St. Paul daily globe., 1886-07-09
Blair's Fine Work.
THE POSTAL CLERKS.
They Issue Statement in Their
Own Behalf.

Own Behalf.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, July sc. C..
Meade, chief clerk, and B. E, Raft, secre-
tary of the Brotherhood of Postal Clerks,
have prepared response to the statements
of Postmaster-General Villas. In substance
they say that the postal clerks expected
very generally on the incoming of the pres
ent administration to be removed: that in
such anticipation some resigned and others
got their houses in order to go; that Post
master-General Villas, by his circular of
March 81, 1885, gave them to understand
expressly that there should be no removal
without cause, and none for merely political
reasons; that efficient and valuable men
would not be disturbed so long as they rem
dered faithful service; that they accepted
this assurance in good faith and so contin-
ued in service, rendering faithful and zeal
GUS service; that soon. however, their
faith was shaken by repeated and
frequent removals Of good men
without cause; that by reason
OF such removals increased work was i'm
posed upon them; that they were required.
in addition to their regular and Onerous
duties, to teach new men; that new men
were often promoted over them; that in
some instances these new men were given
leave of absence and devoted their time to
political work without complaint or rebuke,
While old clerks were being removed for al
legged political work done years before; that
they felt they were being imposed upon by
having additional duties and work put up-
on them and by favoritiSm shown in many
ways to new appointees; that they had a
pride in the efficiency of the service and
found that these things tended to destroy
that efficiency; that they objected to re-
movalS Denig made upon secret charges un-
known to them and to which they had NO
opportunity of replying or being heard
thereon, that the organization was founded
upon those things looking to the good and
efficiency of the public service, and to pre-
vent, if possible, its destruction by constant
and frequent removals without cause: that
under the professions and promises of the
postmaster-g general the public would
infer that the removals were made
upon good and sufficient cause thus leaving
stigma upon the persons removed and I'M
justly so; that the essence Of their protest
was that in justice to those removed they
only asked that the cause Of removal should
be made known; that while as public SER
wants they recognized their duties to the
public and faithfully and zealously per-
formed them. for proof of which they point
with pride to the service itself; they felt as
men and citizens they were entitled at least
to fair and just consideration by the post
master general; that what they did was not
i'll any spirit of INSTRUMENTATION or obstruc-
ton, but on the contrary was in the highest
interests Of the postal service on behalf of
the public and in their own interests as men
and citizens wishing the good opinion of
the public and the maintainence of the high
efficiency of the postal service; that they
intended to wait upon the postmaster gen
eral and snbmit these things to his con-
sideration when he hurriedly removed a
large number of clerks without hearing.
This they believe he did to avoid being con-
fronted with his record on removals.