The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-04-04

standard in the service, the carriers should
be respectable and responsible men. They
should regard themselves and should be
regarded by the public as government
officials, and not as mere hirelngs, whose
chief ambition will be to make their daily
rounds and to draw their salaries Our
knowledge. obtained from the practice in
the star route service, war; ants US in say
ing that if the plan of the committee is
accepted we will have in the rural service
cheap man. a cheap horse, and a cheap
wagon. and, as natural and inevitable
result, cheap service.
Is is important that we have the best
men available as carriers, not only to dis
charge the duties devolving upon them
which are practically those of a postmaster
because it is their duty to deliver mail
upon their routes, but, in addition, to COL
lect mail to sell postage stamps, to sell
postofice orders, to give receipts for reg
istered packages. and to perform other
duties required of a postmaster. Not
only should they be good men to perform
these duties. but, because of the fact of
the close and intimate relations they sus-
tain to the patrons of their routes, they
should be men of good reputation and
moral character and worthy of the conf
dence of those whom they serve.
| The salary should be enough to attract
10 the service capable and responsible
men who will take pride in the discharge
of their duties. My own opinion is that
5000 per annum for the present, will in
sure the selection of capable and desirable
men. It is said that in some parts of the
country school teachers are seeking en-
ployment as carriers, hope this is true,
for no better class of men can be procured
and if they are willing to undertake the
work at the salary which is paid it is an
argument in support of the existing plan
1t is safe to assert that few school
taachres will be employed in case change
is made in accordance with the recon.
mendation of the committee, because a
will compete for the contracts for carry
ing the mails. 1t is said by those who
favor the contract method that within a
few years we will have from 50. 900 to Co.
900 rural carriers. and that their number
potent upon members of congress that
their salaries will be increased to an ex-
horbitant amount. Z
than to believe that their only mission
will be to secure an increase of their
salaries, and it certainly is sad commen-
tary upon the American congress to as
sumo that it could not withstand the i'm
portunities of few employees of the gov
ernment Ifit should be conceded that mem
bers of congress will be influenced by consid
erations of this character we should
not lose Sight of the fact that while
there may be so, 900 or Co.. men ask.
ing. for increase of salaries, on the other
q land there will be several millions of tax
payers who will object to,the1 salary being
increased beyond what is reasonable
This suggestion, made by those who favo,
the contract method, is evidently made tc
frighten rather than to enlighten the
members of this body. hail with Joy the
time when 90, 900 young Americans viii
be engaged in the service of rural deliv
cry, because it means education; it mean!
!, carrying to the people messages of JOY
and gladness; it means elevation to tht
farmers of the country: it means employ
, ment for American labor, and, hope, a
reasonable prices; it means that the NOR,
men there are employed in the service tn,
more consumers there are for the pro
ducts of the farm and factory.
: If the number of carriers is increased
to 600 it means that 600, 900 peopl
: have become consumers. and this consid
:. GRAFTON is not without weight in consider
9 ing the question of the expense of tn
salary system. 1t seems to me the ques
ton of expense should be a secondar
consideration in determining what ou
: action should be on the bill under con
: sideration. The controlling question, a
= have stated, is what will best insure III
: maintenance of this exalted standard c
service now in force. In voting on thi
;. question let US not close our eyes to tn
. . fact that the welfare of rural free deliver
: is involved and its destiny is at stake. w
= vote either to strengthen or to weaken il
. We vote it up or we vote it down. fc
= one am in favor of policy which mean
) better men. better equipment and conse
). quently better service, and that rural de
:. livery may in the future as it has in til
s past grow in favor and popularity. an
= that its benefits may be extended to an
!. enjoyed by all the people of our great an
!. glorious country. Loud applause.