Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-21
ANNUAL MEETING.
CONTINUED from Page Nine)


alton among our people who may be-
lieve in home Industries. AS postmas-
tiers who are handling this business
we know that the most of these sums
are going to the large mail order
houec, large soap concerns and whole
sale liquor dealers. We would not
criticize the sending away for these
articles il our people prefer TO pat
ronize merchants in other states but
in regard to the last item we would
suggest that the postofficc depart
ment make some legislation affecting
this business the same it has in rela-
ZION 10 other things as mentioned i'll
Section 800, Paragraph G. in relation
to obscene matter, etc.
There is nothing in that section
which is forbidden that is any more
demoralizing CT injurious than is the
immense quantities of liquor coming
, into our state which is advertised and
bought ard paid for through the
United states mail. Today the mail
service of our country is the one great
factor which is preventing the en-
forcement of the liquor laws in our
prohibition State. 1t seems to be the
one thing nothing can reach and L
believe if some congressman should
frame and carry into effect law
preventing the use of the mails for
transacting of this liquor business he
| would have done more for humanity
| than any con1uerins general in our
late Civil War
Every postmaster knows how much
money is going from every little ham,
| let, village and city to bring back TINS
stuff which is so demoralizing to our
youth and society. l think it would
| be well for our congressman to con-
| slider this thing and then let them give
us the postal savings bank and 1ul-
fill their party pledges and place be-
| fore the young a, place and an oppor-
| tuEity to lay aside part of their earn
| ings and instill into their minds the
principle of saving What q differ
ence there would be in our State of
these dollars could be kept at home
ana these minds filled with whole
some thoughts rather than to have
so much OF this evil liquor traffic 60
| ing en- and these minds poisoned to
the better things.
| My object in giving these facts and
| figures is to show the Importance Of
the work we are doing and to help us
realize how much depends upon our
doing our part well, that the whole
system may be the better ] believe
that our organization is doing more
to bring this about than any other one
agency. | believe that every pOStmas-
ter VINO has ever attended one of our
meetings has gone home the better
postmaster for it. The great trouble
why it is not doing more good is be-
cause more do not attend and the one
important thought for us to dwell up
on at this time is how we can get
hold of them.
We are in positions of trust and re-
sponsihility and have felt that In
most cases the compensation has not
been in proportion to the work and We
hope 20 accomplish something in this
line through this league in the near
future. and have something to repay
these faithful workers for their I'M
firing efforts. We believe it is just
claim to ask for an allowance for
rent, fuel and clerk hire and there is
on foot movement for an allowance
based on incoming mail as those in
authority realize that the increase on
this part of the work has gone beyond
the outgoing mail upon which our
commission is based at this time. Inc
greatest reason why our CLAIMS are
not more promptly acted upon Is DC
cause large percentage of the post
masters have not given us their sup
port and give the impression that they
are satisfied with present conditions.
| know that when our wants are pre-
scented we are told that we are not
representative. We believe our wants
are just and right, but not being sup
ported by majority, we loose our
influence. Some have suggested that
we be put on salary based upon
our sales. This l understand was done
once but some graft was known at
that time even among postmasters
and the sales We're so stuffed 1t was
necessary to change the plan. This
thought takes me back to an idea l
EXPRESSED at our last State meeting
when l mentioned the proposition OF
having our postage stamps printed
with the maine of the Office upon them
making them useless at any other
Office | noticed this idea was mention
ed in some of the papers at that time
and have heard it favorably spoken
of since My main object was to make
the stamps this way so that there
would be no temptation TO robbers To
break into Offices if they could not dis
pose of their plumber and with the
stamps thus printed, and We be in
structed to deposit our postal funds
in some bank at the close of each
month subject to our check at close
of quarter for settlement with the de-
partment all these temptations would
be removed. Since that meeting have
seen that last year 1869 offices were
robbed, which would be something to
support my theory. The main object
to-the proposition would be the extra
expense of the printing but when we