Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20
FRENCH PosT-oFFlcEs.

FRENCH PosT-oFFlcEs.
Where Buying = stamp Tries the Aooe
Pa&ient AAn's Temper.
The post-ohice clerks in Paris have
actually threatened to strike. Their
agitation hae subsidized. but their
threat remains on record, and it is one
that contains much matter for reHec-
ton. The times must be rather queer
when State servants freely talk of
turning out as though they were
masons or carpenters, the value OF
whose work rises and falls with the
fluctuations of demand and supply. 1
know of no place so calculated to ruin
a sweet temper as q French post-off1ce.
If you have not to faire la queue in
order to get q stamp you will have to
wait before hole like that of fowls
house while the clerk on the other side
is leisurely, and with an expression of
Indifference that is enough to exas-
perate 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 incivility as any
brigand-noble of the thirteenth century
behind the ten-foot wall of his dun
geon 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
a 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 as many blank spaces as if
he were drawing up a policy of insur-
ance. This is not his fault. ALI 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 inge-
nuity thus shown in wasting time. If,
however, the work of the post-ohice
were simplifed, a reduction of the
staff would be unavoidable. To re-
turn to the post-office clerk. Although
his ungracious manners have placed
him outside the pale of public SYM
pathy, it must be admitted that his path
in life is not strewn with roses. After
receiving his nomination he has often
to wait three or four years before he
obtains employment He commences
his career with a salary of eight hun
dred francs a year-about half as
much as he could earn if he were will
ing to carry out meat for butcher
Then he has to deposit eight hundred
francs as ''caution money!" for which,
however, he is allowed three per cent
interest Five per cent. Of his salary
is retained and goes toward his retir-
ing pension. He has little more than
sixty francs a month clear, of which it
is quite impossible to live in 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 post-office clerk; he
has another. and this is certainly
just reason for agitating. His advance
ment depends much less upon his in
dustry and ability than upon the infiu-
ence which he is able to bring to bear
upon Deputies and Senators. The
word is given to move up a certain
one, and he is moved up. Those who
have no influential friends remain in
the same place for years, while their
juniors are being Systematically set
above them.-Bostoss Transcript