Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-17
POST OFFICE CLASSES
WHY THEY ARE so DIVIDED
UP.
Conditions of Presidential Postmasters
Fourth Glass Offices Taken
Out of Politics

Il n,-e is one point shout post offices
which the public cannot seem TO get clearly
in mind" said a postal official. and that
, is the different classes of post offices. their
compensation and why they are divided up
into classes. Tens Of thousands Of people
all over the country do not know the class
Of their post Office to which they go to re-
ceive their mai se from which # is dis
trihuted- That the readers OF The Star
may see at a glance what these different
classes mean in post Office nomenclature
let them bear IN mind preserve for fu-
'ure reference, the following facts:
"A presidential post Office is one where
the salary OF the postmas ter amounts To not
less IMAM MO per quarter for four consecu-
1--WE quarters, and the gross receipts for
the same time amount TO 81 900 When an
office has paid the above amount for four
consecutive quarters and the gross receints
have amounted to the sum stated. or nnere
IL is the advanced to the presidential class
Presidential offices are divided into three
| classes-hrst, second and third first
class office is one where the gross receipts
are are over s4o"" per annum. the salary OF
sie postmaster OF the same being from
$a,"o TO 5000. The post office at Washing
ton Is such an office, the salary OF the post
master being 5000. and the salary Of the
~.
second-class Office is one where the gross
receipts amount to 5000. and not exceed
ing Sto1s, the salary of the postmasters AT
oinces OF this class being from 5000 To-
s-.'b per annum. A thrd-olass office is one
where the gross receipts are $3.50 and do
not exceed 5000 per annum the salary of
this class being from $1,000 to 81 $50 per
annum
There are EOS post offices os the first
class, $40 Of the second class and 3SiS Of
the third class OF total of 4. 4es presiden-
liai ofhces. as against 1,951 presidential
Offices twenty years ago.
fourth-class offices comnrise all offices
where the receipts are less than 81. 500 per
annum, or where the compensation Of the
postmaster does not amount Ia $40 a quar-
Ter Tor four consecutive quarters. There
are -. fld fOurth-claSs offices as against
4i,2so offices twenty years ago.
Interesting Facts to Remember.
The commission Of a presidential office
dates from the date OF confirmation and
not from the date of appointment by the
President. When the Senate is not in ses-
sion vacation appointment Is made The
President signs the appointment of the
postmaster. and upon approval OF his bond
he is commissioned. his commission holding
until the adjournment Of the first session
OF the Senate following his appointment
until his successor Is nominated and con-
firmed by the Senate unless his commits
sion De sooner revoked by the President.
When the Senate meets the President NOM
mates postmasters for all vacancies that
have occurred during the recess OF the
Senate. He may nominate the postmaster
appointed in vacation some other can
didate as he prefers. Upon the confirma-
ton of any post master by the Senate the
commission Of the postmaster appointed
during vacation terminates. and upon the
filing of a bond the postmaster is commits
stoned for a full term of four years from
the date of his confirmation. Thus a 'vaca-
ton appointed who may be reappointed
and recommissioned may hold for a longer
period than one appointed out Of vacation
Fourth-class postmasters are appointed by
the Postmaster General. and upon the APP
proVal of his bond a commission is issued
by the Postmaster General dating from
the date upon which the commission is is
sued.
"A fourth-class postmaster under the re-
cent ruling of Postmaster General Payne
holds during good behavior. and. Of course.
the pleasure of the department. depending
upon the postmaster's attention To duty
Thus fourth-class postmaster is not now
removed merely to make room for another
man SO long as the first appointee admins
tiers the duties OF his Office faithfully and
honestly. The results of the working of
this excellent rule this spring becoming
more apparent in the big building opposite
the home of The Star. The fourth-class
postmaster is rebuilding his efforts to
please the department. knowing that close
attention to business means retention and
that he Will be replaced by another only
for cause. The results are highly satisfac-
tory.
General Payne's Stroke of Policy.
Postmaster General Payne is entitled 20
much credit for enforcing this rnie and
divorcing politics to a large extent from
the business end of fourth-class postmas-
tership. 1t was a mastery stroke of good
policy. and its far-reaching effects for good
are bound TO accrue and become more ap-
parent as the years roll on. 1t should not,
however be lost sight of in these rapidly
moving times of ours that il was Postmas-
ter General Bissell who first cut loose pol
itics from the fourth-claSs post office in
sturdily withStanding the assaults Of his
party. especially the southern element. to
turn out at once every republican fourth
class postmaster Instead. General Bissell
reaffirmed his declaration that fourth-class
postmasters of good character and proper
qualifications should serve fun term OF
four years. thus establishing a limited civil
service for fourth-class postmasters. The
spoilsmen element of his party were at the
time severe in their denunciation of this
creditable and radical stand at a period
when the democracy was thirsting for
drafts of refreshing waters of patronage
along post office lines. He won out, how
ever, and eventually the very men who had
first opposed him declared the plan a bet
ter one for all concerned, from the good OF
the service to the position of the represen-
tative, who was enabled TO manage the
fourth-ciass post Office matters in his dis
ruling is an elaboration of General Bissell's
plan, and in after years IL will he demon
strated that il was one OF the best rulings
made by him during his term OF Office"
A Trick With the Telephone.