The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-06-18
MEET OF P.0.CLERkS
ANNUAL CONVENTION is HELD
IN ST. PAUL SATURDAY.
Uncle Sans Postal Employees Want
Thirty Days For Rest; Congress
man Stevens Suggests a Reorgan-
ization of the Department; Men
In Washington Are Graded Higher
Than Those in the Country.

III WdSHhSton are OIdueu hikASA
Than Those in the Country.
st. Paul, June l4.-The seventh an
nual convention of the Minnesota
branch of the United National Asso-
citation of Postoffice Clerks was opened
Saturday, morning in the circuit court
room in the federal building, with
an address by the national president,
F. T. Rogers of Chicago. Mr. Rogers
devoted most of his speech to the topic
of the bonding method m vogue at
present. The bonding companies are
raising the rates on pOstoffice clerks
bonds, and as these rates are consid-
cred excessive, there are two solutions
offered the clerks. These are, first that
of Congressman Tawney to have the
treasury department collect an assess
ment from the clerks and create a re-
volving fund to cover all :osses. The
second is to have the clerks bond them
selves. The action taken by congress,
Mr.. Tawney's proposition will be await
ed before anything is done in this mat
ter.
Must Double UP On The Work.
W. R. Human, assistant superin-
tendent in the salary and allowance
division of the postoffiee department
at Washington, who was delegated by
Postmaster General F. H. Hitchcock,
in an address in the afternoon on the
subject, "The Policy of the Depart.
ment," declared that the department
would grant the request of the asso-
citation for thirty days vacation pro-
vided the clerks will double up on
the work during the vacation period, so
that no added expense will be made
to the department The estimate of
this years deficit in the department is
placed at $2O,OOO,OOO and the officials
feel that they do not want to make
this larger. AS far as the clerks are
concerned the plan is entirely feasible,
and has been carried out by them dur
ing vacation period, but it cannot be
done by the carriers, because one car
rier cannot carry two routes. The
apois, and the city deistricted, but it
failed. Clerks now get fifteen days,
but they want to have their vacations
correspond with the department clerks
in Washington, who get thirty days.
The convention went on record ia
voring prohibiting the use of enve-
lopes, of tissue with the address inside.
The convention Endorsed the attitude
of the department relative to the postal
savings bank, and the rural parcels
post.
Changes in the composition of the
| executive board We're made. The old
board consisting of the officers and
,, delegates was done away with and
board of trustees with executive pow
ers was substituted. The trustees are
three in number, and one will be elect
ed each year.
Department Should Be Recognized
In an address at the banquet at Car
ling's Uptown cafe Saturday night Con
gresham F. C. Stevens of st. Paul,
after predicting that the tariff bill
when passed would prove generally
satisfactory, said that he thought a
reorganization of the postoffice depart
ment is needed. He said that as now
reason for which is that the relative
competence of the field clerks and
those in the department at Washington,
has changed. The Washington clerks
have always been graded higher than
the field clerks being considered more
reversed. Mr.. Stevens favored the de-
mand of the clerks for a thirty day
vacation instead of the fifteen days
which they now are allowed.
W. Kaiser of Faribault, president of
the Minnesota Postmasters' Associa
ton, spoke on the Relations of the
/ Postmasters and the Clerks" Thomas
IP. O'Regan and Mr.. Johnson of st.
Paul gave several dialogue selections.
Frank G.. Rogers, president of the Ma
tional association, gave a short address
on the "Duty of the Clerk" Mr..
Rogers paid tribute to Congressman
/ Stevens as the best friend of the post
office clerks in congress.
Elect Their Officers.
The following officers for the ensuing
year were elected: A. d. Thomas, ST.
Paul. president; August Hane, Still
water first vice president; E. w.
Samnelson. Cloquet, second vice presi-
dent; Henry Giese, Jr., st. Paul, secre-
tary; G. w. Richards, Minneapolis,
treasurer; c. H. Andrews, chairman of
the finance committee; w. w. Davis,
Minneapolis, chairman of the grievance
committee; w. r. Hoban, st. Paul,
delegate of the national convention,
which meets at Atlantic City, N. j.,
next September. the next convention
will be held in Minneapolis.
| An Eninuahlo picuic