Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-09
TWELVE PAGES
FRIDAY. JUNE .. 1899.
HONOR TO WHOM HONOR.


The press degrades itself and abuses
It's freedom when 1t violates the canons
of respect due all respectable people,
and forgets it's own self-respect In tax
ing advantage of It's power to be inso-
lent to any class Of servants. public or
private. In n mean and demagogic
spirit, thu Chicago Tribune lays aside
its own dignity to berate certain postal
employees for daring, like Oliver Twist,
to ask for more" and 1t even descends
to the pettiness of calling the attention
of official BUNDLES to this insolence to
ask for more from a generous govern
ment and points out how the Partisan
postal authorities deal peremptorily and
promptly with employees who want the
Dread more literally buttered.
The employees which the Chicago Tri-
bune singles out for its attentions are
not the "letter-c carriers" as 1t calls
them, by way of lofty depreciation, but
the postal clerks who embrace the best
class OF young men in the United States
youths and men OF good family and
good standing. we'll bred, educated, en-
terprising and intelligent. holding la
borlous and important positions of trust
that require constant study and atten-
ton. with very small pay, when COM
pared with other clerks who receive
larger pay, under much less rigid rule
and less work, with no responsibility.
A portion Of the gentlemen coming I'M
der the imDertinent animadvcrsons of
the Chicago sheet. are railway postal
clerks. whose duties cndanger their
lives day and night on railroads. and
in the delivery and receipt of mails at
every depot, and upon whose capacity,
diligence and fidelity the whole CORE
spondence and other mail matter of the
whole United States depend for safe
and prompt distribution and delivery.
Yet these honored and honorable men
are compared with the common letter-
carriers of Paris. whose position and
function are about as low as they can
be not to be classed as mental.
These postal clerks, whether located
In city offices. or engaged in the railway
postal service, are the most ill-paid en-
ployes in the Federal service when the
grade and Importance Of their work are
considered; and yet the Chicago Tri-
hume would deny them the poor privi-
lego of pleading for better pay, under
penalty OF dismissal. or reprmand from
their superiors, who ought to rectgnl2e
their merits and deserts without driving
them to the lobby,--if that, indeed he
their recourse in the last resort or
course there are plenty of others eager
- take their places even for less pay.
and the Tribune has the littleness of
soul TO insinuate the fact, so well
known. But these clerks are entitled to
much more respect than that from the
Tribune; they are entitled to more pay
because of the duties and responsible
Ties OF their offices; and still greater is
their claim on the government, the
press and the public by reason of long
service. ripe experience. dlligent atten-
fion to duty and incorruptible honesty.
we do not know how the postal de-
ncits come.-whethcr through postal
FRAUDS or mismanagement. bur we do
know that these postal clerks ought to
oe paid more fairly and literally, even
Though the aggregate postal deficit be
increased thereby. The government and
people get tho service and should nay
LNser IT. not by stinting and defrauding
[ fasshfal ana aillgans snployen