The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-03
LETTER CARRIERS CONTENTION.
Postmaster General Wilson on the
Free Delivery Service

Philadelphia, Aug about 1900 Wis
iting and local letter carriers were present
at the Academy Of Music tonight when
a public reception was given to the 800
delegates to the Letter Carriers Conven-
ton. President Mccoy OF the Keystone
Pennsylvania) branch of the national as
ISOLATION, presided. and seated upon the
stage were Postmaster General Wilson,
Postmasters Dayton of New York, Carr
of Philadelphia and other prominent heads
of the postal service throughout the coun-
try. Chairman McGeOy formally wei
coined the delegates and C c. COwden Of
Cleveland. president of the national as
ISOLATION responded
The principal address Of the evening
was made by Postmaster General VIII
son. The Postmaster General referred 10
the recent inspection of the carrier sys-
TEN. when l took charge of the de-
partment some months ago." he said. u
found it already engaged in a somewhat
systematic examination of the carrier
service and in the only way that seemed
possible for such an COMMUNICATIONS
the eyes of its confidential agents. j have
naturally heard much OF that eNamina-
ton, particularly from sensational ac-
counts in newspapers IN localities where
no examination was really going on; but
have found nothing on the contrary, to
convince me that II has not been fairly
done, and l am sure that II has already
been fruitful of good results. l need not
say to you that you are, OF all men
most concerned in satisfying the public
that your work is well and economically
done But let me say to you that If the
department recognizes its duty to the peo-
pie to secure the largest benefit from the
immense sum appointed for this service,
it is equally alert TO the fact that ii has
a duty to you-to exercise every safeguard
to make its examinations fair just and
reasonable. and TO that END 10 select us
Greet and trustworthy inspectors, thor
oughly warned against over zeal or in
justice in their work.
And what concern has any letter car
rier faithful to his duty II the eyes of his
department on any particular day shall in
spect his method of doing his duty.
Now what, gentlemen. has been the re-
suit of this examination? l can speak of
it as reported to me with sincere pleasure
in your hearing tonight OF the post
offices examined the carrier service of
thirty-six has been reported as free from
all criticism. OF a total examination in
volving the work of $500 carriers, only
50 cases have been found of such personal
delinquency as to require separation
from the service and that In every instance
has been done, after full opportunity for
hearing as TO the delinquencies reported.
This is a good showing. In a service of
$500 men, working each on his own route.
free from superintendent or oversight
and thrown chiefly on his own honor and
self respect, to find only fifty-three I'M
worthy to wear the uniform, is a proof OF
high discipline, on which you may well
congratulate yourselves; and fifty-three
are enough TO cast suspicion on many hun
dreds.
Il believe that / can say for all the chief
officials of the department, / know l can
for myself, that, while we shall try TO
keep the standard of duty and character as
high as possible and to that end shall not
hesitate to use the authority and the re-
sponsibility which is ours, we desire to
look upon you, and upon the other EN-
ployes of the service, not as some of the
parts of the machine of our gigantic pos
tai system, but as fellow workers and COM
rades in a great public service and In
what one of my recent predecessors called
a fascinating branch of the service. No
one rejoices more than / do on political
grounds and on the lower plane of selfish
convenience that .every'fre delivery Office
of the country is under the civil service
rules; that the gateway to employment
therein is no longer subject to partisan
influence, political or other pulls" but
the free and open road of personal merit
and tenure of that employment no longer
depends upon anything less than that in
dividual merit and individual fidelity"