The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-23
BEARERS OF TIDINGS HERE
Hundreds Of Uncle Sans Letter-Car-
rierS Gather for Their Convention.
What the Association Hes Accomplished and
What 1t Expects to DO in Pro-
curing New Laws.

The one hundred delegates who have ar
rived to attend the national mail-carriers'
convention. which begins to-day. received
call yesterday from Postmaster Th0mp-
son. A badge was pinned on his coat. and
very social hour was spent at the Bates.
which Is headquarters for the delegates.
All of the local postofice force who can
possibly be spared are off for the week, to
assist In making the stay of the delegates
q pleasant one.
What is the purpose of this organize
toni" was asked yesterday of Mr. Thomp-
son.
Its purpose" said he. "may be gained
from what il has done. 1t used to be that
q mail-carrier had no certainty about his
pay. 1t all depended on the appropriation
by Congress. to which body arbitrary esti-
mates were submitted by the allowance
clerk. 1t was customary for the con-
gressional committee TO say in an arbitrary
way. that estimate s too high. We must
/ keep down expenditures. WewIll cut that
OIL foooso The nass consequences MAS WA: the
was to receive. There was also
no classification of employees. The
hours OF labor were uncertain, and an
employe would have to obey q cali TO 20 to
work ut o'clock in the morning If needed.
| But through the efforts of the organization,
| all this is changed. The employees are
classified. receiving 5000 the first year, $500
| the second and 81 900 the third, which is the
| maximum rate. Hence there 10 now q GER
! tainty Of salary IN amount The association
has also mplished legal eiRhtshour day
| and fifteen days vactlon during the year
on full pay. One can readily see from this
record, the valne the association has been
| to Its members"
And what more of reform 10 cominRT
The mail-carriers now want another
| grade. 5, 300 per year. They will get it too,
for the bail has already been reDorted ia
| also. for the extension of the civil-service
| rules to all pOstoffices having free-carrier
delivery. mnilcarrier has an unusual
| opportunity to influence Congress Tor what
| he wants. If he is At all agreeable and ac-
commodating TO the citizens of his district
| they are his friends and will help him
along. The daily sight of him trudging
| along In heat cold, snow or rain creates q
| sympathy FOR him that is useful when the
press of public opinion is about to be meas
| ured. And can say that the men earn
their money. They have only secured what
| they deserve"
There were host of new arrivals yesser-
day. They came in on every train all day
long. and pitched as straight as postal
| cards to the room of the secretary, j. +.
| Victory, in the Bates House, and from that
Official pocket received all necessary in.
| formation, and were distributed through
| spacious Office below laet night discussing
| questions forthcoming in the convention.
One noticeable feature Of the delegates is
their universal activity. enthusiasm
and working with will. The Letter
| carriers Band. of Chicago, was expected
Iahere to-day. and would have added Joy to
the already overtowing spirits of the car
Hrn ~ L.. L.
that it could not be present: COMMITTEES
work kept many of the delegates in
| doors all day and night yesterday, working
| like Turks President Dennis had not, up
since his arrival. The committee on
| appeals, presided over by Vice president
| +. T.. Smith, the committee on legislation
and laws. with It's chairman. Charles H:
| Cutler, the executive board and the hoard
| of trustees of the Carriers Mutual Benefit
Association were all confined To their rooms
| until a late hour last night getting ready
| for to-day's session. There was a general
| expression of satisfaction among all present
| at the effective and gracious preparations
made for their ENTERTAINMENT by the local
| committee, composed of X. II. McGinnis.
chairman. Frank Farris. Fred A. Lorenz.
Tom Carroll, Ellis Crane, Fred VI ard. Will
| ard Parrish. George Reed. and Walter
| Lenard. OF this city.
| One of the leading questions to be con-
| sidered at this session will be the advisa-
bility of lnstituting In the insurance feat
| ure of the association q graded as
J sessment for the levy rate now
| prevailing. 1t will provoke. per-
haps. more discussion than any other
! point to be considered. Tho ASSOCIATION
will strive to map out a plan of action that
| will result In sthe passage of q letter.car-
riers' increase and equalization of salary
| bill, now on the calend ar of the House.
Among many who arrived yesterday are:
| William II. WitherspoOn and Henry NJ.
Clifford. Detroit; John OConner. Buffalo;
| Milford G. Doolin, Nashville Tenn; Walter
| w. Howe. Marlborough. Mass: A. f. Wat.
| hins. Louisville. KY; John Joseph Dowd.
| Worcester, Mass; John II. Phillips, Scran-
| ton, Pa: Henry NJ. Cummings New
| Haven, Conn.,; p. III. Howard, Bridgeport,
| Conn.,: Eugene Mel. Cruice. New Orleans;
Dennis Meehan, James J. McCarty. William
H. Langdon. +. P. Tnrnbuli, J. NJ Bishop.
| David l.. White, William j. Hennessy,
Boston; NJ. J. Gainey. William F.
Reed, A. Peterson. New York; John
McGratb. William Kirby, Cleveland.
| Stephens, Cincinnati, o.; L. b. p. Hunster,
| Springfield, o.; Joseph II. Allen, Spring
field. Mass; Harry b. Seaton ano Joseph
| C. Mcmahon. Denver: Thomas j. Clarity,
Maiden. Mass; Alex. Mcdonald. Grand
| Rapids Mich: Austin Trumble. East Sag
| NAV, Mich; James Kearns and James L.
| Irwin, Pirtsbnrc Pa; Z. J. Walsh. Wilkes
| barre. Pa: John Z. Hess, Dallas. Tex;
| Christopher Tormey, Syracuse, n. Y; J. g.
| Alton, Hometown, N. T.; l.. ID. Simmonds,
| Quincy. ILL.,: Ed +. Greiner. BnrliD gton Ia;
| n. A. Beardsley. Battle Creek, Mich; w.
II. Shaffer. Hartford. Conn.