Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-16

and Assembly Nindicated.
The Presidents recent order prohibiting
Government clerks and employees from inn
portuning or pettioning for an increase of
alary has been hagrantly dehed, and in the
town Of Columbus. HO, hi, hol This order
has been circulated in neatly printed slips
in every department IN Washington and in
everv Federal post. Office and building
throughout the United States and the islands
Of the sea. Either Teddy the Terrible is
becoming grotesque in ridiculosity or his
simpering Order--like the veteran prefer
euce oue-is mere buncombe, will be readily
understood by a perusal of the following
account of the meeting held in the Buckeye
capital, and which so far has evoked neither
condemnation nor dismissals by either the
President or the Civil Service Commission
ers. Here is the condensed epitome Of the
proceedings of the Ohio Association of Post
office Clerks, held in Columbus recently:
In defiance of the order issued by Presi-
dent Roosevelt forbiddiug Civil Service
employees to solicit any increase of pay
from Congress or any other source, delegates
representing the Ohio Association of Post
Office Clerks gathered at the Great Southern
hotel here to-day to consider the best means
of pushing two bills now pending in Con-
gress, one of which would raise their sal
aries and the other providing for a shorter
work day.
Delegates were present from Cincinnati,
Cleveland, Columbus, Lima Dayton and
Findlay.
They met behind closed doors with cot.
4 4
the keyhole. They refused to divulge the
names Of the delegates who came into the
meeting They gave out a statement de-
claring that the Presidents bombshell order
could never have been aimed at their peace
full camp, but still they met aud they de-
cided to use what influence they possessed
to have two bills drawn for their benefit
passed by Congress.
The two bills are, first, classification
measure, and second, a proposed law to ap-
ply the eight-hour day to the clerks
throughout the Post-office Department and
it would mean an increase in the salaries of
most of them, especially those skilled in
their work. Il was drawn to rewsrd expe-
rience and extent of service by graded pro-
motions.
The officers Of the association who we're
present at the meeting were A. II. Opdyke,
president, Dayton; Michael Effinger, of
Lancaster, and Owen NJ Ulrick, of Dayton,
Weep presidents; Sam II. Hyneman, secre-
tar Columbus; NJ. W. Pleasant, Dayton,
treasurer. and c. D. Makepeace, Columbus,
chairman of the organization committee.
Secretary Hyueman gave out the follow
ing staten mynt IN regard TO the meeting of
the clerks
we met to consider the order Of the pres
ideut for one thing, " he said The meet
ing is a special session of the association
aud was called by the clerks of Lima 1t
was agreed that Mr.. Roosevelt is disposed
to be friendly toward The clerks. His order
was brought about rather by the policy of
other Government employees than by our
method, that having been conservative in
the past and having been virtually sane
toned by several Of the Postmaster. Cen
erals.
I'VE have confidence in the intention of
the department to take care Of our interests.
I'VE considered two bills now before
Congress- The FIRST makes an eight-hour
day mandatory. The second is a classi6ca-
tion bill. Both have beeu introduced at tile
request of the ASSOCIATION, but the same
legislation has been urged in several ses-
sious by Postmaster Generals"
Yes, +" said Hyueman, in reply to ques-
ton, the classification bill would mean an
increase in salary for the clerks.
I'VE would rather not give the names of
the delegates present from other cities, " he
continued. We feel that no responsibility
should rest on them as individuals for any
thing done by the association"
The clerks had banquet at their hotel
last Wednesday night at the close of their
business session. d. A. Drscoll and As
sistaut Postmaster Krumm, of Columbus,
were anIoug those who responded TO toasts
About IS delegates attended the meeting
What is the President going to do about
it2 MI Hynemau admits that the classh-
cation bill means an increase IN salary.
That the increase is deserved and the classi-
ication proper nobody will gainsay but
this does not relieve the officers of the
meeting and the delegates who attended of
openly violating the order so ostentatiously
printed and circulated throughout the de-
partments here and the Federal Offices else.
where.