The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-12-04


of Mankato; executive board, the presi.
dent and secretary ex-officio and A
N. Tibbetts Vernon Center; James Gil
bride, Madison Lake, and James Davis OF
Aladelia.
John L. May spoke of the work done
at the recent meetings of the safe and
national associations and made the mem
bers better acquainted with the nature
of the whole system of the carriers or
ganization He named over the officers
of the state association as follows:
President, Joseph Pennar, Alexandria ;
vice presidents F. H. Hunter, Anoka
and w. H. Dunbar of Isanti; secretary,
f. d. Farrell of Wyzata; and treasurer
John L. May of Mankato.
Mr.. Coy told how both the national
and state organizations had declared In
favor of the government allowing each
carrier 5000 per year for his expenses be-
sides a raise in his salary. He told, too,
how The Journal and The Tribune of
Minneapolis had entertained the boys OF
the state association in the rooms of the
Commercial club, giving them a hall IN
which to transact their business and
taken them to the theatre.
A. j. Veigel, Mankato's assistant post
master, briefly addressed the meeting
Every person, he said, in any line OF
business sees the bad features of his own
occupation but not often those of his
neighbours. People in general did not
half appreciate the hardships that rural
carrier had to undergo. Recently there
was vacancy in that line and there
were thirty one applicants for the job.
The salary certainly was not large
enough. Fifty dollars per month might
be adequate if the expenses were not so
heavy. The salary of rural carrier
would certainly be increased in time.
Other departments of the government
| service had likewise started on unreason-
| ably small salaries which had been great
| ly increased. One very pleasant fea-
/ ture of the rural carriers duties, how
ever, was the friendliness of the people
along the route. They were ever glad
to see him and ready to do anything
for him.
The cordial treatment the boys had
received at the hands of The Free Press
not only in the use of the rooms but
also in securing for the carriers the
free occupancy of the two upper story
boxes at the theatre to see tile popular
play of "Shore Acres" We're called to mind
by the president. He also announced
that The Review had invited the boys
to supper at the Saulpaugh. A vote
of thanks for the generosity of the news
papers was Immediately taken by accla-
nation.
| l.. P. Hunt extended cordial welcome
to the carriers. He was heartily in
favor of raising the wages of the rural
carriers whose pay was universally ack-
nowledged to be ridiculously small. He
was sure that the congressional represen
tatives of both Minnesota and Wiscon.
sin were unanimous for such action
Congressman McCleary he knew to be
enthusiastically in its favor. The car.
riers must organize and agitate fol-
their rights. Public sentiment was sc
strong in their favor that no congress
would dare to disregard the issue when
squarely put to it Mr.. Hunt said:
Rural free delivery is no longer an ex-
pertinent but settled policy of the
government. When it was first intro.
duced-only six years ago-there were
many misgivings as to whether or not
it could be maintained at anywhere nea,
the cost of operation. Its introduction
was, like most new and experimental de-
partures in governmental affairs oppos-
ed by many, and those most strenuously
hostile to the venture were postmasters
This class of public servants was fear
full that the revenues of their offices
would be materially reduced and as a
sequence their compensation would suf-
fer curtailment. While it is true that
| a number of small fourth class offices
have been abolished because of the rural
free delivery system, there is hardly
an instance where the people are not
| very much better served and no sort of
influence could be brought to bear to
secure their consent to abolish the free
delivery and return to the old country
postoffice with its want of room and it's
greater want of care in handling the
mail.
But the delivery of mail to the thous-
and and hundreds of thousands of farm
homes every day is not the only bene-
fit that the rural free delivery brings