Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-18
Col. Whitfield Explains the Position Of the
Post ONCE Department

Post ONCE Department.
Col. Whitfield, the first assistant postmaster
general, was asked by o STAE reporter in re-
gard to the effect on the postal revenue OF the
bill Endorsed by the recent convention of
fourth-class postmasters. He replied as fol-
lows:
'At the close Of the fiscal year ending June
80. 1891. there were 81, 1877 fourth-class offices.
The official statement of the auditor for 1891
shows that "A, 26S Of these offices, or 63 per
cent, absorbed, or more than absorbed, the
entire receipts for compensation OF the post
master. The total expenditure for compen-
sation OF postmasters for the fiscal year ending
June ~, 1881. amounted to Si4, 521, 900. OF
this amounts "a. 1856 060 was for compensation
OF presidential postmasters leaving a total of
Tor compensation for fourth-class postmas-
tiers. An increase of 10 per cent in expendi-
ture for compensation of fourth-class post
masters would, in round numbers, be $1,000.-
oOO. Stated approximately, this is not far from
the amount that would be involved in the pas
sage OF the bill introduced by Senator Brice.
The average compensation Of O fourth-class
postmaster for the fiscal year ending June
3D. 1891, was S16l7S. For the year ending
June so, 1887, the total number of fourth-class
pos.masters was 81, 81: with an average COM
pensatlon OF S157.30. This number has in
creased until in the year ending June 80. 1891,
there were, as above stated, 81. 3S7, while the
average compensation has increased to Si61. Is.
In view of the largo number of these offices
and their steady increase an addition in COM
Pensation, even though slight. involves large
Increase in the appropriation. The only
dlscretlon vested i'll the department in
the matter of aiding fourth-class postmasters
IN their work is one authorizing an allowance
lot separations Chat is. where a fourth-cass
Office separates the mails for number of other
MI Of
supplying Offices located on railroads, of
course. does away with this separating labor
by making up mails direct for the offices either
through closed pouches or on postal cars.
III course the compensation of many of the
fourth-class offices is small but it is fact
recognized by all officers of experience in the
department. that the larger the fourth-class
ofhces becomes the more inadequate the COM
Pensation. The period during which the office
Is bordering closely on tho line between fourth
ana third-class is one in which the greatest
cerned
There is tendency. too, to multiply fourth
class offices beyond tho requirements of the
people or the good Of the service. There is no
question as to the propriety of serving even
the smallest community whero it is remote
from post Office, but the demand for new
ofhces which are in a multitude of instances
sandwlched In between other offices and
comparatively near to them, is not in the inter-
est OF good service, and becomes expensive to
the government beyond any proportion of real
service to the people. They not only prevent
the offices already established from becoming
large enough to warrant good service, but they,
or course. afford the postmaster the maximum of
compensation for the small business done. 1t
Is these Offices that are most eagerly sought for
reasons many times personal to the would-be
appointee, who is the first to complain OF in
adequacy Of compensation.
1.-The department has. of course, no obiec-
ton to urge to any legislation that the wisdom
OF Congress may see tit to enact in the interest
OF this large class of public servants. and will
consider In the fairest spirit any bill that may
be referred for its consideration. 1t should
however. be borne in mind that this class of
postal service should not be compensated at
the expense of any other branch of the service
1t would be as reasonable to expect the eX-
tremlties of the body to remain in healthy con-
dltlon with the circulation of tho blood cut off
rs it would be to expect efficient service with
the postal centers of the country paral yzed'or
in any way crippled in handling the great mails
which emanate therefrom to all the cross roads
of the country.
Offices furnish the bulk of the revenues and to
In any way fail to adequately provide for these
offices would not only be to cut off our only
sources OF revenue, but to dam up at the very
fountainhead the stream that flows out to all
the fourth-class offices of the country
Under existing law (act March 3, 1889 the
compensation of fourth-class postmasters was
fixed upon the basis of the whole OF box rents
collected at the offices, commissions for the
amount of stamps Cancelled and the amounts
received from wastepaper, dead newspapers
printed matter and Irvine sold at the following
quarterly rates: First $50 100 per cent; next
e100, GO per cent; next, $500 or less per quar-
ter, so per cent, and on the balance. 40
per cent. 1t also provides that when the
compensation of any postmaster of this
class shall reach $3.50 for four con-
secutive quarters exclusive OF commissions
on money order business, and when the re-
turns of the auditor for four consecutive
quarters shall show him to be entitled to COM
pensation in excess OF $3.50 per quarter, the
Postmaster General shall assign the Office to
the third class and fix the salary as provided
by law"