Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-04-20

reason Of absence from the State. to
personally bring to You message
Of cheer and good will. This regret
is keener. as We know that his pa
triotism and vital interest in such
organizations as yours. would charge
such Il message With inspiration for
highest cndeaNor in your chosen line
of activity"
The speaker assured his hearers
that they were l!Fing in the golden
day Us of the Republic. He declared
that patriotism and privilege were
two al the greatest assets of the
American citizen. privilege is the
logical result of the patriotism of 1175
and will be our heritage as long as We
are the opponents of that national
patriotism. which recognizes equal
rights to all ami special privileges
To none"
Il have watched your organization
in this state" said Mr.. Davis, and
in nay own opinion, you are one of
the best. This is SO in the very ma
turr of things. In the first place
Uncle sam Will have none but tn"
best ii he can help it. in the second
plac" the state az Maine furnishes
tn" best men 10 be found anywncr>
Fifteen miles Il day through snow or
| rain, and loaded with Il hundred
pounds OF mail, doesn't phazc Maine
letter carrier. He viii get there every
time"
Mr. Davis emphasized throughout
his address the value of organized eff
fort and in concluding voiced the
wish that the organization of letter
carriers might grow stronger as the
days go by aud all its purposes be
realized.
Fay :. Trafton of Cleveland, O.,
chairman of the executive board of the
National Association of Letter Car
riers, conveyed the greetings of the
national organization and spoke of its
purposes and aims for the betterment
OF the service at some length. He
praised strongly the order promulgat-
ed by Postmaster General Hitchcock
putting in force gradually Sunday
closing. He said that now over one
half of the free delivery offices in the
country We're closed on Sunday and
the people were Just as well satisfied.
| II" expressed the belief that within two
| or three years the government would
| release SuPnranuated men in the SER
| vice and said that it was estimated
| that there would be a saving of 81 800, =
0o0 to the department by so doing.
John C. Arnold, superintendent of
mails of the Augusta post office, spoke
of the growth of fratcrnal spirit be-
tween the clerks and the carriers at
this Office. He proposed three cheers
for the entertainment afforded by the
Augusta Branch of the Letter Carriers.
President T.. c. CARL of the Augusta
| Board of Trade. said that the capital
| of the state was being more and more
recognized as good place to come to.
Mir. Carl said that he was once Il post
master fer brief period of time and
| had learned respect for that branch
| of the government. The messages
brought by the letter carriers We're the
things that come nearest to our hearts
lie made plea for a deeper observ-
ancc of Patriots day. The day was
also the day of the march of the 9th
Massachusetts regiment through the
streets Of Baltimore in which two cit
liens Of Maine We're killed.
Thomas A. Brennan. veteran of tn,
Augusta branch. spoke of the organza
! ton of the State Association of Letter
Carriers in Lewiston l6 years ago and tn,
changes which had taken place sine,
then. The existence of the National AS
ISOLATION of Letter Carriers was justifie,
! by the betterment of the service and o
| the conditions of the carriers. Every yea
| raises the standard of efficiency an,
brings the department nearer to the PEG
pie. He advocated the establishment o
parcels post as means of doing ava,
with the deficit o, the department. III
advocated the pensioning of the superan
nuated members of the service and be
lieved that as well as Sunday closing