Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-15
Railway Mail Clerks Assem-
bled Here Today.
JOINT SESSION HELD
ADDRESSES DELIVERED BY POST
OFFICE OFFICIALS.
Welcome Extended to Delegates by MI.
ShaIlenberger, Mr.. Madden ana
others-Reception Tonight

An enthusiastic joint meeting. held In
Masonic Temple hall, beginning at ~
o'clock this morning, marked the opening
of the annual conventions OF the clerks
identified with the railway mail service OF
the United States. The organizations rep
resented in the joint meeting were the Ma
tional Association Of Railway Postal Clerks
the United States Railway Mail Service
Mutual Benefit Association and the No-
mems Auxiliary to the postal clerks asso-
ciation. The occasion was particularly en-
joyable to the delegates in that they were
afforded an opportunity to listen 10 ao-
dresses delivered by officials OF the govern
ment who are at the head Of the railway
mail service.
Among those who addressed the meeting
were: Mr.. W. 8. Shallenberger. second as
sistant postmaster general; Mr.. Edwin Z.
Madden. third assistant postmaster gem
eraI; Mr.. Henry A. Castle. auditor for the
Post Office Department.; Capt. James r.
" mite general superintendent railway mail
service; Mr.. John r. Mccoy. president OF
the Benefit Association. and Mr.. J. A. Kid
well, president of the Postal Clerks Asso-
citation. Commissioner West was expected
to have delivered an address of welcome to
the delegates. but he was unable to be pres
ent owing to pressing duties elsewhere In
the city.
and bunting. and the red, white and blue
colors of the service were displayed about
the walls and over the stage In profu-
sion of festoons and streamers.
Previous to the formal opening OF the
meeting the hall was filled with a continue
Gus babel of voices az the arriving dele
gates engaged in pleasant converse with
each other and exchanged cordial greetings
The monotonous din of voices was broken
occasionally by hearty laughter from knots
of mail clerks in various parts Of the room:
and on all sides were striking evidences or
fraternal spirit and good cheer
Many Ladies' Present.
When the time for calling the convention
to order arrived the hall was comfortably
filled with men and women wearing the
badges and colors of the several organiza-
tons. There was a large number OF ladies'
present, and they seemed to enter as heart
lily as the men in the proceedings of the
hour.
Mr.. E. NJ Finch. a member of the local
association of postal clerks, called the as
Sc mbly to order and presided over the joint
meeting. The invocation was offered by
Rev. E. Hez Sven, pastor OF the second
Baptist Church. after which Mr.. Shallen-
berger was introduced to the audience,
which greeted him with hearty applause.
Mr.. Shallenberger said that he considered
I great privilege to welcome the delegates
to Washington city. 1t is very desirable, he
said. that the rank and file Of the railway
mail service should meet in the capital city
and come in touch with the official heads OF
the service. He approved of the plan In
holding the conventions of the associa lions
together, as it afforded opportunity for bet
ter cultivation of the social side of the pos
tai clerks natures. The organization OF the
women's auxiliary he considered as an ad-
mirable inspiration and one of the most
healthful aids OF the association. Contfnu-
ing. he said. in part:
NJ Sba1len heroar,s Address
During the six years of my service in
Congress more than twenty years ago I
congratulated myself that I knew some
thing of railway postal clerks and of the
great service they rendered the country I
have learned, however, TO appreciate them
much more IN the past six years of my adj
mnistration here.
The highest wisdom seems to have
guided the organization and management of
this particular branch of the postal service
for all these twenty-five years of which L
speak. The merit system in appointments
and promotions has been the solid rock on
which the structure was securely built The
fidelity of Its official force and the excep-
tional favor with which Congress has Ie-
garded the merit system, as applied to the
railway mail service. and wisely admin
iStered by the civil service commission
have greatly strengthened the admini5;ra-
ton of your devoted friend, the general su-
'perintendent, Capt. James E. White. His
faithful. intelligent. painstaking and af-
fectionate devotion to duty have brought
20 him not alone deserved promotion and
praise. bu. what IS better-the conscious
ness of spotless reputation and a long
record of useful service to his fellows. He
can now enjoy deserved rest when he
needs 1t. He has only to ask that his Of
fetal chair be occupied by thoroughly ef-
ncient substitute, and we Grant 1t.
Enlarged Opportunities.
t,la
you are living. as well as the service in
which you are engaged. 1t Is the age of
heroic endeavor. Your opportunities to-
day are much greater than were those OF
postal clerks when I first knew them. More
is expected of you. and 1 can truthfully
say more is achieved by you than by the
best of the early force Educational adj
vantages are better: entrance into tine scrv-
ice Is more difficult: two, and even three
annual efforts are often required to reach
an average high enough for admission The
marvellous increase of railway mileage, the
vastly accelerated speed of trains the phe-
nomenal growth Of the volume of mail mat
ter the ever-increasing demand Tor finer
separations and safer handling both of
ordinary and registered mall call for
bright and brave young men to enroll
themselves on the eligible lists of the sew
eral states.
Il sometimes think our railway mail SER
vice Is in danger from the abundant pros
perity OF the country. The best of our
men are strongly tempted to resign rather
than to walt for a regular appointment or
Tor deserved promotion. An offer of higher
salary. however. Is oftentimeS deluSiye and
unsatasfyfng. as We have many applications
Tor reinstatement of those who voluntarily
resign. After a brief experience i'm other
employment many seek to return to our
service.
Congress Will Be Conservative.
THE expectation of favorable legislation
Tor increasing salaries is never bright dur
Ing short session of Congress The COM
Ing session will be unusually conservative
in handling appropriations for the Post
Office Department Nevertheless, I feel ad-
monished by this condition Of affairs to
continue my earnest efforts to secure from
congress stil further recognition of faith
iui service by making 1t the interest of our
best clerks to remain with US. In this en-
oeavor l need the active cooperation of the
clerks themselves. and especially of those
who are honored as delegates to your great
conventions.
Urged Clerks to Be Contented.
You may fairly assume that loyalty and
devotion to duty will give you recognition
as surely as harvest follows seed time.
DO not expect you to rest satisfied with
your present emoluments. I simply urre