Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-26
CARRIERS GREET THEIR CHIEF
Men Who Distribute the Mails Meet Presi.
dent Of Their Association.
POSTMASTER CROW INTRODUCES VISITORS
MIR. Parsons Delivers an Entertaining
and Instructive Address, Contain
Ing Much Good Advice for His
Fellow Laborers

The letter carriers OF Omaha and South
omaha, with a representative or two from
Lincoln, met in the federal court room in
the federal building Thursday night to greet
John N. Parsons, president OF the National
Association OF Letter Carriers and to hear
MIN speak on topics of interest to them
postmaster Crow first made few remarks
In welcome OF the guest of the carriers and
referred with congratulation to the manner
In which the president OF the association
administered It's affairs.
He was followed by Edward Rosewater,
who defined the position OF the letter carrier
In the American government and society and
paid high tribute to the character of the
men engaged In the service. The duty of the
mail carrier was that of a soldier and more.
lie who served his country by carrying its
mails faithfully year after year was entitled
to Just as much recognition and credit as
the man who fought for it. And when he
was no longer able to serve should be
granted a pension that would enable him to
pass the remainder of his days in comfort.
Mr.. Rosewater congratulated the letter car
riers that man who was interested in their
welfare was at the head OF the postal system
OF the country, man who realized that
while their lot was often a burdensome one,
II was always performed with faithfulness to
the responsibility that the service carried
with 1t. He promised that whenever it
should be within his power to render the
carriers any aid he would exert every effort
to do so.
Postmaster Etter of South Omaha spoke
briefly, acknowledging the previous speak
ers offer of assistance and support. He be-
lieved also that the mail carriers performed
u,it CT nf
as the soldiers.
James Arkson, chairman of the committee
on legislation, who has accompanied the
president on his trip west, described the eX-
perience Of postmaster who goes to Wash
ington to secure additional facilities for his
office. He declared that the Postal depart
ment al Washington at such times was a
cold machine.
President Parsons Speaks.
President Parsons was then introduced.
His address was of considerable length and
dealt mainly with the civil service system in
it's relation to the mail carriers. He was
strongly against any reduction of the offices
to which the rules of the civil service ap-
piled and he declared that President McKin-
ley was one of the staunchest supporters of
the system, in spite of the fact that his
party in Ohio, the state that made him,
na0 tWlCe declared against II. lie related
the story of how the organization had feared
that with a change in the postmaster gen.
eraship the order that forbade the removal
of any carrier without ten days notice in
which to defend himself in person or by let
ter, might be revoked. He had been one Of
the committee which had called upon Presi-
dent Mckinley before his Inauguration and
asked him to promise to prevent the repeal
of the order The president had then sug
gested that he himself issue a proclamation
establishing the rule thus placing it out
OF the power of any postmaster general to
revoke it. And this suggestion of his own
he had later carried out.
The letter carrier. President Parsons said,
was the most widely known member of the
government service. His uniform the
same from one end OF the country to the
other and he was identified in the public
mind by it. 1t was therefore incumbent
upon him to see that at all times he re-
spected 1t in his conduct One member of
the association might do more by thought
less conduct to tear down the reputation Of
the organization than the national officers
could counteract with months of work.
Mr.. Parsons talk was full OF practical
suggestions, of encouragement and hopeful
prediction. He asserted that with the CO.
operation of the press, which had been gen.
erously promised them. the Omaha branch
Of the association would be able to accom-
yli oh