Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-08-25
MAIL CLERKS BONDS.
Those in Railway Service Can Secure
Them CheapIy.

Washington. Aug. 24-Ten thousand
clerks employed in the railway mail
service, and their friends throughout
order recently issued requiring bonds
for the faithful performance of their
duties: They regarded it as a re-
Election upon their official integrity and
a needless expense to a class of en-
plOyes whose record is not eXcelled by
any of Uncle Sans workers.
Now. however, that the situation has
been fully explained, and the railway
mail clerks have had an opportunity
carefully to examine the various
phases of the subject. they are prac-
tically a unit in commencing the in
novation. They have become con-
WINGED that it works no hardship, as
the cost of bonding to them is so
slight as to be absolutely insignificant.
They have found out that responsible
favorably as a risk that they will
charge them premium of only SO
cents year for $1,000 bonds.
When the complete reorganization Of
the Post Office Department was de-
termined upon the committee having
it in charge discovered that the only
| 'iilBlostS Nplillttltl Nlln tIic ueBdI u
ment from whom bonds were not re-
| quired were the railway mail clerks.
1t was contended by the office of the
Second Assistant Postmaster General.
which has charge of the railway mail
| service, that the losses through this
branch of the service was so slight
that the government would save money
| by insuring itself. and the PROPOSE
| % l.; &l,o
bonding system governing the other
branches was vigorously opposed. The
| consensus of opinion, however. was
favorable to uniformity in the de-
partment. and the committee recom-
mended the change.
When Postmaster General Payne
issued the order. the Department ad-
| vised various responsible bonding COM
panies of what would be required and
required them to submit estimates for
| blanket or individual bonds. The re-
sponses have been particularly graft
| flying to the department, as well as
complementary to the railway clerks,
and as soon as received, have been
| transmitted to division headquarters
| throughout the country. In this way
every clerk in the service knows just
what he will have to pay for his 81 900
| bond. and, up to date, has found con-
stantly decreasing premiums. Though
| 1t has reached the astonishingly low
| figure of so cents for a bond of 81 900.
it is not believed that a bedrock price
has yet been quoted.
When all the companies shall have
been heard from. every clerk will be
Informed of the exact amount charged
| by every company on the list. He can
| then elect which company he wishes to
bond him. as there will be no compul-
sion of any kind exercised by the de-
partment regarding his choice. Then
| again. II he so desires. he may furnish
| n private bondsman. who can qualify
| in the amount necessary to indemnify
| the government in case of loss. He
| is absolutely free to bond himself
wherever he may find the terms most
advantageous.
| 1t was i'm conference between rep
resentatives of the Railway Mail
| Clerks Association and department
officials that these facts were made
known which led to dissipation Of
the opposition manifested when the
order was promulgated. When the
employees of that branch of the service
ascertained that leading companies
were willing to bond them for so per
cent less than the rate accorded to
other classes of employees they were
greatly gratified with what they con-
sidered testimonial to their efficiency
and integrity. They are willing, they
say. to pay the price of a half dozen
good cigars for the privilege of bond
ing themselves at a rate less than half
tina paid by any of their colleagues.