Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-28
PAY OF THE MAIL men
Mr.. CorteIyou Will Try to Have
Salaries Increased.
NO CHANGE IN 80 YEARS
Great Advance in the Expenses OF
Life.
COMPENSATION TOO SMALL
High Standard of Honesty That Pre-
walls in the Department-Aiding
the Russian Revolutionists.
COMPENSATION TOO SMALL
by WILLIAM e. CURTIS.


Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
postmaster General Cortelyou will make
q determined effort to secure an increase
~ the salaries of city letter carriers. rurai
letter carriers. railway postal clerks ana
other employees OF the Post ONCE Depart
uept before he goes up to the treasury
naxt March. and in his forthcoming report
will submit to Congress convincing reasons
why this should be done. There has been
no change in the compensation OF many
employees In the service since 1876 since
then the cost of living has practlcahy
doubled In other branches of the service
there were small Announcements In 1881
and in 1904, but nearly every empioye eA-
cept the postmasters in large cities Is SUN
underpaid and receives for his services less
compensation than is paid for the same
amount of labor, time and talent III orui-
nary business enterprises.
Mr. Cortelyou has spent great oeai Oh
time and taken a great deal OF pains 10 GET
together actual figures showing the III
crease in the cost OF bread ana QUITE,
meat and potatoes and other necessaries
of life Some of them have advanced %
per cent and almost everything except
wearing apparel is from 10 to 80 per cent
higher than it was fifteen or twenty Yeas years
ago when salaries were the same as they
are now 1t is almost impossible Tor any
man no matter how economical ne may
be 10 live on the salaries paid in the postal
service and pay the doctor and 1ne o Ths
store and keep the children in school. Inc
POSTMASTER General has received many
pitiful letters relating the actual expert
ence of the writers, which he reallzeS are
true Many good men have been COM
PEELED to resign from the postal service
because they could not live on their pay.
High Standard of Honesty.
-,,o.lirorY that ca few cases of
dishonesty occur in the postal service.
where men, scarcely able to live on their
salaries. are constantly handling govern
ment money and are subjected to continual
temptation 1t may be safely asserted that
the standard of honesty in this branch OF
the government is much higher than among
private corporations, Notwithstanding Tue
fact that appointments are sun more Vi
less influenced by political CONSIDERATIONS;
The finances of the government IN an
branches. however. both in the coliection
and the disbursement of public funds, are
conducted with a smaller percen.ase y,
loss from dishonesty, carelessness ana
neglect than the operations OF the banking.
mercantile and manufacturing industries
of the country.
Postmaster General Cortelyou tells me
that he does not intend to stop with his
report but will take the matter direct 10
Congress and use all the influence ne can
command for legislation TO authorize lne
estimates for increased compensation.
There is still a large annual deficit In the
postal revenues but it has been very ma
terially cut down, lower and lower. smaller
and smaller, every year. and he wants the
saving applied to the pay roll There Is an
agitation about reduction OF postage, Du'
Mr. Cortelyou insists that 1t would be much
better to pay the carriers and the clerks
living salaries No tax upon the people IL
SO light, none is SO cheerfully and readily
paid as postage. and Mr.. Cortelyou argues
that there should be no opposition in Con
gress. because public opinion Will unani
mously indorse the increase of the pay OF
faithful and efficient public servants ike
railway postal clerks and city and rura
carriers.
Salaries of Postmasters and Clerks.