The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-11-28
Postmaster Northup Says 1t
is Necessary at the Post
Office in This City.
Discusses Local Situation At
Convention in Biz
mingharn.
WAGES TOO LOW AND HOURS OF
LABOR TOO LONG TO ATTRACT
AND RETAIN ABLE MEN IN THE
SERVIcE-EFFICIENCY IMPoSSI-
BILE UNDER PRESENT cIRcUM.
STANCES.

Birmingham, Ala, Nov. 27.-Tonight
at Hotel Hillman there was a large
gathering of southern postmasters,
senators and congressman. at ban
quet given by the Postoffice Clerks of
this city, when means OF improving
the postal service were discussed.
Among the interesting addresses was
that of Postmaster w. H. Northup,
of Pensacola, Fla, who, in responding
to the subject, Local Conditions"
said:
From all information l have been
able to gather it seems the need of
re-classification of postal employees,
as great as it is admitted to be else
where, is most keenly felt in Pensa-
cola than at any. other postofice to
my knowledge.
1. Pensacola is in locality where
shipping, manufacturing and fishing
industries largely predominant over
farming and like interests; hence,
cost of living is high.
80. All classes of labor is organized,
and practically the entire available
supply of help, from the common Ia
borer to the skilled mechanic, and
from the Office boy to the experienced
clerk, is controlled by the trades
unions.
! 80 Wages as a rule are consider
ably above the average in Pensacola.
Members of a certain stevedOres un-
ion, for example, are paid from four
to six dollars per diem for work that
requires but very little skill or ex-
perience.
while on the subject of organized
| labor, the refusal of the post Office
clerks at their recent national cOnven-
ton, to affiliate with any outside fed
Grafton should be rev;8ss&ized in sub
Stantial way by the department and
by congress This loyalty to the ser
vice is worthy of special commenda-
ton.
The Pensacola post Office reported
| to Chairman Wilcox, of the national
committee of postmasters of offices
of the first class, total of six resig-
nations of clerks for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1906. Since that
time there have been four additional
separations from our clerical force.
This means a loss of rs per cent OF
our IL clerks. Those who know the
time, the patience and the hard work
necessary TO make good clerk can
realize the seriousness of the situa-
ton with us.
These clerks are now nearly all
being paid much better salaries with
shorter hours of duty than when in
the post office service. / recall one
who was being paid $500 year in the
post office, who is now earning $3.50
per diem: another who left $500 year
to accept 81, 500 in other employment.
I THE postal service comes nearer
being of vital consequence to every
man, woman and child Of this great
country of ours than any other pub
lie service we must have it and its
efficiency is the prime consideration.
Its cost is a secondary matter.
"This fast was aptly illustrated one
day last week, when | received a per
sonal letter from a fair miss up in In
diana who had been corresponding
with a soldier, garrisoned at one of
our coast defences. She had reason
| to believe her letters had been delayed
intercepted possibly, designedly or
otherwise. The tone of her letter
plainly indicated lack of confidence
in the mail service; so. as she thought,
to insure the delivery of letter by
the same mail to her soldier beau,
she enclosed a dollar for any neces-
sary expense of such special attention.
The dollar was of course returned,
but | saw that the letter was prompt
ly delivered, and hope put the young
people on the right track for uninter-
rupted exchanges of love-laden mis-
sives in the future.
THE point is this: We want the
I people to feel that when letter with
a two-cent stamp on AZ is deposited
in the mails it is going to be delivered
to the right party, and that without
unnecessary delay. 1t must be han
died by men who are methodlcal, ac-
curate and trustworthy. What are
we going to do about it? How shall
we get and keep such men? Not by
offering them five or six hundred dol
lars for ten to fourteen hours of siren
mons labor every day, 365 days in the
wear Men are wanted, not boys or
transients. who are here to-day and
gone tomorrow.
IAN efficient post Office clerk must
take interest and pride in his work.
He must keep posted on schemes,
general orders and postal regulations.
To obtain such we must offer ade-
oute compensation and reasonable
hours of labor. When a man works
from five o'clock in the morning until
Eve 10 seven in the evening, (as is
done in my Office he is in no mood
mentally or physically to do any
istudying, as all good post Office clerks
must.
IF we have good postal service,
nroyision must be made for systemat-
lie study, as well as reasonable hours
colorinC