The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-11-28

J. Y Joyne-'s Newspaper Correspondence
Greensboro, N. C., Nov. 19.-In the
spring. this correspondent had pub
lished an interview with all expert
enced official in the government rail-
way mail service. This gentleman
was commenting On the newspaper
articles and speeches OF Civil Service
Commissioner McIlhenny, who was
touring the south at that time in an
effort to induce the southern white
men to enter the civil service OF the
government. The interview with the
southern w'lite man, already in the
civil service, was to the effect that
Civil Service Commissioner Mcllhen-
nv would find that no effort OF his or
of the department could induce any
more southern whites to enter the
service, so long as they had to do it,
and continue in it on equality with
negroes.
TO show how correct was this dag
nosis of the situation over six months
ago, the following news item sent out
from Washington by the Associated
Press, November LIST, is reproduced:
THAT so few white men in the
south are seeking civil service posi-
tions is now matter of deep con-
Germ to he officials Of the post office
department. A recent examination
for positions in the railway mail SER
vice was held in various points in the
south and seven eighths of the appli-
cants were negroes. The post office
department is perplexed. They say
that the reason white men ;lre not
taking the examinations is .that-so
many negroes are serving in the rail
way mail service. In one southern
city, all of the applicants werenegroes
and the post Office department de-
clnes to give the name OF this city.
They look upon the whole situation
as grave, and it is very evident that
this particular examination is looked
upon with considerable cOncern-sO
much so that they are extremely eau
tious about talking on the subject"
Saturday this correspondent met
the official who last spring asserted
that on account OF white men being
compelled to work on equality with
negroes as railway mail clerks and
other positions, Commissioner Nell
benny was having his labor for his
pains in trying to stir up interest in
the south in civil service positions.
His attention being called to this
departmental dilemma, as published
November 1st, this correspondent
was authorized to make the follow
ing extracts from what he had to
say:
''The condition outlined in this dis
patch is not the least everdrawn.
The mail service is nothing to COM
pare with what it was ten years ago
in efficiency and unless this influx Of
negroes is checked it will continue to
deterioate until the public itself will re-
bel. In ten years at the present rate,
the mail service will be in as demon
allied condition as the Southern
Railway administrative management
is at present.
''Of course such Il condition would
work untold loss to business, and
afterit is produced it could not be re-
lieved at once, as it takes from three
to five years to make first class
clerk given good material to work
upon. Some men never reach the
point of first class clerks or anything
else and the mail service is no excep-
ton to this rule. The remedy sug-
gested by me last spring and which
you kindly published, was that the
post office department should cease
to require white men in the south to
work in the same car and on an equal
ity with negroes.
The government railway mail SER
vice in the south has enough white
men yet to make up the crew and if it
would adopt this plan, the outgo Of
white men from the mail service
could not only be checked but other
white men could be attracted before
the critical point is reached of crew
composed wholly of negroes. This
situation would not be satisfactory
| to the post office nor to the patrons
thereof, which OF itself shows the ne
groes inefticiency. 1t is q mystery,
knowing this, why the post office de-
partment ever permitted negroes to
become engaged in the mail service.
the most closely related to the peo-
| pie OF any department of the gov
eminent, requiring q high order ofin-
| telligence, character and tact.
ct appears to be about time for
business men to mention this very
serious matter to their congress
meii."