The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-10-05

AMONG the proceedings of tae an
nuai convention Of tho national post
masters convention held IN Dayton,
ohio, was an address made by J. L.
i, alta, postmaster Of Burlington, la,
on the subject ~ Local Supervision
OF Hural Free Delivery Il received
such cordial approval that the asso.
citation passed vote OF thanks and
ordered II published IN the books OF
the annual proceedings. MIR. waite's
address was IN part as follows;
Local Supervision Rural Free Delivery.
There are two propositions suitably
preliminary 10 this discussion:
4, Economic laws cannot be IT,
nored without harm.
2. Personal, eficient supervision Is
the most essential factor In the sue
cess OF any enterprise.
We know the two propositions are
true, because founded on human ex-
perience; true In all the centuries
past, and therefore eternally true.
They are universally recognized rs
fundamental to business success and
consequently need not be discussed
as to their pertlnency TO rural free de-
livery as well as any other phase OF
human activity.
Our rural free delivery service nee
essarily had to be experimental at
first. The experiment has not only
demonstrated its success, but also the
imperative necessity for changing tho
plan Of administration 80 as 70 obtain
Increased local supervision. la a pa
per read at our annual meeting last
year, under the caption, lis Uncle
Sam Good to Himself?" l endeayored
to show how cumbrous and inefficient
Is the present method Of appointment
and discipline OF rural carriers, and
said:
Would any railway or express OF
telegraph company with large sys'
tenn appoint It's local agents, station
clerks and trackmen, us rural carriers
are appointed by competitive examine
ton the final review to be lad In New
York City, or some other point per
haps a thousand miles distant from
the locality OF the appointee's duties?
i The absurdity OF the plan Is apparent
when applied 10 private enterprise
But IL brains and private capital have
a better method and obtain better re
suits, why SHOULD Uncle Sam be less
good to himself?
| Let us again get down 10 partlcu
i lars for illustration: A few years
ago an appointment Of carrier was
made on a route from a rural station
In Iowa. Due notice was given am
an examination was held by a specia
agent. Ihere were four or Ave app.
cants to two OF wnom II Is desired Y
call your attention because OF circum
stances attending the case which Illus
trate the point OF this discussion.
zone was a man Of fair education
clever, quick.witted, blase and self
i possessed VINO had been gambler
and drunkard. The other also had
fair education, an ,Aest, clean-mind
ed, INDUSTRIOUS country boy, modes;
tlmid and embarrassed by his sur
roundings in a government builu.ng
undergoing a technical examination IN
the presence OF government Official
and competitors whom he knew ha:
seen more Of Lne world than he had
The gambler, by virtue Of his ca
reer, was cool!headed, and, OF course
had no dlficulty in answering the
comparatively simple questions.
\, "The honest, but nervous country
i boy, also was capable Of answering
the same questions correctly, but un
der the strain OF the unfamiliar sIeua
ton he maze some mistakes--as TIC
sympathetic examiner Gas no after
wards privately admitted), feared
would be the case.
NOW, what happened? Virtue,hon
esty, capability and clean life were
rewarded, of course? Not at all. The
absolute young man was appointed
rural carrier, against the protest OF
the patrons who knew him only toe
wen, and the honest country boy went
back TO farm life. Later, the carrier
fell into his old habits, rined the
mails Of money and was sent to the
i penitentiary"
what Is needed In such cases.
Simply adherence to strictly business
principles. The successful business
man is a practical man. He gives his
business his personal attention. The
most practical method Of administers
ton OF large interests Is that adopted
| by the great business corporations
i the railway, telegraph, telephone com
panIes and manufacturing industries
The great railway system mas It's gen
era1 manager. district and division su
perlntendents and subordinate cnielf
a. the way down the ofiicial roster
1T Is perfect system with distribu'
I tive powers touching and controlling
every department and locality Of the
corporation. II places local RESPONSE
Il bility ami bestows local power where
| II is needed. without weakening the
central power. Indeed, II enhances
tine power at the top by making the
Foundation stronger and the total EN-
cheney greater