Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-15
Sentiment in Iowa Said to Fa-
vor Some Form of Post
Check Currency
PETITIONS TO THE DELEGATION
Merchants Are Urging Iowa Senators
and congressman to Support the
Postal Check Currency Plan-Shaw
!. Changes Plan of Paying Salaries
New Rural Routes in Iowa.
10 Times-Republican.

SDeCials TO llltleS-RSpQpiiSe1Af
Washington, Dec. 15.-Iowa mer-
chants and dealers feel the need OF
some more convenient method of trans
uniting small sums thru the mails, and
along with the newspapers of the state
are forwarding letters and petitions TO
their senators and representatives fa-
voring the adoption of some one of the
plans proposed at the last session OF
congress of postal check currency. The
postmaster general in his report has
recommended that his department be
given authority to issue such checks
and a provision covering this subject
will very probably be included in the
postoffice appropriation bill.
Ii &*
That Secretary Shaw is a big man
enough to handle the finances of this
big country it is not necessary to tell
Iowa people, nor indeed anybody else,
and the employees of the treasury de-
partment are finding out that he is
also big enough man to look after
their comfort and interests as well
as to require them to do their work
in business like way. Probably ever
since the existence of our treasury de-
partment with its army of clerks, and
other employees, the plan that has been
pursued in paying salaries has been to
vary the salary with the length of the
month. For instance clerk of the
higher grades whose annual salary Is
$1,000 will by the old plan draw about
$137 for December, while in February
he would draw as his monthly salary
only about 1924. This plan has not
worked satisfactorily to the employees
as it may be judged so that they are
much pleased at the preparation of a
new salary table under the secretary's
direction by which they will receive
an equal amount Of their annual sal
airy each month.
Judge Conner has seen Superinten-
Gent Machen, superintendent of the
rural free delivery division. of the post
Office department in regard to the es-
tablishment of new routes in Iowa, but
Mr.. Machen says 1t will be impossible
to make movement for the inaugur-
alton of any further new routes in the
state until congress shall have passed
the deficiency bill which carries an APP
preparation of half a million dollars
to meet the deficit already incurred by
the establishment of the routes now in
operation.
Judge Seeds, of Manchester, Iowa,
deputy auditor for the war depart
ment and the civil service commission
have had to solve the problem of what
to do with a Seventh Day Adventist,
a clerk In the judges Office who re .
fuses to work on Saturday, which he
declares is his Sabbath. Elmer Petit
ford, the clerk in question, is faith
full and efficient employee of the govern
lnent, and Mr.. Rittman, auditor for the
war department. was willing, as was
Judge Seeds, that Mr.. Pettiford should
use UP his thirty days leave of alb
sence on Saturdays, but unfortunately
this leave will not last thru fifty two
weeks, and therefore 1t became neces-
sary to bring the matter to a head, and
when Pettiford was notified by Judge
Seeds that he must be at his desk last
Saturday, he failed to comply with the
order. Charges have therefore been
preferred against him of misconduct
and delinquency, and he with his wife
visited the treasury to see Mr.. Allies,
the assistant secretary and pointed out
that the civil service commission rules
prevent the dismissal of a person be-
cause of political or religious opin-
ions or affiliations. But Mr.. Allies holds
that man is also required to comply
with the government service rules as
to his work, and that Mr.. Pettiford has
not done this, and that he must work
on Saturday as Judge Seeds requires or
be dismissed. Secretary Shaw has
sustained the assistant secretary in his
decision and agrees with him that the
making of an exception in Mr.. PETIT
ford's case would be step toward less
efficient work among the clerks of the
whole department, as others would he
sure to demand absence upon Satur-
days.
FRANK j. STILLMAN.