The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-08-05
SALARY REDUCTION.
A WICKED CONGRESS GETS
IN ITS WORK AND RE-
VISES THE POST
AL LAWS.
MUCH WEEPING AND CRASHING
OF TEETH AROUND THE
POsToFFICE.

Yesterday STATESMAN reporter brows-
ing around the postotficc found to his
great surprise that his postoffice box had
not been levied upon and locked from the
inside for the quarters rent. Something
surely was out of joint. He was firmly
and Materially convinced of this He
would ascertain the wherefore for this
thusness, and at once called upon the as
sistant postmaster but obtained no infor.
nation, as that usually
CHEERFUL INDIVIDUAL
was heroically engaged, soaking his head
in the water cooler, while the stamp clerk
hummed in grieveddop' 't-care-lf-1-die
voice the "Stamp Clerks Lament" The
money order department was then visited,
but the genial register clerk, just from an
extended trip through Europe, was as
dumb as an oyster. A question was then
propounded to the money order man who
looked as dismal as monkey with his tail
burnt off, but no satisfaction was obtained.
The mailing department was then entered,
Gildalt was approached, but to questions
asked, his answers were as irreverent as
irrelevant. Holmes was seen, but he was
dazed and in a fit of abstraction was drink
ing copiously from a mucilage bottle.
The
BOLD, NAKED
fact, however, still stared the reporter in
the face, that his box for the quarter
rent was still unlocked on the inside,
and the postmaster himself was found
and cleared up the mystery. Congress,
some weeks ago, passed bill amending
the postal laws ih such way as to neces-
state very serious reduction in the sal
aries of postoffice employees, which so
worked upon their feelings and their
pockets that they overlooked the repor-
ter's box.
Heretofore the money order clerk has
been paid out of the fees of his office, but
under the new law he is made part of
the postoffice force, and his salary must
come out of the regular appropriation,
which was not increased. This, of course,
necessitates reduction all round in the
pay of other clerks. The reduction, to
place it mild, is
AN OUTRAGE.
Yesterday Postmaster Johnson left for
Washington, on behalf of the employees
The average reduction is about 1873 per
cent, and upon some of the clerks this
bears particularly hard, as it reduces their
pay to $466 per annum. They were not
overburdened with wealth prior to the re-
duction, and some have families to sup
port, and on their former compensations
this was none too easy. Now it is some
thing of task to make both ends meet
and as these clerks are all
TRUSTWORTHY
and attentive to their duties, their chic
thought it not more than right that ht
should use his best endeavors to have
their former salaries reinstated, and he
goes to Washington to make personal
plea for them. knowledge of the post
masters proposed trip came to Captain
j. A. Hooper, the representative of the
GOULD SYSTEM
in this section, and he yesterday did 6
graceful ana delicate act. Calling upon
the postmaster he presented him with the
railroad company's compliments to the
postoffice employees, pass to Washing
ton, and return. Such an act is one worthy
of the commentator of all right
thinking people. 1t was the deed of 6
man, who, seeing chance to do gen
erous thing, did it in delicate,
UNosTENTATIoUs
manner, and in such manner as to worl
out for the good of deserving object. II
is to be sincerely hoped that the good in
tentions of both of these gentlemen will
meet with the success that their gen
erosity alone should insure.