New-York tribune., 1910-04-22
MEN OF THE MAILS DINE
Talk Of Letters Winds Up POST
masters Evening.
STATE ASSOCIATIONS WORK
Conduct of Offices Discussed at
Days Session of the
Convention.

Two hundred men OF letters gathered al
the Republican club last night. and when
they began TO tell how they supplied lit
ersture 70 a hungry people literally by
the hundred thousand tons II was accepted
as not worthy Of criticism that a cOrsfrier-
able portion of il ranked not above second
class matter.
The fourth annual dinner Of the New
York State Association Of Po5tmssters
brought out much good feeling and 1oc
few facts. At the speakers table vsrs
David VI. Pratt. postmaster Of Elnira. Who
y as toastrnast ster: n. VI. Bacon. Of the clas-
siffcation division az Washington. George
ri. Roberts. former postmaster of Brook
lyn: Victor !. Bradley. superintendent %
the railway mail service; the Rev. Or.
John Wesley Hill. William r. WiIlcox-
Chairman of the Public Service Con'mis-
sion: Walter s. Mayer. inspector IN charge
Of the New York division. md Postmaster
Morgan
Mr.. Bacon said he was sent 70 the din
ner by the Postmaster General Re said
that President Taft had done the right
thing 70 recommend 20 Congress that ths
rate on second class nnatts~ be raised. Mr.
Bacon did not know what was going 20
be done about u. but problem that was
so frsuzht with difficulties from the POINT
OF view of the postal authorities must. he
believed. be solved in some way before
long For instance. 35.0"aoH pounds OF
SEQ oud class matter that il was not posstbls
to deliver at rhe first attempt went through
the mails in this country every year. hs
said. This war an awful load for the. gov
eminent 10 carry. Fifteen million pounds
or that finally went into the waste basket
This useless tonnage was made up. hs
said. Of eiShty-one million pieces Of second
class matter. all OF which had first required
extra handling by many hands perhaps u
would be we'll TO curb the circulation a.
sires OF publishers by requiring them TO pay
return postage on unbelievable matter NJ.
Bacon was not sure about this.
The Rev. DIR. Hill referred 70 a time N
his youth when. in Ohio. he worked IN
country postoffice A man yelled az him
one dsy. he said. asking. Where in he'll is
my Christian Herald - And. for the good
Of his soul. DR.. Hill said he quit the SER
vice. He had. always revered pcstmastsrs.
though ever since a Kindness was shown
him bv one in a rough Western town The
man proved 10 be known as Poker Bob.
hut when DR. Hill should come 20 die. hs
said where Poker Bob was would pa
good enough for him. silent toast was
drunk to Poker Bob as soon as Or. HlI
sat down.
The feature Of Yesterdays session 81 the
convention Of the pOstmasters was tne ad-
dress of James H Callahan. postmaster or
Schenectady. DiscOursing on the operation
of a postofice Of the first class. ne en-
nhssizsd the need for uniformity In methods
and said he believed that sooner or later
executive inspection of postofhces ror the
direct purpose Of bringing about Uniform
methods would be instituted
Mr. Callahan opposed the holding OF 90
nestle letters which bore no return address
at the postOffice longer than ten days. ana
he criticised the custom Of hotels Tn retain
ing mail addressed in their care On this
point he said
THE retaining by hotels Of mail for
months is an abuse that should be renedied
at every postoffice. All postofhcss should
keep in complete touch daily with this hotel
mail. so as to have IL returned TO the post
office and delivery made IN some other wsJ
or returned TO the sender promptly