The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-03-05
THEIR PAY INCREASED.
Rural Mail Carriers To Receive Nine
Hundred Dollars-Important
Branch Government.


the pay Of tho rural mail carriers as
agreed upon by the conferees of the
house and senate at Washington the
Atlanta Journal has an editorial on
the subject which will bear repeti-
tion.
The rural free delivery system has
been the greatest blessing to the
greatest number Of people Of any
thing that has been done by the gov
ernment since it was founded. 1t
has made country life more desirable
and pleasant. What we need now
in this section of the country is to do
something that will improve the con-
.dition of our public highways. We
need roads. Only by getting good
can we enhance the value of rural
property and induce our people to re-
main OIL the farm. With telephone
and free delivery Of mail if all had
improved public highways no one
would want to give up life in the
rural districts for the crowded cities
and towns. Then would your high
schools be practicable for the coun-
try, then could you have your church.
es and Sunday schools we'll attended,.
then could the ladies 60 oftener to
visit their neighbors and you would
have social intercourse.
1t is well the pay Of the rural car
rier is to be increased. 1t should
be sufficient to secure the best class
Of men.
In fact the pay should be at least
$1,000 per year. Each one should
have good turn out and two horses.
The following is the editorial of
the Journal:
"'The conferees of the house and
senate have agreed to the amend
ment to the postal appropriation bill
increasing the salary Of rural mail
carriers to 5000 year.
CAN effort was made in the house
to place it at $S40, but it was oppos-
ed in that body by Congressman
Griggs, and in the upper house Sen
ator Clay, who was member Of the
conference committee, succeeded in
restoring the larger amount and as
such it has practically been adopted.
"Senator Clay has been the per-
sistent and consistent friend of the
rural mail carriers and has done a
great deal to perfect and encourage
Jo ,fof hnt II
the next five years this rural free
delivery system will have been COM
pleted, which is to say it will have
been extended to every part of the
country where it can be established
and sustained with advantage. He
adds that the United States now has
the best postal service in the world.
"The growth Of the rural free de-
livery system within the past few
years has been little short of mar
velous. It has made country life a
hundred fold more convenient and
attractive and thereby has increased
the value Of property to an inesti-
mable degree. There can be no doubt
when all is said and done, that the
free, wholesome life Of the country
gentleman, when it is supplemented
with all the little conveniences which
mean so much in the aggregate, is
the ideal life, and there is no reason
why it should not be enjoyed to>the
highest degree here in the south
where we have so many natural ad-
vantages.
"The personnel of the rural mail
carriers counts for great deal in
the building up of the system and it
is in reality excellent economy to
make the salary Of the position such
as to attract good and efficient men.
"Thcy have many hardships to I'M
dergo. The highway for them is not
always a turnpike, much less prims
rose path, and they have to brave
the elements whether the wind be
north or west. AS class they are
among the most faithful and intelli-
gent in the government service, and
it is only right and proper that they
should receive the increase in salary
which has been accorded them."