Omaha daily bee., 1907-06-26
.NASBYS FROM Two STATES
Nebraska and Iowa Postmasters Meet
with Washington Officials.
PALMER WANTS TINE IN THE FALL
Thinks Close of the Fiscal Year L.
Too Busy n season for Such
%COnventiOns to De
Held.

bIdShd ASSoCldllOn OF tOsNndbNtIs Nuh-
vened in the assembly hail OF Creighton
College of Law at IL a. m. Tuesday with
about 100 members of the association
present, and a large sprinkling Of Iowa
postmasters Many women postmasters
from Nebraska and Iowa are also attend
ing the convention.
President II. e, Palmer called the meet
ing to order and delivered a brief introduce
tory address, outlining the program for the
convention and read several letters from
department officials, in which they ex-
pressed their regret at being unable to at
| tend the convention at this time. A letter
was also read from Senator Dolliver OF
Iowa, stating that owing to engagements
in oklahoma Just at this time he could not
be in Omaha.
However" said President Palmer. IT
am pleased to announce that T. e. Bush
nell, assistant superintendent Of the salary
and allowance division, and George L. Van
Dyke, field superintendent in the first as
sistant postmaster generals office, are in
the city and will be present during the con-
vention. not only to talk to us, but TO an
swer any questions the postmasters may
have to PROFOUND to them.
Wrong Season for Convention.
'T want to take this occasion to say that
1 believe that it is the wrong time Of the
year for a postmasters' convention and
hope that this convention may take steps
to hold future conventions at a later date,
somewhere about September l. The last OF
June being the close OF the fiscal year. is an
extremely busy period with the Postofilce
department, and such being the case, It is
difficult to secure representatives from the
general postohice department to attend
these meetings"
A question box was placed on the secre-
tarys desk in which all questions pertain
| ing to postofiice work may be placed by
the postmasters and answers to them will
be given by competent authority, including
Messrs. Bushnell and Van Dyke.
Captain Palmer invited the members OF
the convention to visit the Omaha post
office at noon to see the letter carriers pre-
pare to start out on the noon deliveries
and to make tour of the Omaha ONCE.
some Prominent Delegates.
Among the prominent Iowa postmasters
present are G. l.. Robb OF Abba, John
Meyer of Allen, e. o. Beaublosson OF
Whiting w. r. Prewitt of Onawa. H. e.
Deater of Shenandoah, j. T. He gan OF
Cherokee I. Hossler OF Battle Creek, J. H.
| Wegersew of Alta. Lucy B. Smith of Sioux
Rapids, w. J. Scott of Ida Grove.
Prominent among the Nebraska post
masters already here arc NJ. A. Brown of
Kearney, Ed r. sizer Of Lincoln. Lew
Shelley OF Fairbury. Karl Kramer OF Co
lumbus and Clayton Kellom OF Franklin.
1t is expected fully 300 postmasters will be
in attendance during the convention. The
change in railroad schedules delayed the
arrival of a large number in time to at
tend the opening session Tuesday forenoon.
One hundred and seventy-hve Nebraska
postmasters had registered up to p m.
Tuesday and about hfty-fve Iowa post
masters.
The features of the afternoon session
were addresses by Superintendent Bushnell
OF Washington and of Field Superintendent
Van Dyke. Both will speak again wednes-
day forenoon.
| I'VE have assurances" said Secretary
Cook, that at least 200 postmasters will
take IN the Ak-Sar- Ben Wednesday even
ing and they are looking forward to the
event with great enthusiasm"
Shy at PaImer's Box.
The postmasters are a little inclined to
shy at Captain Palmer's question box as II
looks too much like a contribution box
However Mr.. Palmer positively assured the
postmasters that only questions would be
received on deposit and the postmasters
took little more kindly to It,
At the opening of the afternoon session
President Palmer took occasion to show
that virtue will in time receive its own re-
ward. He cited trio of instances in the
cases OF Nj. A. Brown, Lew Shelley and
Clayton Kellom, who were for many years
residents and boosters for Beatrice, but
while residents there never received any
reward but ingratltude. But when they
moved away from Beatrice. Brown to Kear-
ney. Shelley to Fairbury and Kellom tc
Franklin. each was rewarded with a post,
office, which position he is now holding.
The attendance at this meeting is much
larger than that of last year" said he
land we have every assurance of believing
that more OF the 1900 postmasters OF lows
and the 800 Of Nebraska are coming"
E. t. Bushnell Speaks.
Superintendent OF Salaries and Allowances
p. T. Bushnell of Washington was ther
introduced and spoke briefly. Most OF tn,
afternoon was devoted to asking questions
of Mr. Bushnell, to which he responded
He said:
My mission here is to bring you greet
ings from the postmaster general H,
wished me TO say TO you that he regretted
extremely he could not be here today. Thes,
conventions meet with his heartiest ap
proval and he is satisfied that such meet
ings are productive of much good. Boil
the postmaster and the department are ben
efted by these conventions. But you post
masters must not think you are the onll
ones who have troubles. The department
has its troubles with congress and appro
priations, and 1t must retrench accord
ingiy. Congress frequently believes tn,
calls for additional appropriations for tn,
benefit and extension OF the service are Wis
ionary and the appropriations arc reduced
accordingly. The service is growing so rap
idly we cannot easily estimate for servtc,
for year ahead and in great many in
stances must do It quarterly.
The recent law providing for the gradu
ated increase OF salaries for clerks >anC
carriers is far reaching in its effect Tn,
sympathies Of the public has been larEeI,
with the carriers, but yet a higher grad,
OF ability is needed with the clerks thar
with carriers. The responsibilities Of IN,
clerks are greater"
Ed sizer Makes a TaIk,
Vice-President z. r. Sizer of lincoln
followed Mr.. Bushnell He said: "As post
masters we belong to a great business sys
tenn. one OF the greatest in the world. W,
are prolid OF the fact that we are aSeptl