Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-03
POSTOFFICE CLERKS.
PARIS POSTAL SERVANTS BECOME
 SOMEWHAT uNRULY.

Exasperating Incivility in the French Post ofice-The Traditions Must Be Respected. A Pathway Not Strewn with Roses. SmaIIness of Remuneration.
 The postoffice clerks in Paris have actually threatened to strike Their agitation has subsided, but their threat remains on record, and it is one that contains much matter for reflection The times must be rather queer 1 when state servants freely talk of turning out as though they were masons carpen- ters, the value of whose work rises and falls with the fluctuations of demand and supply. l It would be an excellent thing for France if all or nearly all of her public servants were to turn out, for then there would be some chance of revolutionizing the system of bureaucracy, which is the curse of the coun- | try But so long as those who hold places under government keep firm grip of them, the French nation will have it's blood sucked by swarm of useless functionaries. The postoffice clerks are badly paid, but then there are great many more than are needed, and the public is made to suffer in the trans action of it's daily business by this super fuity.
 RUINS THE TEMPER.
 know of no place so calculated to ruin a sweet temper as French postoffice. If you have not to faire la queue in order to get stamp you will have to wait before a hole like that of a fowls house while the clerk on the other side is leisurely, and with an ex pression of indifference that is enough to ex- asperate a wandering angel, adding up columns of figures or making entries in book. You may be in deadly fear of losing the post with some important letter, but this is of no consequence to him. Behind his wooden partition he feels as secure in his in- 1 twill briu of f,a teenth century behind the ten foot wall of his dungeon tower. Knowing the futility of trying to hurry him, you at length rush off to the nearest tobacco shop and buy stamp there This is just what he wanted you to do. He would like you to buy all your stamps at the bureau de tebac, so that his work may be lessened. If you wish to send away money order your temper is still more sorely tried, for when at length your turn comes to look through the fowls hole you must watch the clerk filling up many blank spaces as If he were drawing up O policy of insurance. This is not his fault All the unnecessary scribbling is the result of the natural genius for organization, in respect of which every Frenchman is so justly proud.
 Strangers to these ways often express in energetic language their surprise at the in- genuity thus shown in wasting time If, how ever the work of the postoffice were simpli- fed, reduction of the staff would be un- avoidable Now all such reductions are quite opposed to the traditions of French govern ments. The approved system is to cram as many persons as possible into the public offices and to pay very small salaries. But small as the salaries are, candidates for posts and friends of candidates are for ever swarming like mosquitoes about depu- ties and ministers with the hope of securing the desired influence. When there are no vacancies, offices are not unfrequently made from purely political motives. Republican legislatures have promised again and again to reform and simplify the system of admin istration in the interest of the taxpayer; but the fact remains that the number of public functionaries is very much greater now than it was under the empire.
 A THORNY PATHWAY.
 To return to the postoffice clerk Al. though his ungracious manners have placed him outside the pale of public sympathy, it must be admitted that his path in life is not strewn with roses After receiving his nom- ination he has often to wait three or four years before he obtains employment. He commences his career with salary of SOC francs a year-about half as much as he could earn if he were willing to carry out meat for butcher. Then he has to deposit SO0 francs as ''cautlOn money" for which however he is allowed per cent. interest Five per cent. of his salary is retained, and goes towards his retiring pension. He has little more than sixty francs a month clear on which it is quite impossible to live ir Paris, and to pay for clothes and lodging As his salary is increased very slowly, he is long time partly dependent upon parents or friends.
 The smallness of his remuneration is not the only grievance of the postoffice clerk; he has another, and this is certainly just reason much less upon his industry and ability thar upon the influence which he is able to bring to bear upon deputies and senators. Th( word is given to move up certain one, anC he is moved up. Those who have no influen tial friends remain in the same place fol years, while their juniors are being system atically set above them. The clerks have protested loudly against this injustice, bu their chance of obtaining redress is very slender. Favoritism is so ingrained with th' whole official system of France that the post office clerks must be sanguine indeed if they suppose that their outcry will produce any radical change Even the revolutionists onl, touch the surface of things in France. Whel i the country settles down after one of thos, periodical earthquakes official life goes on il , much the same fashion as it did before,- Paris Cor. Boston Transcript
 The Cities Get the Best.
 And yet it must be. The great city mus continually absorb the very best blood