The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-01-22
To the Decatur County Rural Letter
Carriers.

AS the future conditions for the
rural letter carriers at this time look
quite gloomy, with the permission
OF our esteemed editors here
at Leon, we take the liberty
of presenting through the col
umns of their valuable papers the
following appeal to every rural letter
carrier in Decatur county to be pres
ent at the next meeting of the r. l..
&c. association to be held at Weldon
on Feb. 90, 1914. We anticipate the
best meeting ever held since our Or
ganization, as the president intimat
ed that the program would be good
one and would far exceed any that
We have enjoyed at our past meet
ings.
Brother Carriers Hampton, of
Vert, Barthlow, of Weldon, and
Knapp of Garden Grove, have kindly
volunteered to entertain all present
to a sumptuous dinner. So it be-
hooves every carrier to show his in
terest in the association and his APP
probation of the efforts of these
brothers in our behalf, by being
present. And I would like to say
to the brothers who have never
ever was time when it was i'm
pOrtant for every carrier to stand
solidly together the time is now at
hand. When the Department is heap
ing heavier burdens on us by raising
the parcels post to a so pound limit,
which will mean heavier work and
more expense without a recommend
for just compensation. Here is
what it costs carrier to operate a
Standard Route, home expense, feed
bill, ETC., based upon economical
lines. Grocery bill Call monthly
bills) $500, feed bill S23, house
rent if you do not own your prop
erty) $40 to $12, clothing for family
$40, fuel IS, blacksmithing 81, in
terest on $4,000 invested in horse
and vehicle, $3.50, depreciation on
vehicle IS, depreciation on horse s.,
making a total of $3.50. Now take
$91 81, the present salary from
$3.50, leaves what? The carriers
in the hole about 81 per month. 1t
is no wonder the cry of the rural
letter carriers is Il can not pay you
now, wait little longer Carriers,
it is time we should wake up. What
are we going to pay the doctor with
for waiting on some member of our
family? How are we going to pay
the undertaken in case Of death in
the family; or how are we going to
buy another horse in case We have
one to die or buy a new buggy to
replace the old worn out one every
year; and l might go on naming
things Indefinitely. any of which are
liable to happen us and some OF
which do happen to us every year.
We should demand congress to rec
ogniZe our needs and there is just
one way We can do it and that is by
joining the association. For in num-
bers there is strength. Remember,
being we'll organized and presenting
a solid front we can accomplish all
We desire, remember just as long as
you deny your support it is supposed
you are satisfied with your present
situation.
Our patrons on the farm are
among the best citizens in the world
and are deserving of the highest SER
vice possible. How can We give
them what they deserve under pres
ent conditions? Again l appeal to
every carrier of the county to be
present at this meeting. The associ-
alton needs you and you need the
help of the association.
C. R. Turner,
BY request of the President of the
Decatur County Rural Carriers AS
ISOLATION