Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-05-07
CLASSIFICATION OF CLERKS
Desire of Wilmington Post
office Employees.
WANT SALARIES FIXED BY LAW
The Existing State of Affairs
GrievouS. =
Wilmington Branch of the National POst-
office Clerks Association Earnestly En-
deavorinE To Persuade Congress to Pass a
Bill Respecting the Matters.

Bill Respecting the Matters.
The Wilmington branch of the Ma
tional Postoilice Clerks Association is
actively working for the passage Of the
bill now pending in The national House
of Representatives. providing for
classification of postofiice elerks. The
members are urging an early hearing
of the bill, and numerous letters have
been sent to Speaker Reed from promi-
mont residents of this city with the
same end in view.
The clerks have many grievances
against the existing state of affairs and
are sanguine of the passage of the bill
remedying these defects The measure
now pending provides for a Classification
of the clerical service 30 that the
clerks may enjoy the same advantages
and receive the same emoluments
an are now received by the carriers.
The salaries of the latter are fixed by
law, but in the case of the clerks their
pay is in the hands of the postmaster
and he must necessarily divide the
money apportioncd for the purpose as
best he can, and as this apportionment
ia small, Of course the pay of the men
is not large. The same evils existed
against the carriers until through or
ganization they secured remedy and
are now worked less and paid better
than tho clerks. The pending bill has
been reported favorably by the com
mittee on postolices and post roads, and
now it is ready to go before the House.
1t has good backing and the PostInas-
ter General is heartily in favor of its
passage, as are also the principal post
masters all over tho country.
The Wilmington Office is first-class
| in every respect, with the exception of
the pay of the clerks, and therefore the
latter feel that they have perfect
right 10 make known their wants.
The clerks in all first and second
class offices are Disseminated against
under the law as it exists, and the bill
| that they are championing is calculated
to correct the evils of which they
have long complained. 1t provides for
classification of the service and
graduated scale of wages, so that long
service and thorough knowledge Of the
work will make it possible for an ex-
perienced clerk to receive az much as
tho carriers. Tho laws at present do
not provide a fixed scale of salaries
other than in general way fixing
salaries ranging from S400 to 81, 400 per
year. Few of the CLERKS ever reach
above the 81, 600 mark for the reason
that when the appropriation bills are
made up they always lump the sum to
be paid out for clerks and it is always
the minimum sum asked for or possible
to keep the Office running, SO that the
local postmaster can do nothing but fix
the lowest scale of salaries and apply
the funds to the best advantage for. the
office. In almost every case this is
far from satisfactory either to the post
master or the clerks and forces the post
master to pay the lowest wages possible
and gives him practically no oppor
tunity of advancing his best clerks or
awakening deep, interest among the
employees to excel SO that increase of
salary would follow.
The clerks claim that they represent
the most important part of the postal
s., sreG and that the work they do is
quite us important as that done by any
other branch and thus deserve the
same compensation. They handle the
money orders and registered mail and
sort and arrange all mail for forward
ing over the proper line at the proper
time Mali that arrives as well as
that departing must be handled quickly
and correctly dispatched. Mail OF all
classes drouned in the office in large
quantities at the last moment must DO
properly assorted and sent on its way
and tho clerk is thus required to have
a correct knowledge of the schemes in
use Oh thp postal cars the correct lines
Of transportation tho time schedules
and location of places and transfer sta
tiuns and connections. so that no time
is lost in the forwarding of the mail,
and thousand other small items of
Importance that must be available at
moments notice. day o. night
The clerk needs fairly good educa-
tion, good business discernmept, ac-
cusacy of judgment, and more than
average business adaptability. He
must be quick and courteous, and ab-
snutcly above reproach, so far as in
tngrity is concerned. In most places
ths work must be done in dark rooms,
whore there is poor ventilation, poor
light and many unpleasant surround
ings, of which the general public
knows nothing
So it will be seen that the men are
deserving of the same pay as others in
other branches of the service, for il
they should receive the same recog-
milton in the eyes of the law, the sys-
tenn would undoubtedly be improved,
and the public would thereby be bene-
fitted indirectly As soon as the men
see that thero is some goal for which
to strive thcy will naturally exert
themselves with the hope of being ad-
yanced.
The House bill, drafted at the re-
\ quest Of the association, makes proper
| provision for all branches of clerks by
giving u minimum salary of 5000 for
| the first year, and an annual increase Of
500 until $l.0n0 is reached. 1t pro-
vidos for IL days annual vacation,
such as is now enjoyed by the carriers,
and makes provisions for the correction
of other evils, The clerks do not en-
joy the benelis OF the s-hour law, but
want that also given and also a tenure
Of office under the civil service rules.
They hope. to have the bill passed and
have many promises of assistance from
Congressman all over the country. All
first and second class offices are acting
in conjunction.
| " Gored by Bull.