The Van Buren press., 1877-12-11
An Outrageous Arrangement.

4 tfeinCnl OF tne post Once department
IM Washington, for three years from
July |, 1873. Proposals for mail carry
ing contracts are To he received until
| February 2about seven weeks from
to-day and the decisions Of the depart
went will be anuou ced March 80. 4
more infamous outrage on the citizens of
Bcntonville aud Benton county, never
set tho bloody to bowling in the
worst days of kuNluxery and Loyal
Leagues. Here is the programme
Route No 29,200, from Alma TO Pierce
City, via Fayetteville, Avoca, Washburn,
and notwithstanding Bentonvile ten
miles to the west-a daily mail, or six
times II week
Route No. 2o,l92, from Fayetteville to
Pierce City, via. Avoca, Washburn and
CassviIlo leaving Bentonyile ten miles
to the wcst-siX times II week.
land eight other routes adiatng from
Fayetteville
Route No. 29,201, from Fayetteville to
| Van Buren,, once II week.
| Three daily mails. three weekly mails,
and one semi-weekly mail, all centering
| III ray cNtcHiie. AHu WIN uutS DUH
tonvillc get Look at the miserable
list
Route 29,l94, from Fayetteville to Ben
tonvilIc, via. Elm Springs and Usage
Mills, three times week.
Route No. 20, 1873, from Maysyille to
| Bentonvilie, ouee a week.
Route 20, lS9, from Hico to Benton
vile, once week.
Route No. 20, ls3, from Bcntonyile to
Avoea, three times a week.
One pitiful, tri-wcckly mail with Fay
etteyillc us the startngpo one tri-
weekly to Avoca, and two weekly to
lIico and MaysvilIc. Fayetteville is
made the center Of the universe, and
Bentonvillc is kicked clear out over the
ragged edge Of creation. We protest,
not because we love Fayetteville less,
but BcntonviIlo more, that it is a combs
ned outrage and insult beyond the inge-
nuity of mail contractors and the devil
to strpass. Bcntonvllc is the capital Of
a county which, by the census Of 1870,
had population only 3,l35 less than
that Of Washington, and is to-day fully
equal, if not superior to it. Our coun-
ty is behind few in the state ia area and
taxable wealth, and behind none in in
tciligcnce aud moral worth. Our peo-
| pc arc reading people, and we doubt
whether there are three counties in the
state whore more newspapers and maya
zines are taken, paid for and read.
And yet, we are to be shut off with Il
wretched tri-wcekly mail, via Faycttc
vile; SO that st. Louis daily papers, on
which we depend for news and market
reports, will reach us five days old. Who
is responsible for this fragrant wrong
Will our representative in Congress,
for whom Benton county cast her grand
1900 democratic majority, sit idly by
and permit it without protest? Will our
senators, one Of whom is chairman of the
committee on post roads, not interfere to
prevent it? viii our own citizens stand
supinely by, and sec Bontonville dcgra-
ded to Il tenthrate place among back
woods villagcs-see her compelled to
put up with u miserable tr-weekly mail,
nearly hundred miles out of the way,
while Avoca and Cad.Fly get two mails
'i.et our people get up petitions at
once, stating the facts. A thousand sig
natures can be obtained in day. Send
them to our senators and congressman.
Have them lay the whole iniquitous case
before the postofiice department and
the wrong will certainly be rightcd or
three thousand Benton democrats will
know the reason why. Fellow citizens,
what you do must be done ut once. The
second Of February is near at hand!
=, And rs equally mean and contempt.
bic is the outrage pcrpctra,cd upon the
people of Van Buren, aud tho northwest
part of Crawford and Washington coun
ties. The Advance wants to know who
is to blame !? Aud in the answer the
figure-head of u Congressman who rep
rescnts that district, and sees nothing
but Fayetteville, looms into view. AnG
1t is made the great central point from
which must radiate not only all tho
wisdom and greatness of tho State, but
which must flow all the great business
arteries OF that part Of the country. Fay
ettcvile stretches out her arms, aud Al
ma hurries to receive the warm en-
brace. And these two intend running
this northwest part of the State. The
same Congrcssinal hand that planned
the ono, did the other, and we say with
out hesitation that such an act come.
) properly within the circumference o.
miserable meanncss. Wcagree with the
Advance that no greater or more I'M
demanded outrage was ever pcrpetratcd
upon an unsuspecting people.