The Washington times., 1895-03-19
Attempt TO 0verturn Rules of the
Post Office Department.
POSTAL EMPLOYEES COMBINE
About go 900 Have Formed Powerful Or
ganization Designed to Bring Pressure
Upon Congress Officials Very Much Dis
turbed by the Discovery - Bad Effect
Upon Discipline and Service Apprehended

The Postoffice Department has infOrma-
ton of the formation of powerful com
bination of postal employees designed to
bring pressure upon Congress 10 overturn
certain rules and regulations of the de
partment.
The employees have been encouraged by
success in attaching to the last postoffice
appropriation bill an amendment which sus
pended an order OF the department.
This order was issued last June and di-
rected that by the first of May, 1895, all
railway mail service employees should re-
move to some point along the line OF the
route on which they were employed.
This was unsatisfactory to some OF the
clerks and they obtained legislation over
ruling the order.
The reason for issuing the order is ex-
planned at the department as necessary be-
cause at the time the order was issued
there were about 1 300 of the 900 clerks
in the service who did not live on the
lines where they worked.
When there was an accident or anything
else that Required emergency men, those
who were on leave and away from the line
where they worked escaped the extra
duty, and it fell upon those living upon the
route.
OF the 1,3GO who were living off the
lines where they worked, all but about 500
have notified the department that they
have or viii removetheir homes as requested.
Probably nearly al OF them will so remove
not W outstanding the egislation oyerrGl-
ing the order.
The department is now informed that
since the failure of legislation in the last
Congress, increasing the pay of employees
that a combination has been formed to pass
this legislation, and also to overturn orders
and rules OF the department which are un
! satisfactory to them. A high official OF
the department said today
This combination includes some thou
sands of employees in the Railway Mail
| Service, the letter carriers service, and
! in post-ofrices. They are all in the classi-
| fled service and protected from removal.
1.-The aggregate amount of the increase
| demanded is about $1,000 200. That,
perhaps is not OF so much Importance as
| the effect on the discipline of the depart
ment and the efficiency OF the service.
''These employees, numbering about
| 80 600, by contribution OF So each
would raise a fund of $15e 900 for the
maintenance of lobby.
lone effect of this combination would be
/ TO create sentiment against the civil
| service law, which protects these employees
| How formidable the combination may be
come is a matter OF conjecture, but the
| whole affair is the result OF Congress legis
lating to overturB the rules and regulations
of the department as affecting its employees.
Complaint has been made about the
order OF the Postmaster General in direct
ing the recall of passes to the railway mai
clerks who did not live on the line of roac
| where they worked, but il is stated tina
the order was issued whilcSCongress wal
in session in order that the clerks and thei
| friends might secure legislation on tina
subject if they could, and as an intimatioI
TO Congress that the department resented
| Interference with It's legitimate affairs.