New-York tribune., 1906-10-21
MORE MONEY OUTSIDE.
Government Cannot Retain Good
Employees at Loz0 Salaries.
rrrom The Tribune Bureau.l

Washington Oct 0-Assistant Postmas er Gen.
eral Frank Z. Hitchcock, outlining his plans for
bringing about increase of salaries for postofcs
employees throughout the United States. said to-
day that he would strongly recommend legislation
on the subject in his annual report which he has
about completed. 'I intend. moreover. to urge this
important and pressing reform before the postofice
committees of Congress at the first opportunity"
Mr.. Hitchcock added.
The announcement that through the efforts OF
the First Assistant Postmaster General provision
is made in the postoice estimates for increases in
salaries Of all postal employees. as stated in The
Tribune. has aroused lively interest in all branches
of the government. Among employees OF the POST
office Department the was of course
ceived with great satisfaction. 1t is realized that
Mr. Hitchcock would not have found 1t necessary
especially to recommend increase OF salaries and
make special efforts to obtain authorization from
Congress- II the circumstances had not been urgent
The decision to recommend the increase was made
the result of careful investigation Of condi-
tons In postoff1ces throughout the United States.
The department has been suffering severely from
inadequate service due TO constant changes IN
the postofice forces, Inability to keep clerks and
carriers for any length of time has proved serious
question In nearly every R0sotee III of & nee
various postrnasters shows that they are united in
giving the reason that the pay is too too small for for
other employment In A growing cities Of the West
Men seeking employment apparently find It 50
side Of the government that there few applt-
cants for postal service places. and those holding
tracted to other occupations by high wages. In
San Francisco the unusual conditions due to build
ing activity since the fire. with plenty of work to
be found and the prices OF living high made it i'm.
possible to get full force at the postofice. and
the Postoff1ce Department had to resort TO ex-
traordinary measures to induce men to join and to
hold the Jobs by raising all salaries with $500
the basis clerks Salaries for postoftice clerks
under the present system range from $500 TO start
with TO 81 200 a year for the select few who hold
the highest positions In small towns $500 is paid
for the first years service for ordinary employ
ment. Assistant Postmaster General Hitchcock
has received official report from Postmaster
Wilcox showing in exact figures how hard 1t is to
get good for work in the New York Postoffce
and 10 keep them under the present scale of wages
On account of the constantly changing postoffce
stafs the service suffers from the work of inefi
cent and ignorant employees, whose errors often
cause much confusion.
The situation in the Postoftce Department has
attracted attention the question of pay for cer
ical employees in other branches of the government
The general prosperity Of the country has caused
an advance in wages generally that makes IL diff
cult for the government to maintain efficient
clerical force under the present scale. 1t is be-
lieved that this question will be taken up vigor-
ously in all its phases at the coming session Of
Congress.