The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1909-02-19

concentrations to the departments as ap-
class, and seek remedial legislation
through the same channel, working in
harmony with their superior officers for
the benefit of the service and the pub
lie. Branch organizations are main
tanned at all principal points in the di-
visions. The clerks also maintain a
mutual benefit life insurance associa-
ton, which provides them with life in
st,rance at cost, providing for the pay
ment of 1000 in case of death from
any cause; has membership of nearly
5000; paid out claims amounting to
81, 500, 355.12. As in the case of the
Railway Mail Association, its officers are
exclusively from the men connected
with the service and conducted upon
safe business principles.
ESSENTIAL TO NEWSPAPERS.
The development of the modern news
paper, with its vast circulation, would
be an impossibility without the aid of
this trained force of employees, deliver
ing the daily news to every portion of
the domain usually the same day of
publication, and to homes and offices
thousands of miles distant within TWEEN
ty-four hours Of issue; that our news
papers are vitality interested in main
tanning this service to its highest eff
cheney and helping to make conditions
such that high grade men will seek en-
ployment therein, it is needless to dis
cuss for moment. When it is taken
into consideration that it requires as
much study and close application to
become an efficient railway mail clerk;
the responsibility demanded; the iudg-
ment to be exercised; quick decision to
be made in cases of emergency; the
training of several years not exceeded
by any of the professions; where brain
and muscle must work in unison; the
constant strain on both, causing a wear
ing out sooner than in ordinary occupa-
ton, you can realize why it is necessary
that applicants shall be sound in mind
and body, to meet the demands OF this
fascinating though exacting occupation
The railway mail service has its heroes,
too, as well as the army and navy, but
we see no monuments erected to them;
nor are they or their families drawing
any bounties through the pension de-
partment. They are risking their lives
every moment of the day and night,
without ostentation, to give to the peo-
pie the victories of peace-the finest
mail service on earth. In the crash of
timbers and steel, cooped up in his car
like rat in a trap, without a moments
notice, his first thought is to the mass
of matter entrusted to his care, seeking
to give equal protection to the letter of
the widow, perhaps asking for aims, and
the bankers remittances and valuable
papers en- route to the metropolis. to
meet his obligations. These things are
of daily occurrence, so much so that we
pass them by as commonplace. His
Government carries him ON its pay roll
for one year if permanently disabled,
which is often the case, but at the end
of that year-what? He is dropped as
of no further use, either to the service
or his people Is this fair or iust2
Really he deserves better of his coun-
try. This condition exists, however,
through no fault of the Postoffice De
partment, which would welcome such
benefits to its employees, but as this re-
quires Congressional legislation to real
ize what is needed, SO far Congress has
not seen fit to enact the necessary laws.
All kinds of Coal at Union City Ice
& Coal Co.