Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-20
NAIL CLERKS ASK MORE PAY
Present Their Case to Business Men
at Rome Hotel Banquet.
NATIONAL PREs1pENT THERE
J. r. CanReId of Syracuse. Chief
Speaker, Makes FOrcefuI Address,
setting Forth strong
Plea.

The American railway mail clerk makes
one error out or every 1900 pieces OF mail
handled, he gets on an average Of q, 100 "A
year, pays his own expenses while on the
road must know on an average OF 1000
stations, and for the last fifteen years has
passed an examination of 30 per cent on
this knowledge; he must put in at least
four years before he can hope to become
proficient in his work: he undergoes a
hazard Of life which few men face, one
out Of eighteen clerks being killed or in
jured every year" x
These were a few reasons urged by J. T..
Garfield of Syracuse, N. Y, president OF
the Railway Mail Clerks Association Of the
United States at a banquet at the Rome
hotel Friday night why these men should
have more compensation.
President Garfield. a practical mail clerk
himself, is on a campaign of education,
travelling over the country to meet and talk
with business men, not politicians, In the
effort of inducing them to aid the railway
mail clerk to secure from congress larger
wages and allowance for expenses while
In the service of the government. He
stopped yesterday in Omaha and last night
was the chief guest at a banquet given by
the local association and attended by over
40 men, nearly lee being representative
business men of Omaha and Council Bluffs.
Several Speakers on Program.
Several speakers were on the program,
which stretched to considerable length.
The banquet was held In the large banquet
room at the Rome hotel and was we'll
served, Mr.. Miller giving it his personal
attention.
F. II. Cole, president OF the local associa-
ton OF mail clerks, acted as
He made a decided hit when he said that
The army of railway mail clerks is the
only army Uncle Sam sends into the field
OF battle without rations,' meaning that
the government did not allow the clerks
any expense money while on the road.
Rev. G. A. Beecher, dean of Trinity
cathedral, delivered the invocation.
Senator Burkett. who was UP from Lin
coin between trains, was the first speaker.
He expressed appreciation at the dinner he
had eaten and especially at the water he
had drunk-thc only drink, save a bit of
coffee-and said:
IL think l never drank so much water
before in my life and l am sure several
Omaha gentlemen here never drank 30
much water at one time before"
This brought a laugh, but when the SEN
stor turned toward the mayor Of Omaha
and declared, II think this water is a most
appropriate drink to serve in this city un-
der this notable reform administration" he
brought down the house, including Mayor
Dahlman.
Senator Burkett said the government had
employees that gave as much and as
good service for as small amount of money
as the railway mail clerks and he favored
an increase in pay and an expense account
for them. This brought more cheers. The
entire speech, brief though it was,
was a laudation of the mail clerk-his in
telligence, integrity, faithfulness and pro-
flciency, all, he said, being far above the
average.
MT. CanheId Is Impressive
President Garfield is a young man, frank
and forceful and convincing. He is no
orator, doesn't pretend to be and doesn't
need to be for the mission he is performing.
he has a message for the business
nan and delivers that message in a way
hat makes the business man sit up and
AXE notice. He talked for half an hour
and told more real facts about the service, ,
than anybody present, aside
rom some of the clerks themselves, ever .
Knew before. ;
We w ibN ouN NiShhS ~ Sc NhS hNip q
II the politicians" he said, I'VE are out ,
rying to get the help OF the business man. :
nowing that he makes the officeholders :
nd he can make them do what he wants. ,
Ne are trying to make the business man !
zee that It Is to his best interests to have U
proficient railway mail service" Il
Then he made some pertinent points, a o
ew Of which appear at the lead Of this 0
tory. He pointed out that while this gov n
refused to allow its mail clerks [
expenses and required more OF them than \
'anada, Canada paid its men more salary r
nd gave them expense money. At the
anne time. living was cheaper in Canada, c
the standard of proficiency among the S
len far below that of the American. He n
olnted out the fact that while salaries L
nd wages in other callings had increased Il
} per cent in ten years. the cost of living It
in the same degree. the wages [
Z the railway mail clerks had increased
My 10 per cent. He also pointed TO the "
act that the mail clerk must be a man o.
ar above the average OF educational quail Il
and mental. moral ard physical h
"
I'VE have gone TO congress so often W
nd got so little that we have now come tc
!, the business men and we are going tc
, keep after them until we get what a
re want through congress- said Mr.. @,
why, even members of con- 81
ress have had their salaries increased 81
D per cent" he INTERCEPTED, turning to .,
axe at Congressman Hitchcock. who was ..
at his side. a.
But Congressman Hitchcock was equal "a
the occasion and with ready wit, when
E arose to speak, replied In this fashion: +,
Il admit congressman have had their "
raised so per cent, but l am like :,
lie oyster in the boarding house soup. -
he landlady asked the star boarder If :"
z had tasted the oyster soup for dinner. Id
did said the start boarder, and 81
the oyster, but he proved an alibi' st
| can prove an alibi, for l was not 81
congress when the salaries were u
oted up" Gu
In the course of a brief talk spiCed with -
that made his auditors reel 3
it'll laughter. Mr.. Hitchcock committed
.mself 10 any proper measure looking a.
the increase OF railway mail clerks
ny and the payment OF their expenses.
Judge Smith b. Mcpherson OF Red
ak. la. who was introduced as be-
< a representative or Council Bluffs, pl
Jared with Mr.. Hitchcock the humor- In