New-York tribune., 1901-03-03
COUNTRY POSIIUA.S7ERS.


NESS PRINCIPLES.
From The Indianapolis News
Few people know just exactly where fourth
class postmaster gets his pay. His patrons. more
often than not, know the least about the matter.
and not many others know that, humble as the
fourth class office is. il serves the greatest mum
ber of people in the United States There are
over seventy thousand of these offices. while
there just 800 of the third, second and first
class, salaried offices. The lowest salary paid
these is 81 600 and the highest salary is 5000
year. The fourth class officers must rustic for
their pay. Sometimes that is as low as 81
a month, and sometimes as high as S6O month;
that is. some offices send out just that amount
of cancelled letters each month. but the fourth
class postmaster is not allowed to keep the Sto
a month"; not at all He keeps just 16 l-3 dollars
his own clear cash, and every dollar over that
out of every 100 cents, until his office gets TO
the Importance of canCelling over S33 month";
then ne must hand over 60 cents out of the dol
lar instead of 40 Out Of what is left he pays
his office rent. his light and fuel bills and his
clerk hire when sick or absent. The depart
ment furnishes nothing; not even the box. ex-
cept what stamps, postal cards and other
stamped paper he needs.
Very few fourth class Offices cancel stamps TO
either the great or small amount have named
The majority Of them range from s. to $50
month. When office averages about $40
month. then it becomes money order office
and while its revenue toward the pOstmaster's
pay is not perceptiby increased by this add
ton. his bond and responsibility are. Some years
ago fourth class postmaster was allowed per-
collation. but it was found that he hustled
around and offered inducements and share of
the proceeds to those who would buy many
stamps from him. and the department shut down
on this. Now, If he sells 81 worth OF stamps a
day. but only cancels letters 10 cents worth
10 cents is all he gets for that days work. The
remainder of the 81 at the end of the quarter
goes To the department.
The fourth class postmaster is brought i'm
closer relationship with his patrons than the
postmaster of a salared office. and trials and
tribulations are about the extent of his pay for
this He is expected To be ready for social
chat with them. 10 answer all questions;
To write many letters for those who can
not write or have left spectacles at home; to
advise them as to the best papers or maca-
zines for which to subscribe. and SO on and SO
on Besides this he is 10 blame for all the mail
lost or delayed: there are always more
women who accuse him of opening their letters
there IS the pompous citizen, who is very GER
tain that he is careless with his particular mail
and the old fellow whose family take jus; enc
paper ana that "a monthly. but every Gay the
old fellow would ask if that "dod-rotted book
of his'n had come yet and though il never
missed showing at the appointed time and
that il was the beatenest thing to miss he ever
seen, and hid be blamed If he'd ever take it
again.
In the majority Of these offices strictress is
the rule The fourth class postmaster is called
To task for neglect of the slightest duty th.
same as though the government paying
him good salary for his work. But in very
small offices have heard of postmasters who
nave II all their own way. The office is too
small for 4 new postmaster be easily founI
II the old one is turned out. the patrons will not
allow IT To he discontinued. and so the postal
authorities turn away nOnpussed. and leave
hlm To his own devices. heard of one pOst-
master of this kind who shut up his office to
attend anything he felt was worth while al
tending He would so off a dozen miles to e
show prizefight the county fair and some
times stay two or three days and there. was no
getting in his office either to get YOUR mail or
deposit letters until he came back Another
postmaster of this kind. having just loaned a
friend all the postal funds. amounting To some
" or ~, an hour after a postoffice in |
spectOr making his way leisurely toward the Of |
nee knowing from past experience that the in |
spector would make just big a kick about |
that So as he would about 81 900 being out or
pocket in the office, the postmaster did some
quick thinking
In a jiffy he had barred the door and run n /
red bandanna handkerchief out OF a side win +
dow. When the inspector haughtily demanded
that the door be opened the postmaster asked
him N he didn't know what a red flag meant
and if he didn't want to know he'd better moi
little burGh was in panic over this hint of
smallpox. and without waiting to add anythine,
To the panic the inspector Immediately nads
himself scarce in that region
Another case was where, time and again the
department had been made aware of gross ir-
reguiarites in the management of one office
away in the wilds somewhere. At last an in
spector was ordered out to look up the matter
At the wayside station nearest this postoffjce
the inspector learned that IL was kent
by an old mountaineer named Saunders who
owned everything In sight around it, and ON This
account could hold the office against all annii-
cants- The inspector was forced to wend his
way afoot to the place. Its general wldness
caused slight feeling Of apprehension In his