New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-19
A MAIL sERgAYT IND THE MAIL SERVICI

A MAIL SERgANT IND THE NAIL SERVICE
A few days ago a Milwaukee lady, who had
suffered as, alas, so many of the people OF these
United States have suffered during this Ad-
minstration, from defective mail service,
wrote first to the Buffalo postmaster and then
to "The Buffalo Express.n She had lost four
letters that would naturally pass through the
Buffalo post office, and in her complaint to the
newspaper she used this language:
During many years of large correspondence such
a thing has never happened before II this is a
sample Of the boosted civil Service reform of the
Democratic party, say the sooner we have a change
the better | hear that complaints are pouring into
every postofIlce in the country. Would that every
complainant could thereby be induced to vote for
General Harrison and the reinstatement Of the Re
publican party
This incensed the postmaster, and he pro-
ceeded to reply to the Milwaukee lady. 1t
is not a reply that does credit to this pub
lie servant. 1t ought to have been courteous
but it is coarse, not to say abusive. The fact
that the Milwaukee ady's letter possibly con-
tanned unwarranted assumptions in regard to
her missing mail matter, or the further fact
that she announced herself in favor of
"changer in the management of National az
fairs, certainly furnished the postmaster no
valid excuse for attacking her as if one of the
functions Of Federal reform officehoder was
to write himself down as lacking the instincts
of gentleman. lie sneers at the lady because
to use his own obviously tasteful phrase
she has aired herself' in print; he protests
with marked elegance of expressiOn-that
he is not in the Buffalo post office g to be
kicked and cuffed by female politicians; and
he winds up his heated screed with the i'm
pressive observation: "While | am post
master il only until next March, | wish 1t dis
iincty understood that these attacks from
political cranks will be dealt with as they de-
serve.n We submit to the Postmaster-General
that he ought to send the Buffalo postmaster
a copy Of :" The Complete Letter Writer" with
"Polite" carefully underscored.
The next time this Milwaukee lady loses
four letters she may conclude to suffer in
silence, or at all events to say nothing in pub
lie in regard to her patriotic desire-in the in
tcrest of a satisfactory mail service-for Re-
publican restoration. 1t may be some consola
tion for her to reflect that she has much com
pany in her mail misery. Yesterday THE
TRIBUNE received half dozen or more letters
from points in Indiana and Illinois, which, as
the postmarks showed had been from four to
six days in making the journey. Speaking gen.
orally we may say that letters addressed to
this newspaper Office from all parts of the coun-
try fail &c arrive on time A subscriber over
In Connecticut, after making at least a dozen
unsuccessful attempts Of late TO secure reg
ular delivery Of his paper through the mail, in
his despair requested us TO discontinue sending
IT, One of our South Carolina correspondents,
under the date of July 13, writes us as fol-
lows: Yours of 2 Sd of May to hand. 1t
was delayed at the post office for some time.
Very often Republicans fail to get
their mail at alp Another correspondent re-
siding in NewJersey, to whom THE WEEKLY
TRIBUNE has been mailed regularly since April
Last writes us this week that he has only re-
ceived three copies. These instances Of gross
carelessness or gross ineomDetency or worse