Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-08-04
THE SALEM PosroFFIcE.

THE JOURNALS defence CT its owr
business interests against negligence
carelessness and Indifference in the
Salem Postonice has caused general
prlcklng up OF ears as TO whether
there will be any Improvements In
the Salem postofiice when Mr.. Hirsch
succeeds Mr.. Bonham 1t may be
admitted that Mr.. Bonham has
made some improvements. 1t would
be a poor stick who didn't make
some, In the Salem postal service.
Mr.. Hlisch has no experience in
postal matters, and only time will
tell whether he will show that en-.
terprise and appreciation Of the pub
lie that should characterize first
class public official. A postmaster
who accommodates the public, who
stimulates postal business, who pro-
notes local interests by careful con-
sclcntlous regard for the rights Of the
people and the business interests OF
the community, can increase the
business OF pOstoilice great deal.
Salem has not nearly as good mail
facilities as the little city OF Astoria.
Down at Astoria letter mail from the
street corner boxes is taken up twenty
minutes before tie mails close; at
Salem two hours before. If you want
TO mail letter less than two hours
before the train goes you must walk
to the postoffice, and walk 10 the far
thest end OF the building TO mail IL,
and you must put In at I:20 for the
2 p. m: train.
Astoria has four stamp depots dis
trlbuted about the town besides the
postoilce. There are four mail boxes
where papers and packages may be
mailed. Salem has none OF these ia
cilItes. All papers and parcels must
be carried TO the Office.
postmaster in city like Salem
may be easy going, indolent, lndiffer-
ent. He may be simply holding down
his Job with as little exertion as pos
sible. II such be the case he SOON In
spires the entire working force around
him with the same spirit. AS a re-
suit tile business man suffers. The
aborlng man must wait for his mall.
The mails that reach the city at $3.50
In the evening should not be begun 10
be distributed at the opening hours
next day.
The true spirit In which the oflicial
in SO large and Important business
center as Saleru should meet the pub
lie is, or ought to be, one OF the ut
thpoO uliikShoC uhu ACCOMMODATIONS |
The poor mans i've minutes waiting
az the window is more valuable 20 him
than any public ofilcal'S time. There
IS one Official on a salaJy but there
are thousands OF puor men whose time
is their only resource. The business
mans time Is worth more TO him than
any ofIlcals, because he has TO compel
success against all competition. There
Is to he Il new administration In the
Salem postofiice, and these things are
said ia no invldlous spirit OF fault
nndlng with the past, but ln the true
American snifit of holdlng oniclals
responsible 70 the people. Asa rule
postmasters work hard, as do their
employees. They do great dell more
at times than they are paid for lolng.
hut Americans all do great deal
more than they are paid for doing,
even 10 their private business. They
expect public otilcals TO do the same.
The public oflical who is not prepared
TO do this Is not nc TO hold Office, al Z
though frequently they are not built
that way. American citizens do not
expect miracles Of public ofilcal, but
he runs no risk In giving the people
faithful service and at heart all they
pay for /