Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-05-31

1 'ctoCIiIVl It ito up lO lilC .jcSl lllldSlcI u say whether or not man or woman is deserving of promotion or unfit. No business can, no matter how small or how large, prosper without close supervision and discipline, and good discipline in postoffices is conducive of giving good service to the patrons and raising the standard of efficiency to the highest possible plane. 1 wish to repeat the message given to all postmasters by the friend of the pos tai clerks, the Honorable Postmaster General, and no one is more interest | ed in securing for the clerks and carriers all possible deserved remun ] eration. He feels however that the increase in salaries provided by the recent law should not be considered merely as a perquisite or gratuity, but that it should mean a correspond ing improvement in the service; that the clerk or. carrier should not re- ceive the money simply because he is ClSlDIC tO It, DuI DCCduSo He IS cd1u- ing it, and because he can be expect ed to do better work hereafter In maintaining and administering dis cipline justly without fear or favor there are other factors which enter into estimating of value of employees to the service. Such heads as indus try, punctual attendance regular at tendance, strict obedience of orders, attitude in acquiring official knoWl- edge, personal habits, department and painstaking work, in dispatchinG of outgoing or throwing incoming mail. It is not so important how much you do, hut how good you may do it.
 You will observe however import ant the system of examination may be in determining the efficiency iii the distribution of mail, the other points which l have mention d have to me an equal bearing on the de- Velopment of an efficient clerk, who finds satisfaction in dis charging his official obligation with credit to himself and to the service and strive to be accurate, obedient, alert, maintain neat and orderly appearance and is courteous and ac- commodating if he comes into con- tact with the patrons of tie office.
 There can be no question that men and women work better in prop CT environments and I believe that postmasters should pc s:s deeply inn bued with the spirit and responsibil- ity for the maintenance of proper sanitary conditions under which the work of his suhordinates is perform ed, because postoffice clerks are hu- man the same as other lilen and when given unclean quarters in which to perform their duties are apt to fall into idleness and slouchiness of per son, lack of interest in maintaining discipline which has deterioating eff feet not only upon the individual but upon the service. Pardon me, if in this instance I refer to myself, by stating that it has ever Eeen my at tempt to look after sanitary condi- tions and surroundings and comforts of my force, because 1 am strong believer in surrounding clerks and carriers with proper ventilation and light, because work is better and feel that they can appear for their duties better in personal appearance. It has also been my experience that an employe who fails recommendation l for promotion because o: ine 1act that l he is not entitled to same, and l | have no clerk and carrier in my of invariably makes inquiry of the post master as to why he has not been so recommended and when it is pointed out to him that he was deficient for examination, or that he was late in reporting for duty a sufficient num- Der of times to indicate indifference, or that he been lacking in ambition or shown other faults or shortcom-
 ings, in the majority of cases when l the next promotion time comes around his record has improved to
 such an extent that an increase in his salary is warranted. In conclus-
 ion permit me to state that discipline properly administered is as necessary
 to bring the postal service to the highest state of efficiency as is food
 necessary to sustain life.
 We should not forget that the first principle of good service is loyalty
 We should expect our employees to
 be loyal to us and we ~5 postmasters