Evening star., 1907-10-22
POSTMASTERS IN SESSION
CONVENTIONS CALLED FOR
BETTERMENT OF SERVICE.
Appointment Of Committees-Ad-
dresses by of1cials Of the Depart
ment-Names Of Officers.

| meuC-Na ameS OF Omcer0.
Two conventions of postmasters opened
in this city this morning. That of the
fourth class postmasters Is in session at
Odd Fellows Hall. 9TH street. while
the second and third class postmasters
are meeting in the old dining room OF
the National Hotel.
Second Assistant Postmaster General
McCleary addressed the second and third
class postmasters this afternoon. anC
Thursday Postmaster General Meyer. will
address the delegates of all three classes
in joint convention at the National Hotel
The conventions are called for the bet
terment Of the service and the delegates
insist that they are not gathered to pro-
mote their own interests. but to enable
them to get into closer touch with each
other and with the department, so that
methods may be improved and expert
ments suggested or reported on. Only
| routine business was transacted at both
conventions this morning.
| Appointment of Committees.
At the fifth annual convention Of fourth
! class postmasters this morning the fol-
| lowing committees were appointed:
| ResolutiOns-W. c. Book. New Albion.
Iowa. l.. B. Jackson. Dunlap. ILL.,: James
Ash. FlintstOne. Md.
Press and publicity-C. c. Young, Oak
| wood. ILL.,; Miss Ida Lee. Mississippi.
Constitution-O. ]. Jones, North Caro-
lima; Miss Mary C. Dwyer. North Dakota;
]. s. Mckinley, Ohio.
Audit-N. R. Brown, Wisconsin,; Mr.
| Gibson, Indiana
James Ash. Flintstone. Md. was unani-
mously elected first vice president to fill
the vacancy caused by the retirement
1 from the service of F. E. Brown, Iro-
quois. 8. D.
In addition to Mr.. Ash. the officers OF
the association are: F. w. Jameson. Ash
| ton, Iowa. president: Rosa-L Moynagh,
Harvey. La. second vice president: w.
A. McElroy, Buda. Tex. third vice presi-
dent; c. c. Young, Oakwood, ILL.,, secre-
| tary, and A. 8. Knapp, Attica, Mich,
| treasurer.
Fourth Glass Postmasters.
About one hundred members of the
| Fourth Glass Postmasters' League were
present when the session was called to
order at 10 o'clock.
| More than three hundred members Of
the Second and Third Glass Postmasters
Association gathered at the National Ho-
called to order by Acting President George
E. Marcellus of Le Roy, n. T., proprietor
of the LIE Roy Gazette. Mr.. Marcellus is
president Of the Select County Weeklies
| of New York and of the Western New
York Newspaper Publishers Association.
Acting Presidents Address.
Mr.. George e. Marcellus. acting presi-
dent Of the convention Of second and
third class postmasters, In his opening
address said:
mo department Of public affairs is more
closely related to the commercial growth
of the nation or to the Intellectual ad-
vancement and happiness of its people
than the postal service. The postal serv-
ice is to this republic what the circulation
of the blood is to the human system.
From the heart. or central point, there
radiate the arteries and veins which ex-
tend to the uttermost extremities, fur
nishing life and vitality so necessary to
our bodily welfare and strength. Here in
Washington Is situated the heart of the
postal system, and from 1t spread out
| over this great country the arteries of
mail facilities which reach and vitalize
our commercial life even from the coast
Of Maine to far-away Alaska and the
Philippines. The mails go with the flag.
No other service is more faithfully
performed. without the excitement Of
conflict or the ringing blasts of the bugle
the armies of the mail go Fastening for
ward to that best Of rewards. the knowl-
formed The postal service is the right
arm of civilization. 1t is the potent sup
port of national content and the harmony
of the world. AS the letter carriers
passed In review while on parade in the
city of Erie last August, sturdily march
ing through a downpour of rain which
soiled their banners and drenched their
uniforms, and which was SO typical Of
almost daily incidents In their lives. there
came the thought. There passes the
of r,bOo Ind 1ix,{I
ual lives could be no more fully conse-
Grated to the welfare OF the flag II 1t
were cleaning rifles instead OF the hum
bic satchels they carried.
Increased Efficiency.
I'VE are gathered this week at this
heart Of the postal system in the sole
endeaveF to find how we can individually
and collectively learn to increase its eff
cheney Efficiency Is the watchword OF the
department and it must be ours. It Is
not enough to dispatch and deliver the
mails. 1t is the way we do 1t that counts.
We are the field officers OF the depart
ment, and are expected to be alive to the
varying conditions Of our different local
tiles. We are in daily contact with the
people and we can aid the department by
timely suggestions arising from experience
and real interest in our work. We are
the servants of the people.
Our employers are not alone in WASH
| ington. They are our patrons who are
| with us every day. and to them we are
more directly accountable than to any
one else. They are the ones who are
| really paying our salaries. and the best
way to please them Is to give them the
very best service In our power. The Post
Office Department is the greatest monop-
| oily on earth, for the public must deal
| with us If they need the kinds Of mer-
| chandise we sell. Yet every post Office in
this land ought to be conducted precisely
as if poor service and lack OF courtesy
| might cause somebody to start a COM
patjng post office down the street We
| cannot afford to be Independent except in
| the right. Courteous consideration of the
feelings and wishes Of our patrons is bet
| ter than a pull
Aided by Department.
During this convention We are to be
aided by the presence of the honored and
efficient heads of the Post Office Depart
ment. who will tell us the things We want
to know and thus aid us in the better
ment of the service. which Is the object