East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-11-27

Five clerks in Pendleton postottlce
are vitality interested in the fate of a
measure which will come promi-
nently before congress at the next
session This measure Is called "the
Wilson bill' and is intended to regu-
late the salaries of postal clerks.
providing for better pay and regular
promotion as efficiency is developed
and vacancies occur.
At the present time the regulation
of postal clerks salaries Is chaotic.
There is little uniformity and less
justice and for the purpose of re-
lieving the situation and placing
clerks on a uniform basis the bill ha,
been prepared and is being promot-
ed by the Postal Clerks union. 1t is
as follows:
A bill to provide for the classifi-
cation of the salaries of clerks EN-
ployed in postoffices of the first and
second classes:
Be 1t enacted by the senate and
house Of representatives of the United
States of America in congress assem-
bled, that from and after July first,
nineteen hundred and seven, the post
master general shall classify the SAL
aries of the clerks in the classified
service employed as such in the first
and second class offices as herein
after provided.
Section 2. That the postmaster
general be, and he is hereby, author
lied to classify and fix the salaries of
the clerks attached to the second
class offices from and after July
first, nineteen hundred and seven, as
hereinafter provided.
That all clerks within the classified
service actually employed as such in
the second class postoffices who on
July first, nineteen hundred and
seven, may be receiving a salary Of
less than one thousand dollars per
annum shall hereafter receive an an
nual increase of one hundred dollars
until their salary shall amount to
one thousand dollars per annum;
and, furthermore, that clerks receiv-
ing salary of one thousand dollars
per annum may in the discretion Of
the postoffce department, receive an
annual increase of one hundred dol
lars until their salaries shall amount
to one thousand two hundred dollars
per annum.
Section g. That the postoffice re-
partment may withhold such annual
promotion from any clerk against
whom a postmaster has filed written
objection, a copy of such written OBJ
lection to be furnished the clerk.
Section T. That no clerk shall be
appointed at n less salary than six
hundred dollars per annum.
Section 3. That the salary of a
clerk shall not be reduced after the
pasasge of this act except in accord
ance with the civil service laws and
regulations.
Bill is Commended.
The Saturday Evening Post COM
ments on the bill as follows: The
attitude of the department toward the
Postal Clerks union appears to be
that the union may exist so long as 1t
doesn't do anything in particular. 1t
is difficult to understand how it
makes for good service, or for good
citizenship, or for a proper relation
between employer and employed
when the public mployee-whether
of nation, state or city-is treated as
though he belonged in class differ
ent from the employee of a private
person or corporation. The right of
the latter to form unions and ad-
vance their own interests in peaceful
ways-even to petitioning congress-
men and threatening to vote against
everywhere generally admitted.
A chief grievance of the postal
clerks is that they work under fool
ish, chaotic classification act. One
clerk may get twelve hundred dollars
a year and, under the same roof, an
other clerk may do precisely the same
work for six hundred n year. Clerks
having political influence are natural
ly anxious to get their classification"
right, and receive double the pay for
doing the same work.
The manner of allotting pay for
clerks has been criticised by many
heads of department, as far back as
Postmaster General Gresham, in
1884. Postmaster General Wana-
maker said: Carriers ,,are placed
upon n definite and determined scale
of salaries, and that is well. Not so
the clerks, and yet the duties of the
latter are more eXacting, their hours
of work, days, nights and Sundays,
are longer. Yet the present classifi-
cation law works great injustice and
hardships to them"
Everybody knows how little usual
ly comes of recommendations by de-
partment heads in annual reports,