Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-02-18
HE DAILY JOURNAL
ESTABLISHED. 1851.
MILES CITY MONTANA
wrdn sday, February IS, 1891.

We uo-c- uu shly written c1tu-
piratlan In tn Hr!eut Indepen
pent n r-frreucA 20 the ptr-imnny o.
the goverum-tI in is all"wsuc,- for
" s'eru po-tom -, ra'l-i cut hy the
mis.fnrtun. ofthe Nj sou sto e. a~''r
hsv'"g to undergo an investigator
and trial for tmbezzlemiut. when hr
really did not emb, zzl anything. IL
l. imt erstivelv requi,el f a post
master to have a deputy who NUT be
able to a--um- en'ire charge OF n
Office, and h, nee must be- thoroughly
familiar with all the d-ta'is Of the
same. Ike for example the Mile
CIV Tosrofice. II j. altogether olt oi
the qu, sion tina, u can d. the
work IL the III e; the prs'ma>ter la
TO hand e large amounts Of money and
d a gtea: deal If clerical labor a ID he
re-uof sible for the safe keeping of the
mail: and while a. TO the Miles 't'y
Office, the sal " OF tine postmaster may
be considered fair, he al'ova ces "a
ridiculousl . low for a western town
whereas, for instance this stupendunUs
governman allows $4,000 ann laly
for clerk hire, il will be admitted on.
all sides, that no competent clerk
entrusted Uith:the handling Of fund
malls etc. could be hired inlthis county
fer a sum les than about double the
alloVan made. y " as a. rent, fuel
And lights: The po-tofice department
make the pitisble allowance Of S2S 90
par month for the three items for
the Miles City pcs Office. Itis not I"
be presumed thst ven at the present
low rents 10 Mile City a safe building
large enough TO eve decent accom'
dstions. and Ne essarly expected O.
be located on a ground floor in the
heart Of the business portion % tie
eiry, could be -.nt d for the TOTAL
amrunt allow ID by the government
for the rent, fuel and lighs. NJ.
S-yde, our postmaster, esiimstc- HE
expense for Goa. alone 10 be 5000
annualIv-or one fourth Of the entire
allowance made for rent, full ard
lights. We ha 70 noticed with regret
that the electric light wss discontinued
in the p~ostofice, but considering tina.
a plant Of five liph's crsis $40 monthly,
the item Of light alone would use M
.arly one half OF the entire allowance
for rent. fuel end lights.
Some time ago the postmaster at
S1okane WIS in the same position p
the one at Missouis, be ives not al
lowed enough money to run his office,
and closed up the shop; reslising the
neccssity Of continued mail seTvic' :
the citizens Of Spokane furnished the
motive power and the government.
on teiDg appealed to by the citiz-ns,
increased the allowances. The same
condition Of affairs exist In every tn I'd
Glars Office in the west and il : =
wonder that not more postmaster
follow he example If the Spokane
man or are put in the ~unenviable p ri.
ton Of the MissOula postmaster.
As a business proposition the slow.
Auc,s tor clerk hire. rent, fuel and
lights, ought to be the actual amount
paid out in the economical conduct Of
the Office. varying only acc riding
I" local prices, wants and nece'siti's :.
This matter of ba-ing the allowances
for western postofice on the probable
costs Of running small ofic in eastern
etuntry towns should receive the con
domination ofthe entire public press ot
W stern states and territories. and
s Ould enlist the earnest advocacy by
our senators ami representatives ir
congress, TO the end thai justice b.
done 20 faithful public servants. o
ali the departments Of this great and
glorious government, the TOst"6iic,
department il the most txscting as t
long hours, few holidays and no SUI
day, promptness and dispatch, hon.
e-ty md fidelity, but on the othe.
hsGd, the most penurious in pay auC
allowances.