Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-11-20
POST-OFFICE SYSTEM.
Possibilities and POstmasters-HOW
Classified and Appointed. The
Range of Salary Paid and How
Determined.
From Our Regular Correspondent.

From Our Regular Correspondent.
One of the most prolific sources OF
political patronage is the distribution
of postmasterships. These have always
been regarded as the legitimate spoils
of the party in power, and no attempt
has ever been made to put them under
the operation of the civil service law,
although employees of the larger post
offices are so classified.
In the United States there are over
10000 post Offices. OF these APP
proximately $50 are first-class; 1000
second-class, 6,00O third-class, and
$4,000 fourth-class offices. The first
class includes those of which the post
masters receive salary OF $4,000 and
upwards, to the limit of $4,000, except
New York City; the Sccond-class
those of which the postmasters receive
between $1,000 and $1,000, and the
fourth-class those of which the post
masters receive less than 81 600.
Postmasters of the first three classes
are appointed directly by the Presi-
dent " by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate" while those of the
fourth class are appointed by the
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General,
upon recommendation of their Con-
gressmen if they belong to the party
in power, if not, then upon the back
ing of the town bosses and "ward
heelers" of the dominant party.
The class to which post Office be-
longs depends upon the receipts of the
office. The salary of the postmaster
huctuates with Grade" and each year
the salary for the coming year is an
nounced from the Post Office Depart
ment by the " Postal Guide" issued in
January.
First and second class postmasters
have the largest salaries and the
easiest times, rs the Government owns
or rents the buildings occupied and
pays all expenses of clerk hire, fuel,
janitors, etc.
Third and fourth-class postmasters
furnish their own offices and clerks,
the former being given an allowance,
which is about half rs much rs required
to meet the expenses, but the latter
class receives no assistance whatever.
The money received for the rental of
boxes is not kept by the Presidential
postmaster, as many suppose, but Is
accounted for to headquarters as are
other receipts.
The fourth-class postmaster receives
a commission on all stamps cancelled,
but no credit at all upon stamps sold.
He counts each day the number of
letters dispatched, and receives the first
$50 for each quarter, 60 per cent. of
the next 800, so per cent. of the next
5000, and 40 per cent. of the balance,
until the total amount received equal
81 900. He also retains the sums re-
ceived for box rent. When his pay
for four succeeding quarters averages
$3.50, the Office is made Presidential
one, and then no record is made of
stamps cancelled, but the salary is
based wholly upon the amount of
money taken in. A sliding scale is
adopted for determining the salary, the
greater the receipts of the office the
lower the commission paid.
l have stated that the salaries of the
first, second and third-class post
masters are proportional 20 their Of
flee receipts. There is one exception
to this general rule, that of the post
master of Washington, ID. C. More
than one-half of the mail passing
through this Office is Government mail,
or mail requiring no postage. By
special act of Congress the salary has
been made the same as that of Chi
cago and Philadelphia, $4,000. The
postmaster at New York city, who
handles nearly all European mail, re-
quires the assistance of over two
thousand clerks, and receives the
maximum salary of IS 900, while post
masters of eleven of the principal cities
receive $4,000.