The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-11

grade the number fixed by congress.
EXTRAVAGANT ESTIMATES
NECESSARY.
1t is difficult to estimate the exact
sum necessary for the postal service
eight months before the beginning of
the fiscal year in which the appropria-
ton is to be used, but to estimate the
actual number of clerks in each grade
is a greater difficulty. 1t is manifestly
impossible to estimate just how many
clerks will be required in each grade in
lab first and second class postofficeS
July 1, 1904 and throughout the fiscal
year. We do not know how many first
and second class postOfices there will
be July l. 1904, and we must therefore
ask for a greater number of places than
we viii probably use, to allow safe
margin in each grade.
The postal service is growing with
great strides. A large postofffce may
have sufficient clerical force at the be-
ginning of the fiscal year, July 1; on
October 1 it may need 100 additional
regular clerks; on January 1, so more,
and so on. If the appropriation be
made in lump sum, we will allow such
additional clerks as are needed July !,
and at any subsequent date increase
the number economically. Under q
segregated appropriation, however, we
must aHow all the additional clerks ON
July 1, or else carry along in the ap-
preparation several hundred vacancies
in order to provide for the growth of
the service. therefore we must not
only estimate for more clerks in each
grade than will be needed, but we must
estimate for nearly twice as many ad-
ditiOnal clerks as will be required under
a lump sum appropriation. There will
be turned back into the treasury this
year out of the present segregated APP
preparation at least $4,000 and pro-
badly a much greater sum.
COMPENSATION OF CLERKS AND
CARRIERS.
BY executive order dated January 81,
1902, postal employees were forbidden,
either directly or indirectly, individual
" or through associations, to solicit an
increase of pay or to influence or to
attempt to influence in their own inter
est any other legislation whatever, eth
er before congress or its committees,
or in any way save through the heads
+, of the departments in or under which
they serve on penalty of dismissal
| from the government service.
| In consequence of this order there
have been presented to the department,
! by committees representing various
! classes of postal employees. statements
/ setting forth the reasons why such en-
ployes deem their claims for increased
! CONDENSATION to be we'll founded.
Such petitions will be at the proper
| time laid before congress, together with
| a request that the representatives OF
the employees shall be given an opDor-
tunity to be heard before the proper
| committee of congress.
In this connection l beg again to
urge the propriety of the payment of
| substitute clerks and letter carriers on
a different basis from that which now
obtains. At present such substitutes
are required to report daily to the
postoffice for employment and to hold
| themselves in readiness to be called
! upon at any time, and they are paid
| nothing unless they are called upon to
| perform service for clerks or letter car
riers who are absent from duty. This
| method of payment is very unsatiSfac-
tory. 1t results in a very large num-
Der of the best men who seek admis-
sion to the postal service becoming dis
satisfied and discouraged, in conse-
quence of which they abandon their
efforts to enter the public service, and
We are left too often with EMPLOYEES as
substitutes who are unable to obtain
| employment outside the government
service. 1t needs no argument to dem
onstrate that such a condition of affairs
| is not consistent with sound public
policy. 1 therefore earnestly reepm-
l mend that congress shall enact a law
which will provide a minimum COM
pensatiOn of. say. $50 per month to be
paid such substitutes when the COM
| pensation of the substitute coming
place he serves shall not in any month
equal $50
The present system of paying sub
stitutes provides that they shall re-
ceive the full compensation of the clerk
or letter carrier in whose place they
| serve. In my opinion this arrange
ment works seriously to the diSadvant-
age of the public service in that there
| are retained in the postal service many
aged experienced employees who have
| become, to greater or less extent
suDerannuated, but who naturally re-
tain their connection with the service
/ just as long as possible. and the de-
partment Is reluctant to remove such
veteran employees, the greater number
| OF whom are veterans of the civil war.
| and who are receiving the highest
| grade or compensation as letter carriers,
and generally, by reason of long service,
| considerable salaries as clerks. In JUS
| tice to such employees, and for the good
| of the public service. l would recon-
| mend that where a clerk or letter car
r1er has been twenty-five years in the
| service and shall have attained the age
| of 65 years, the postmaster general be
| empowered, upon the recommendation
| OF the postmaster. to employ a substi-
tute Tor such clerk or letter carrier,
| which substitute shall receive not to
exceed two-thirds of his salary. the
other one-third going to such clerk OF
letter carrier. 1t is believed that such
action, If authorized by congress, would
not increase the appropriations for
clerical hire or the letter carrier service
TO any conSidera bic extent and would
result IN much better service. for the
reasons stated.
POSTAL CHECKS.
The rapid extension of the rural free
delivery service increases the demand
that the government shall provide some
easy, convenient and safe method for th6
transmission of small sums Of money
through the mails. and I urge upon con.
greSS the Importance of passing some law
winch viii insure to our people this ad.
vantage at an early date as possible
AS the rural free delivery service ha.
been extended the number Of letters car
rying small amounts of currency ha.
greatly increased. At present there is nt
convenient method provided in the rura