The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-06-28


Say: VIII. did ye bring down my mo
lasses?"
Say. win. did ye match that ribbon
fr me?'
Say, WILL" etc, etc
You bet L did. every time" he an
swered jovialiy, showing his white teeth.
Interest In the post was. comparatively
| moribund; a general parcel-distributinR
and Misunderstanding followed.
Attempted Nepotism.
Recurring to Department relations,
We md an instance OF attempted nepot-
ism, TO discourage which Is one OF the
prerogatives OF the merit system. Last
year the receipts OF post Office in
North Carolina had increased suffi-
ciently to warrant an advance into the
Presidential class. Postmaster Robin
was notified that he would be continued
IN service and was asked to send in to
the Department the names OF four per-
sons to be appointed to the newly
created subordinate positions under
him.
When his letter of recommendation
was received Ii read as follows: II,
George Washington Robin, Postmaster
at Rocky Mountain. " c., recommend
the following persons for appointment
under me:
"As Assistant Postmaster, Stella
Lincoln Robin.
"As Stamper, Alexander Achilles
Robin.
''As Assistant Stamper, George WASH
ington Robin. Jr.
AS Clerk, John A. Logan Robbin"
The letter created no little astonish-
ment at headquarters. and was the
cause of some facetious semi-official
correspondence between divisions The
final result was that Robin, Sr.. was
notified that only one member of his
family could be appointed, and the re-
naming Robbins would have TO go else
where to NEST again."
These revelations of ignorance and
incompetency among Postmasters OF
the fourth class are not typical-they
are exceptional Doubtless, 80 per
cent of these officials (aside from the
$40 or SIS a year men. now fast sue
cumbing to rural delivery, who keep
the post office as an adjunct to a black
smith shop or other crossroad attrac-
tion). are intelligent, efficient and ac-
commodating. Their pay is small and
their duties are laborious. The work
of the competent men is made harder
by the incapable: their standing is i'm
paired; their prospects for advancement
are lessened. They are entitled to pro-
lection.
Unintenfi0nally Humorous.
all in office-yet. Some are still try
ing to get in. Clerks in the Appoint
ment Division at Washington are not
obliged to buy the funny papers. Ap-
plicatiOnS from would-be Postmasters
fill their needs. One candidate who
evidently hesitates not in calling a spade
a spade. wrote: How can / secure
the necessary information as to the red
tape to go through for a position of
Postmaster" Another said: Il see an
advertisement in the paper that you
want Postmasters." A veteran Of the CT
vii war, 81 years of age, would like to be-
come Postmaster, SO as to support his
grandchildren. Another veteran COM
planning that he has never seen any
thing of the world kept on his march
with Sherman to the sea, and-wanfs to
travel some. A hopeful chap in Maine
thinks he ought to have a commission
because he docs not smoke, chew Or
sweat"
As a stream cannot rise higher than
it's fountain. the ignorant Postmaster
might sometimes retort that he was as
good as the people of his community
deserve. For there are many densely
ignorant patrons. and there are many
others SO provokingly insolent as to try
the patience of Job.
An Arkansas Postmaster has posted
the following in his office: mo let
ters will be delivered until received. lie
you don't get a letter or paper on the
day you expect it. have the Postmaster
look through all the boxes and in the
cellar also. 1t ought to be there some
where, and he likes to look for il, just
to please you. If your friends don't
write, curse the Postmaster; he is TO
blame. If he tells you there Is no mail
for you, put on a grieyed expression
and say, There ought to be some He
is probably hiding your mail for the
pleasure of having you call for it two
or three times a day. Ask him to look
again.
Money Orders.
The term money order" conveys diff
ferent impressions to different minds.
At an office in Illinois. says Lawson, 4
full-grown man, wanted to know what
Government order for $40 would
cost. He was asked if he meant a
money order, and he replied that he did.
Being informed 10 cents, he said. We'll.
want one" The Postmaster handed
him an application blank, but he re-
quested the official to fill it up, as he
reckoned he knew more about il than
he did. and it did not take long to show
that he was correct. After filling in
the name and address. amount. etc,
which he signed. the Postmaster issued
the order. in payment for which he
rendered the magnificent sum of 10
cents, spot cash. The official said. MY
friend. there is evidently some misun-
derstanding. The order is $40, and the
fee is 10 cents" He said: Twenty
dollars. the devil; why I want him to
pay that
After considerable questioning and
explanation it was aScertained that the
man whose name and address he had
given owed him $40 for cutting broom
corn, and he wanted an order from the
Government to make him pay il. The
Office returned the order as not issued,
and referred the customer to a Justice
of the Peace, who had more authority
in such cases than the Postmaster.
In Minnesota Norwegian entered the
post office and asked for his. mail. The
Postmaster asked his name. The Nor
wegian answered, My name is on tho
letter"
An Aggrfeved Chfckenist.
y. r. Harrington, of Illinois, whose
letterhead states that he deals in pure
Wyandotte chickens, has 4 grievance
against st. Paul. and he declares that
he will never rest until the insult is
wiped out. He has written the Post
master that il he will go to a certain
boarding house. force the proprietor to
give up his baggage. collect an over
oh of