The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-02-10
CUTTING OUT THE CAR
RIERS.

proposes to dismiss rural mail car
riers, and substitute in their stead
carriers of mail under the contract
system. The carriers in this section
have performed their duties so we'll,
and the service has been so absolute
ly satisfactory, that we are unable to
understand on what ground they are
to be removed, unless possibly the
department has an idea that the ex-
penses of the rural mail service can
be lessened. We do not believe this
can be done in the first place, but if
it can, expenses should not be the
first consideration. Good service at
a little more expense is to be prefer
red to poor service, though cheaper
for the government. The service
should be the first consideration. !;
In addition 10 this the department
should be mindful of the great iUus-
tice which has been brought about
by the contract system of carrying
mails. The contracts have been COB
bled up by a few men, who have
speculated at the expense of the gov
ernment and good service, men who
never intended to carry mail them!
selves, but who were on the inside,
procured the contracts. and then SUBJ
let them to others at lesser prices.
In many instances these sub-con-
tractors after performing the service
have been swindled out of their pay.
The government should not allow d
system which will make possible
such speculation. Of course, it is
claimed that this will be guarded
against, but abuses will creep into
the system, and sooner or later the
carrying of the mails by the contract
system will fall into the hands of po-
litical favorites, and political work
ers who must be rewarded. These
abuses are never tolerated in the be-
ginning, but the contract scalpers
will be on the job, and in the course
of time will be able to circumvent
fall rules. e.:
There Is a certain dignity attach
ing to q government official which
will not be the property of SUBJ
contract mail carrier. The people
served will respect the one. more
than the other. They like to come
in contact with the representative of
the government. and it is good for
the government that they'should.
Under the carrier system, the po-
sitions are awarded to applicants
from among the patrons of the par
ticular Office. They are acquainted
with the people whom they serve;
they are in better position to serve
them, and to advise them; they feel
more interest in so doing. AS an Of
ficer of the department they feel that
they owe this to the people whom
they serve, while a contractor would
be interested only in living up to the
letter of the law regardless of his
patrons.
The carriers are paid little enough
as it is. In certain seasons they may
seem to fare well, but in the last
three months they have earned sew
eral months wages. We believe
that they should have better pay
pay commensurate with the work
they do, and the expenses incurred.
They should wear q uniform, and
travel in conveyances approved by
the government. They should be a
part of the government, and as its
servants serve the people, the mails
should not be carried by these who
deal with the government at arms
length and who seek only to make
money.
Should the mails be carried by Of
fcers OF the government as hereto
fore, we may expect in time, and
perhaps before long, that we will re-
ceive federal aid for good roads.
These days remind us that we need
some assistance. We cannot expect
that the roads will ever be satisfac-
tory, with our sparsely settled COM
munities, unless the government
comes to the rescue. AS long as the
!: mail is carried by the government it
self, through its agents, it will be in
terested in the subject, and there is
ground for hope; but when the mail
lis carried by man who contracts
with the post Office department, one
who is looking out only for himself,
and who in a measure has interests
antagonistic to The depattment, we
may expect that no interest will be
manifested in this subject.
4 ~ea
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