Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-22
A CONSPIRACY DENIED
Statement by Secretary Victory of the Ma
tional Letter Carriers Association.
The Report Probably Arose From the
Change of a Departmental Rule
by Congress.

John f. Victory, secretary of the Ma
uonal Association Of Letter Carriers has
denied that combination of postal en-
ployes has been formed for the purpose Of
bringing pressure upon Congress to over
turn any rules or regulations of the Post
Office Department or for the purpose of
lobbying through Congress legislation de-
signed for their interests. Mr.. Victory has
made the folio wing statement in behalf Of
those he represents:
The only possible foundation the re-
port Gun have is in the fact that Con-
gress in Its closing hours modified a recent
departmental rule requiring that railway
postal clerks should reside on the line of
ment to the pest office appropriation bill.
The department resented congressional in
reference with what 1t considers its pre-
rogative by recalling all passes issued to
such clerks on lines beyond their own
runs. This action was severely criticised
by paper claiming to represent the rail-
way postal clerks, which advised the clerks
to deal directly with Congress in the fu-
ture in all proposed legislation relating to
their interests. The fact that Congressman
Linton of Michigan, in the last hours Of
Congress, introduced what has been call
ed an omnibus bill, which the railway pos
tai clerks, the post office clerks and the
letter carriers have for five years labored
to have made laws. may have had some
thing to do with the matter.
Endorsed by the Postmaster General.
"The claims of both groups Of clerks have
been Endorsed by Postmaster General Bis
sell in two annual reports. Congressman
Linton. ex-Cor gresham Henderson. chair
man Of the committee on post office and
post roads in the last Congress. and many
other friends of the clerks and carriers, ad
vised the representatives of the latter to
1SSU6S-tO nave
bodied in one bill, which would receive
their united support in the next Congress.
The proposition will be acted upon at the
forthcoming conventions of the different
associations of postal employees. That pos
tai employees should conspire to demoraiize
the service in which they are employed is
preposterous. and whether the omnibus bill
shall be re:ntroduced Into the next Con-
gress with their consent cannot be known
until after the conventions referred to are
held. Postal employees in the future, as In
the past, relying on the Justice of their
claims. will respectfully and persistently
petition Congress. They know as most peo-
pie should know that but little legislation
is enacted simply on Its merits. If in ex-
crcising their right Of petition they are
engaged in conspiracy. then 1t can be
said they have been SO occupied for years
in securing the eight-hour and other laws.
Hardest Worked and Poorest Paid.
THE post office employees referred to are
the hardest worked and poorest paid Of
any of the governments servants. The av-
erage salary Of post office clerk is less
than $500 per annum. There are those In
the service who receive only $500 per year.
The average salary of the letter carrier Is
$907 and the average salary Of railway pos
tai clerks is less than $1,000.
THE right Of postal clerks to ask Uncle
Sam for an increase in their wages can
not in these days be denied nor infringed
upon"