to II
p. M. and the hours for general business
| from a. %. to 6 p. Nat this season OF
the year-without a moment for rest OF
leisure-the pay of the postmaster ano
three clerks is about the amount of the
Collectors salary, SO 800. In the case Of
the Post Office Department, vast amount
of labor is performed for the accommodate
| tion of the ueopls, for very i,adaqu@.e
| compensation, simply because the Depart
ment does not pay revenue into the treas
ury. In the other case. a vast amount OF
revenue is paid into the Treasury because
it is revenue producing service, and FOL
this reason, and not the excess OF labor,
| ample compensation is allowed. In the
one elvice whatever help is asked to prop
erly and efficiently perform the duties i'm
posed. is cheerfully granted. In the other,
parsimonious law of Congress is enforced,
which requires competent clerks TO work in
many instances from twelve to fifteen
| hours each day, for less than is paid CON-
mon laborer or messenger about the Capt.
tol building.
There is no justice in such discrimina.
ton. 1t arises from the fact we have
stated, that the Post Office Department is
not self-sustaining branch Of the govern
ment, yet its duties are as responsible and
far more exacting than any other part OF
the public service. 1t is emphatically the
Peoples servant, created for their accom-
mediation, and organized to facilitate the
business of the country. 1t therefore,
should be supported as literally as any
other department, and those appointed to
operate it, receive at least as much for
double the labor performed by other de-
partments, as is allowed them.
We call the attention Of the Post Office
Committees of the two branches of Con-
gress to this grievous inequality, in the
nope that the Peoples Department will be
generously and justly dealt with, and the
agents employed to serve the public in this
popular branch of the government be re-
warded as literally, at least, as the common
laborers about the capitol grounds and
messengers in the corridors of the public
buildings.
The fashion of each Congress digging at
the Postal service. because it is not self
sustaining, is not craftsmanship. The
Democratic Congress of 1876 exposed its
smallness by striking severe bio" at the
Postal Department, in cutting down its al
lowances. and by this kind of parsimony
endeagoring to establish reputation for
economy. 1t was the penny wise and
pound foolish economy, which only served
to show upon what cheap capital it en-
deavored to trade. Let the present Con-
gress take hold OF the subject in the spirit
ofjustice, and show that iG comprehends the
Importance Of this great Department Of the
People, and is ready and willing to con-
tribute to its efficiency, and give adequate
compensation to those who faithfully per-
form its duties-,giving twice as much time
to them, and equally rs much competency,
as are commanded BY aag other Depart
ment of the Government.
Protect Labor
There have been two instances ia this COUNTY
within, the mast wear which illustrate the an