Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-25
Meet Here in Convention
Today.
OF WELCOME
DELIVERED BY POSTMASTER
MERRITT TO THE VISITORS.
Postmaster General Cortelyou Appears
and Makes Some Interesting and
Pertinent Remarks.

Postmasters from all over the country
met in convention this afternoon at the
! National Hotel 1t is an organization OF
second and third-class postmasters, hay
ing Tor It's object the mutual benefit and inn
provement of the service. 1t was organ
ized at ST. Louis last year. and was to
have had Its first meeting last November
Owing to the death of Postmaster General
Payne the meeting was postponed.
| President Richard f. Lawson of Fmns
ham, ILL.,, called the meeting to order and
after briefly stating the objects Of the ses-
sion. called upon Postmaster John A Ner-
rift of Washington. d. G, who made an
address of welcome
Mr.. Merritt spoke for half an hour. and
| traced In an interesting way the history of
Washington, from the time the uncon-
scious prophet Francis Pope bought the
peninsula formed by the Potomac and Ana
costa rivers and built his residence upon
Capitoiine Hill" which afterward was dcs-
tined to be the site of the Capitol OF the
United States. Upon that HILL" said Post
master Merritt, now stands the Capitol of
our nation. and also upon and about ii is
situated this beautiful city OF Washington
to which. my brother postmasters. L extend
a hearty welcome Continuing Mr. Mer-
rift said in tracing the history OF the city
The District of Columbia. this city OF
Washingto ton, Is the only city in the United
States which has been built to order Ii is
our city, your city and was originally au-
thorlzed by an act of Congress passed July
IL. 1870"
Postmaster Merritt indicated the adyan-
tages of Washington as the seat of govern
ment and referred TO It's educational adj
vantages possessed by no other city in the
world. He babe the convention welcome to
the city of cities.
At the conclusion of his remarks Presi-
dent Lawson called upon Postmaster Gen
eral Cortelyou, and his appearance was the
signal for loud and continued applause.
Mr.. Cortelyou said:
Postmaster Generals Remarks.
Gentlemen: / am glad to greet you as
officials of the Post Office Department. and
am gratifed to know that you take an ac-
tive interest in your work. The service in
which you are engaged is one of the most
important under the government. Postal
facilities play a large part In our daily life,
and while in many respects our service is
the best in the world, we have much to
learn, and If we have the right American
spirit we hold ourselves ready at all times
to profit by the experience of Others wheth-
er here or abroad.
Organizations, within the department to
receive its sanction in any degree, must have
for their object improvements in the service
or be of purely fraternal or beneficial
character. With any other purpose In view
they detrimental to the service. to their
members and to the public. | believe the
object of this meeting to be a worthy one,
and have come here today because l want
you to feel that the Postmaster General IS
interested in every proper effort TO raise the
standard of efficiency in the Post Office De
partment
My duty as head of the department is to
insist upon loyal and efficient service from
every employe as an individual and with
out any thought of his affiliations with
anlZat ton. L recognize every
ploye as an individual to be appointed. adj
vanced, transferred and in all respects
treated upon merit. l shall consult the in
terests of all employees, and shall keep my
self open-minded to suggestions looking TO
Improvement The department operates
under the law. Its limitations are clearly
defined. Its executive officers must consult
the interests of all the people, must pay
only such salaries and make only such
signments of its force they author
lied to do by Congress. Within these limi-
tations it should be the duty and pleasure
of the Postmaster General to secure for
every employe such recognition for his
services and compensation therefor as he
hndS possible and consistent with the public
interest. That l will do, and II must be
clearly understood that the officials of the
department and not the officials or MEM
bers of any organization are the proper
persons to present the departments needs
to Congress. If / find that any class of
employees is adequately compensated I
will do whatever l properly can TO secure
increased compensation. On the other hand
will recommend curtailment in any branch
of the service where the compensation
seems out of proportion to the work done.
and this applies not only TO all classes of
employees, but to individuals
The postal service should be a business in
stftution- 1t cannot be made such II other
considerations than merit govern In the
discipline of its force. Postmasters hold a
peculiarly important relation to the COM
munities in which they live. They are direct
representatives of the department Their
rAffa nfS IEs
They should serve the interests of all the
people of their communities without regard
to political, social or business affiliations.
This does not mean that they are Invested
OF their rights as citizens. They would be
unfit for their positions II they did not take
proper interest in public affairs but a
proper interest in public affairs as a mat
ter OF course. bars them from participation
in fractional differences any other polit-
zeal action that would bring discredit upon
the service or show a lack of appreciation
of their relation to II.
Efficient as the postal service is there is
still a sad lack of good business in some of
it's branches. and many years of routine
methods have brought about an inertia that
is difficult to overcome. l think we have al
together too much red tape in the depart
ment. l think we go around too many
corners instead of making straight cuts to
results. But these weaknesses and difficult
ties should be but incentives to every man
and woman in the service from the highest
rank to the lowest to strive faithfully to
raise its standard, that II may be made the
great business establishment the people
have a right to expect II to be.
Every postmaster, every employe, can
contribute his share in bringing this about.
and shall hope that each will do the work
allotted him, not only because 1t is his duty,
but because his interest is aroused by the
assurance that he VIII receive Just ana
honorable treatment.
At the conclusion of the routine business
the convention adjourned to meet tomor-
row morning at 10. when the election OF
Officers for the ensuing year will take place.