The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-05-21
STAMP SALES TO
FORCE UP SALARIES
Postmaster Being PrOded
BY General POStOffiCe
Department

Washington. q. c., May 2O.-
First Assistant Postmaster General w.
M. Johnson has issued an order intend
ed to- prevent clerks I'm postoffices and
supcintcndents in charge from encour-
aging the purchase of stamps and pos
tal cards in large quantities by persons
far removed from the postoffice. The
penalty for violation of the order is re-
mova from office The practice has
been very prevalent in the vicinity OF
every large city, particularly the large
fciues of the middle western states.
Similar abuses have also been resorted
to boy smalr offices throughout the
country and particularly in the western
states. where the salary of the post
master depends upon the gross receipts
of the office The sale of stamps t1
businss firms within the territory OF
the city offices by agents of the post
offices ion smaller places, it is estimated.
has grown TO an aggrerate annual sale
of S25O000 worth of stamps. a case
was recently reported from Kansas,
where large manufacturing firms in
Missouri had been induced to purchase
their stamps from the Kansas post
office. thus increasing the salary of
The local postmaster several hundred
dollars per annum. Similar cases have
I been reported from various other states
/ and it Is FOR The purpose of breaking
/ up this irregular business that the frst
assistant postmaster general has adopt
/ ed stringent rules.
/ The advantage gained by the forced
sale of stamps lies i'm Increased salaries
for the postmasters. and in largely In
|cteasJa allowances for cerks and other
office expenses. Postoffices are divided
| into classes as follows: Those with ap-
nual receipts above $4,000 I'm the first
class; those with receipts above 5000
iin the second class those with annual
Ireccipts over Sl,900 I'm the third class,
lam others in the fourth class. An office
of the fourth class which could arrange
a single sale of $1,000 worth of stamps
would ON the showing of its total re-
ceipts. be thus advanced 20 the third
class with am the special privileges that
the advance would involve.
1t is believed that not a few ruburbaH
offices have relied ON such on sucl
methods to retain their present ratlng
But i'm cases where extra stamp sales
lml, E.dal ETAOI ETAOI NETAOIN
could not possibly have advanced tn,
postoffice i'm classification the postmas.
ter could find a sufficient inducemen
for irregular stamp sales In the proper
tionate increase Of his salary provide,
by law. In offices of the fourth class
a graduation prevails which brienl
grants the postmaster the first 1920 o
his receipts and about so per cent Of al
the remainder.
In the third class offices the post
master whose annual receipts do no
exceed $4,000 Is paid 81 600: when tn
receipts reach 50 400 his salary Is in
creased 10 S11O0. and so on until an
office reports total receipts betweei
$1,000 and $1,000 pays the postmaste
$4,000.
a similar graduation exists I'm office
of the second class, where the salarie
range from 50 600 to 81. 900 AT certai
points I'm this table the increase of sal
airy carries with ct allowance for assist
ant postmasters. free delivery. addi
tional clerk hhe. and other legitimat
expenses OF large offices.
In the first class the salaries advanc
by jumps of S100 except i'm several yer
large offices, which are subject to th
!. special acts of congress. IL follow.
therefore, that postmaster at fourt
class office might easily increase hi
salary from 1920 to 81 900 per year b
selling "a "single order Of 50 600 wort
of stamps I'm order to obtain such pur
chases such postmasters are believed t
offer their stamps at "A discount B
selling $4,000 worth of stamps for 81 .75
IA sufficient inducement to procure
purchaser under almost any clrcum
stances-the postmaster would sti
clear proth Of Si20 On this principl
lit Is accepted that most of the STAN
sales indicated have been made.
A phase Of this same abuse Of IN
postal regulations rs not covered by IN
changes In the regulations ordered IN
lother day. Large manufacturing nrm
: particularly those doing extensive ad
vertising, solicit the establishment Of
fourth class office near their work.
have one OF the proprietors appolnte
postmaster detail "a force 10 perfou
the duties ana credit the salary PAL
as so much postage obtained free.
This same method has also been I'd
sorted 10 extensively in recent yeai
by the postmasters OF small town
throughout the states whore the cor
struction of federal buildings We're de
sired by the people I'm order 10 secut
such legislation from congress lt Is ne,
essary 20 make a good showing of I'd
ceipts ana by the sale Of large quaint
ties OF stamps TO firms outside OF IN
local city the net receipts of the offiC
have been greatly increased