The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-11-28
The P. O. Department.

where the receipts of the Office for the
previous wear are IS, 900 or more. This
is a considerate suggestion. Before the
free delivery was established in Staun-
ton its advantages and conveniences
were not appreciated, because no proper
conception of their extent was enter
tanned. The ladies especially value the
system above price. Instead of their
letters being slowed away in the pockets
of the male members of the family, they
are delivered at their homes direct from
the post office by the carriers. In this
way much annoyance and delay are
avoided
Another suggestion which will strike
the public with favor, is that there
should be carriers separate from coliec-
tors of the mail-that these should be
separate services. This would be
a needed relief to the carriers, whose
duties are very eNacting and laborious,
in fact too much so for the pay allowed.
The Second Assistant Post Master
General, Gen. Whitfield, calls attention
to a much needed reform in mail letting.
AS the law now is. there is no way to
remedy the evil of the professional mail
bidders. and it will be a nice matter to
so modify the statute as to meet the
suggestion OF Gen. Whitfield. The pro
fessional bidder takes in whole districts
in the United States, and groups his
bids so as to average to him good
profit. In localities the local bidder is
thus ruled out under the law requiring
the contract 10 be awarded to the lowest
responsible bidder; and the routes are
then sub:let to some one who cannot for
the amount he receives, give such ser
vice as the public is entitled to. AS a
matter of fact the local competition for
mail contracts will always bring the
price down to the lowest figure 1t can be
performed for without loss The local
bidders know the country in which the
service has to be done--the costs of for
age. supplies, board and labor. and will
almost invariably calculate close in his
bid to get the contract at a fairly re-
munerative plice. The profes slonal,
however, takes in a large number of
routes in different States, and groups
them under system of his own. IL he
takes Il contract at less than he can get
+ it carried for, the people along the route
have to suffer. We have had several
cases of this kind in this section within
the past ten years, resulting i'll much
In. urf nd
the people.
These several suggestions indicate a
praet ell understanding of the duties OF
the department and the wants OF the
public They are In accord with the
common sense and business perceptions
which have governed In this great arm
of the government that comes SO neal
to the masses in their daily relations,
under rhe present administration. Mr.
Wannaagaker has brought to his assis
tance iii the management OF the service
"a large business experience, and de
votes his mind and energies to giving
the people q business administration
The politicians have not as YET caught
up with his policy. They have had pre-
conceived notions about it, and have con
sidered the department political ma
chine to grind out partizan postiaasters
regardless of the interests and wishes O.
the community, as well as the qualifica
lions of those they would have favored
and think it an objectionable sin thai
they can not run the department in thei
wax. Indifferent to the sense of duty o.
the head Of the department and his subor
dinate officers.
And the Democratic press especially
have recognized no restraint of decency
or limit of unfairness in their criticism o
the department. condemning withou
reason and denouncing without justifica
ton. simply because the Postlnaste
General does not deem it proper to con
suit their likes and wishes In the con
duct of his official affairs. A whole life
time of honorable dealing. of unblem
ished character and lofty purpose. goe
for nothing with these partizan carper
who assail the motives and comfort ant
: lnisjudga the acts Of the head of grea
= department, III OfQeF 70 pFeJuulce LII
public mind. from pure love of SLIM
and Islander.
The country may well be congratula
ted that it has business man at TIN
head of this great business department
and that it is being administered in thu
interest of the people, without consult
!; ing every curb-stone politician and ever.
dollhouse statesman.
Our neighbor of the Spirit Of the Val
len. and it's correspondent Oh" do no
favor a conference of Republicans d