The Democratic advocate., 1889-12-21
POSTAL FACILITIES.
Provoking DELAYS in the Delivery of Mail


HAMPSTEAD Mp., December l6, 1ss9.-Whati is the
matter? No Advocate came to our postothce. Terri
bic wailing and gnashing ofteeth. Yours, &c
The above is but one of the notifications
that the ADVOCATE of December 14th did no
reach Hampstead on Saturday, the time that
subscribers should be supplied there. The
ADVOCATES for Hampstead are sent from the
Westminster postofhce by the direct mail
across the country. Between here and there
are several offices. At each of these the mail
is taken out and assorted, and the mail not
intended for the office where the asserting is
done is put in bag and forwarded. Where
the delay was caused we have not yet ascer-
tanned. but the bundle of ADVOCATES, by a
stupid and provoking mistake, must have
deem detained at one of the intermediate Off
ces. The mail carried by this route is not
large. and to assert it is no difficult job, nor
does it require any great degree of intelli-
gence.
Negligence or incompetency is quite appar-
ent in the railway postal service also. The
ADVOCATES of December eth, for the lower
part Of Carroll, although mailed in ample
time to 90 to Baltimore on Friday night, the
9Th. were not received at postofiees on the
Baltimore Il Ohio railroad until Saturday
night. and at Offices a few miles away until
Monday.
On Moadav aud Tuesday mornings of this
week the Fast Mail, going west. carried mail
for Westminster up the road, and delivered it
on the return trip, wheueverit could get here.
Before the change of Administrations last
spring the railway postal clerks, by experience,
had become quite efficient. Last year Pres
ideut Cleveland directed the railway postal
service TO be put udder civil service rules, and
designated the time when the change should
occur When President Harrison came in, at
the request OF the politicians. he extended the
time. in order 20 allow the displacement OF
all efficient Democrats and the appointment
of untried aud unskiled Republicans, the
chief recommendation OF some being their
past political work. Under Cleveland the
service was composed of an equal number OF
Democrats and Republicans. The service
coufd have been sand TO be partisan. and
then was the time 10 apply civil service rules
To ID. Republicans are only civil service re
formers when every Office is filed by Repub-
Hcans. and the President and Nanamaker
could not think Of putting the railway postal
service under civil service rules until all or
nearly all Democrats were removed. Such
action NAV be good for the party, but It IS
detrimental to the service. and the delays and
hlunlerS IN distributing mail matter Is annoy.
ing and provoking TO The people. ! ne mail
service Is very near TO the people. Any fail
ure in delivery upsets business arrange.
ments. aud ia the delivery OF papers IS exceed
inEly annoying and Disappointing. The Peo-
pie are more interested IN the prompt delivery
OF mail matter than ln the political afhllatlon
OF the clerks whose duty it IS TO assort and de-
liver it, and the Postmaster General will give
better satisfaction 90 the people It he vii pay
more attention 20 the capacity OF postal clerks
than Co their politics
The miscarriage Of mails IN this section Of
the country Is far too frequent aud remedy
should be applied. Between the uusatlst2o-
tory train service. incompetent railway clerks
and gostnastcrs, she receipt and delivery Of
mails ,sa 8 uatt.T ct great uncertainty. An
occasional srruro mistake can be overlooked.
bqi frequent bluntrrs a-e ,niolcrablc.
Slnce iha above was pHt ia type Ne learn
thar Postmaster Boyle. Of ,his city. has been
10 ,ha Pastot5rc Department, aud 10 Is likely
some changes ior the better viii soon be
made.
The ADVOCATES for Hampstead arrived
thrr,, az n o'clock on Tuesday, tsres days
behind. and the distance Is oniy See miles.