The Sunday globe., 1901-05-26
WRONG IN PRACTICE
Govt Clerks Drawing Salaries and
Running Other Enterprises.
ELLIOTT AND WOODS SALARIES
Officials Of tho Government and Managers Of
An Accident Insurance Company in COmps-
ttOn with Outside Enterprises Atten-
ton Of the President and Second Assistant
Postmaster General Called 10 tho Matter.

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Postmaster General Called 10 Tho Matter.
The Second Assistant Postmaster GEN
erals attention is directed to an evil
which calls for immediate remedy i'm his
department, and it is to be hoped that at
an early day the matter will receive his
distinguished consideration. 1t is as
follows:
There is an accident insurance organi-
zation conducted by and in the interests
OF the N. A. p. C.-the National Associa-
ton of Postal Clerks-with an organ in
the city of st. Paul, edited by a Sl,4O0
clerk named Elliott. The secretary and
treasurer Of this organization is a gen.
tleman named George A. Wood, a $1,000
clerk in the Internal Revenue Service at
Portsmouth, n. III. Both Elliott and
Wood receive each a salary Of 81 200 an
nually from the association in addition
to their Government salaries. What we
desire TO ask the Second Assistant Post
master General is this: Ifit is permissi-
BILE to conduct an accident insurance so
ciety in his department, why not any
other kind OF business, such as grocery
VI , kbIhot bbbA anu nAlbNf HlNN l'AOAG VI
the dental, medical, and legal profess
sions2
If Government clerks are officially
recognized, encouraged, and permitted
TO invade the legitimate business OF acci-
dent insurance, why not throw the doors
wide open and give them licences to
start saloons, restaurants, and three
cent lunch counters? -
This man Elliott, receiving from the
Government a salary OF 81 400 per an
mum, devotes his time and ability to
editing paper in the interests OF an ac-
cident insurance company which is i'm
competition with outside concerns in the
same business, but whose presidents,
editors, and secretaries have to hustle
for living without government salary
or aid OF any character. Nay, on the
contrary, the outside concerns and the
men who run them are compelled TO
contribute to Elliott's salary and the
salaries of the ollicersof the n. A. p. c.
Accident insurance companies are con-
fronted with a rival, the officers ofwhich
are salaried by the Government and eat
the taxes eXacted from the outside conf
panies to support the Government and
pay its running expenses, the main item
of which is the salaries of its employees,
including Elliott and Wood, the double
barreled officers Of the N. a. p. c.
This is truly an encouraging condition
of affairs for citizens and taxpayers on
the outside whose money is invested in
accident insurance companies. But this
is not all by any means. The Govern
ment concern has the inside track in the
| matter OF the expenses of conducting
! this kind Of business. The expenditures
| incurred for travelling solicitors, such as
railroad fare, sleeping cars, ETC., are an
| important item in the total outlay out
side companies incur i'm extending their
| business. Now, clerks to the number Of
twenty or more, drawing salaries from
our benefcent Government, armed with
free passes secured by reason OF their
official positions, travel up and down
the land and have no bills for extras to
turn i'm to the officers OF the n. A. p. G.
This is an advantage that Elliott and
| Wood know how to utilize to the fullest
extent, and the consequence is that
| business is rolling in on the Government
concern while the outside ones are hav-
! ing hard scratching to keep even.
There is a bill before Congress known
as No. 3, for an increase in the salaries
! of the postal clerks, including, of course
! Elliott ct. al, and the officers OF the N.
! A. =. c. pose as its influential hackers,
and stuff the postal clerks that they will
secure its passage i'm due time. Ofcourse
| this is mere soliciting buncombe, and is
used to secure patronage.
| We know ofagents of accident insur-
ance companies who have expended
! thousands Of dollars to establish a ellen
tage this n. a. p G. has gobbled up or
! invaded, and these outside citizens have
only the consolation OF knowing that
their taxes were being used to pay the
salaries of the Government officials who
were running and stealing their business
Is this right, Mr.. Second Assistant Post
master General? Is there no redress in
this matter, and will your department
continue in the service Editor Elliott at
81 400 per annum, whose time is given
not to the Government which pays him
a decent annual salary, but to a society
which is taking the bread out of the
mouth of honest and legitimate enter
| prise on the outside?
The Internal Revenue Department,
/ which pays Mr.. George A. Wood $1,000
annually for his services at Portsmouth,
n. H., ought to require that gentleman
| to select which he will serve-the Gov
eminent at $1,000 or the n. A. p. c. at
! 81 200 per annum2 He certainly should
not be permitted to do both, and the
head Of any department condoning this
tlagrant and outrageous misfeasance in
o ilice-for IL is misfeasance pure and
simple-should be brought up with a
round turn by His Excellency, the Presi-
dent, whose attention is herewith called
to the matter.