Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1885-12-30
A COUNTY CONvEx rION or NAsBys
CALLED At HALEY.

Those overworked and underpaid
public officials, the Iostlnas.
tsrs Of tho third and fourth class, are
about to take steps 10 secure fair
compensation. To that end they have
called q convention which will DO held
IN Chicago on tho 18th Of February,
at which memorial to Congress set.
ting forth their wrongs will doubtless
be adopted, together with recommen.
datious of remedial measures.
These officials are required to do =
great deal Of work, to handle much
money, for a very Inadequate com.
pensation. An instance in point will
illustrate this. The Haley postofice
Is Of the third class, ranking second
in the Territory in compensation. but
doing mach more business than the
Boise office, which outranks it. Well,
the total compensation allowed the
HALEY Office is only $500! Of this
amount the postmaster must pay for
rent $500; fuel and lights $3.50; sta
tionery $50; clerk hire 5000; total Of
1880. This leaves only $500 for the
postmaster. who is compelled to de.
vote Ill his time to his Office! What
first class business man would care to
hold the office for $500 per year? Nor
10 the HALEY Office the worst paid, as
many third class postmasters have ab
solutely nothing left for salary after
paying the running expenses.
Now, ii is no argument rs to the
justice Of the postmasters' complaint
to say that If they do not like their
positions they can resign and turn
them over to those who would be
pleased to have them with all their
annoyances. The question is simply
ono Of right and public policy
whether it is just and wise AMI prop.
er to saddle such burden upon any
GLASS Of intelligent und useful public
servants?
There are 5l,SO3 postmastcrs in
the United States. OF this number
II arc of the first.class, 3S2 of the
second class, and the balance Of the
third and fourth class. These ST.
300-odd third and fourth class post
masters ought to make themselves
hoard; and the Chicago convention is
to be held for that purpose.
But in order to secure the desired
seform it is necessary that the various
States and Territories br represented
in the convention; and Idaho is ex-
pected to send at least two delegates.
idaho ranks compar Itivcly high IN
postal matters. She has more postof-
fees than Arizona, Delaware, the
D:sr:ct Of Columbia, Alaska, tho In
dian Territory, Nevada, New Mexico,
Rhode Island, or Wyoming; and he'
postoilices are increasing, in number
and business, at u much more rapid
rate than in many States. 1t is there
fore important that she be represented
1t Chicago. But how is this repro
sentation to be secured? 1t is i'm
practicable to hold Territorial Con
vention. The next best thing is
therefore to hold convention for thi!
and adjoining counties. There ca.
be no objection to this, since Of TIN
1876 postoifices in Idaho, 40 Tor owe
one.6fth) ure in Alturas county.
Postmaster Bows, of HALEY, ate
consultation with few ncighborinl
postmastcrs, has therefore called
convention to be held in HALEY o,
the 25th of January, 1886, to selec
one or more delegates to the Chica
20 convention. Al thus county con
ve"tion every postmaster in the coun
~ should be represented.
h, cannot come, he can a
least send his proxy TO the Halle
postmaster. And in order 10 provid
for the expcnses Of the delegate, !:
should send not lees than Is nor mos
than 80, according to the importanc
OF he office, Postmaster Bews est
mates that the cost Of the trip to Oh
caGo aud return, for one delegate. ,
<SCO. II selected he will 60 il $50
IL furnished by his fellow. postmaster
supplying the third 500 himself.
j,s l. not selected no will pay $50 x
wsrd dsfrsyi"g tile expenses OF tn
delegate. whoever he may be.