The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-04-01
R. R. CARRIERS SALARY
1t viii Be Increased, But Not Much
at This Time.
Cunningham Has Been Over Jealous
in Cause of Employees.
Congress Intends to &c Fair, Giving
Them Going Wages.
Representatives Believe So 10 $3.50
Per Day Is Right.

Washington, March 29.-Another in
stance of the over-zealous effort in be-
half of worthy cause marks the his
tory of the rural mail carriers compen-
sation, up to date.
! The house of representatives, as a
/ body and without regard to party di-
vision, favors doing the fair thing by
the rural carriers. The postoffice and
post roads committee reported in favor
of an increase in compensation from 5000
to $720 per annum.
But no sooner was this report made
public than the personal representative
of the rural carriers, F. H. Cunningham,
of Omaha, who is president of the ma
! tional association of rural carriers, be-
gan a canvass of the house and inaugu-
rated campaign for the purpose of
overturning the decision of the commit
tee on postoffices and post roads. Letters
| and kilograms came pouring in upon
congressman from patrons of the rural
free delivery from all parts of the coun-
try.
1t was the easiest thing in the world
to create sentiment. All that was nee
essary was to send out circular to the
effect that the entire rural system of
postal service was in danger; that con-
gress would not appropriate sufficient to
pay for the carriers, and that the people
served by this system of rural delivery
should rise up and let congress know
that they resented any curtailment
whatever in the service, and at the same
time insist on substantial increase for
the rural carriers.
Consequently, there was regular ava
ianche of petitions, protests, letters and
kilograms sent to Washington.
Mr.. Cunningham is strong worker,
but he overplayed his hand. The real
danger to rural free delivery is 1T from
what congress will deny, but from What
it will grant. The house committee IN
postoffices and post roads, of which Mr..
Stevenson of Minnesota is a member,
took the position that there must be
just, fair and equitable compensation for
rural carriers.
They made their report to the house,
and when Mr.. Cunningham commenced
to fight the report, and make an open
campaign against the policy of the post
office committee, individual members of
congress began to look into the matter
from the business and practical stand
point rather than from the sentimental.
While all admitted that the rural car
riers should have raise in salary, there
sprang up in the house universal SEN
timent that it would not do to increase
the compensation at one jump to point
where there would be large deficiency.
It was pointed out that under the
rather extravagant administration OF
Machen, as superintendent of rural dellv-
erv. that the deficiencies created during
his term of office came near seriously
Gripping the entire rural service, and 1t
did, in fact, postpone and hold up very
large number of rural routes IN Minnie
sofa and other states.
The actual intent of congress in deal
ing with the rural carriers is to give
them a fair compensation, about the
same as the ordinary going wages are
in rural communities. The work OF one
man and two horses, from six to eight
hours a day at light work, is worth, &C
cording to the test of wages when the
committee in congress applied, from %
to $3.50 per day. 1t was also taken
into consideration that the rural carriers
in majority of cases, are either farm
ers, iverymen or persons who have some
other business, which does not lose their
entire attention by reason of being rural
carriers.
The house of representatives, during
the long discussion on the postofflce ap-
preparation bill, acted on the theory that
any radical raise of compensation at TINS
time would injure the rural service ana
the carriers more than it would aid them.
A Minnesota member stated the case
this way:
"If we had given in to the demands
of Mr.. Cunningham and given graded
scale up to 5000 per annum, we would
have given rural delivery body blow.
In the first place, the line must De
drawn on appropriations somewhere. IL
it is not, the bottom of the treasury
would be reached in one session. Conse-
quently, we had to keep within reason
in dealing with rural carriers. Ii we
should give them what Mr.. Cunningham
wanted, there would have been great
deficiency confronting us next year. AND
then Speaker Cannon and Chairman
Hemingway would have applied the
brakes on all appropriations for rural
delivery. We must conduct this great
system along purely business lines, and