New-York tribune., 1890-07-12
IRON THE NhiL.
TIE NEXT GREAT POSTAL REFORM

FREE DELIVERY OF LETTERS EVERYWHERE
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir In common with many other citizens ] have
watched with great satisfaction Mr Wauamaker7 efforts
10 improve the mail service OF TINS country 1t was
what We had right % expect from his wcllkno"h
business abilities The suggestions of his first annual re
port full Of practical and increase oar hopes
Of important reforms under his administration OF the
Department. lie says rightfuy Of the Po tohce De
partment Its hand is the only one that touches the
local lifc the social Interest, and bushes, concern
Of every ncighborhood" Other Departments serve
the Nation whole: the Io,tofce serves the people
Themselves from highest to lowest rich and poor man
and maiden young and old, mu.-tcIlng 10 them III
business and pleasure in sickness and in health i j
their trusted messenger, thcr useful friend tle" dall
and lifelong educator. Hi report well describes the
mmcn-ity Of the task imposed upon him and MS as-
soclatcS and one might well shrink from asking any
thing more; but he himself states that under the
present conditions "thr extension Of the free delivery
and the general development of the potohcc business
depend almost altogether upoE some kind OF press
urc from outside the Department" The implication
i, that under the present system the localities that
make the most pressure and are most AIDED bN acuNc
and Influential CJngIcSsmcn get the best service. IH'
he would change 80 that the business Of the service
should BE- pushed on from Departmental STANDPOINT
instead Of outside pressure. TO AID in this view and
10 help meet local pressure by general pc nrc, |
wish to give voice 10 what is steadily becoming gen
cral wi,h and will long rise 10 pubic dcnah"
1t IS the establishment AT the earliest piacucabe ua
Of a universal free delivery.
The true ideal Of perfect postal service deihalu'
NOT merely that the mail shall b. carried from ~t
Office t. postufce. leaving each man tp get h> El''
70 and from the Office best hc and when be can
# requires that the mail shall be from the hand
of the writer to the hand Of the reader; that every
sender Of letter may know that VIII not stop III
some local po,toncc but will right on TIL 1t r'ich'
the y r,pn for whom il is meant. ard that every man
NAV further know that letter ON IT. way 10 him VIII
not tirry iii is at hl' door
Years must cap-c a. best before such systom can
hc organized for the norr remote and tlny p'opI'd
region. ol our country but who can doubt th't l.
might he introduced into AN the older states '~ soon
a, tlc machinery can b. put iu moiiou-wi'MH MI
Wauamakcr', term of service AZ --latest NJ a'N i''
If NAV hc adopted al once by Congress ana INC p'
parrmcnt a. tn. declared aim and ideal Of ON postal
system. Let the motto. From Writer t. Reader. DE
bazoncd upon every letter pouch and mail 'AF ana
the people viii see 10 it'that II becomes fat.
The debate j. already begun The Pnb'' MN" j.
waking Thousands WHO. Iihc the writer. have gone
from The CITY 20 the country and Ir' suffering from
the DOOR aud haltng service IN odr village ana I"'"'
district, are beginning 10 ask why should n'' we ~
fine couu,rv have our maI brought 10 our doors a. We
had il IN the city, !, it lc,s important mat our
letter, should reach ue promptly why 9"'"" W.
VI, pu, to the trouble and expense OF sending mile
or two over bad roads through dust and ihN1' LOT
our mail while the resident, of the cty where The post
o1,, i, AZ uo~, but q few blu,5, away, ard ''h ne
reached through lighted streets with good Sidewalk -
are served several times day With free d"'F'iH
AT their dVoisl
II IT d, a question of cost. what expenditure '
public fund, cau accomplish larger pubic t"'d ''N III
save the people a larger burden oi pr'a'" r>Icn-'
-. al d.
illustration. village po-roAce serving 100 inwii''
u,ii, within a radiu, Il three miles. TIL, "odd
fairly Represent the situation m tAe NOR tin5
p,,ulcd part, of or oltc. states Allow for these
100 fAmluc. au average o, aH A''f d'\ spent i'
sending OF -cehiug their mail ~ tie work i- .'"'
time, done ly children, count ID" cost 'i I'VE ''ii'
the hour Tn, would amount o. - d da' i"I '''
/ entire community. OF rl,--5 year. u b''' '''
.,,,u- too iIu,n take llt the sum, or 5000 gear
rh.- al soo a year, the lowest wage PAID our le'''I
carriers, would employ one carrier on iu!I time 'i'
oue ON half time aud thc-" would deliver tie mail
twice q day to all the houses havnS NAL dI' U''"
in more populou, district, the saving would be n'r
for ilIc Sam. carrier would serve 1850 or thire iw'
the uumu,r of faulllc, Iu iAc saline radius
But why $500 a wear We all InoT nat good
compctont men ca De- employed l the country d.,
trct- for ~ q day for this service. nud active ~
honest lad, 81 sixteen or eighteen year" pi age i'
les IL d. certain that the H." delivery can i'N''
| II
10 De gwen for Country service it. H ''n-'-- y.
! allow AID the Po- fui-icr ''clciA td." attempt l
/ t.. free delivery could o. extended Z" iAr iI'''i
J part ol the country without m.rh II any "di'. 81
/ r\pra-c. Ict ourilui or t"O tnld. pi ilr -"Ii'
| country pO-fonl,r- hc abolished AID WaI carriers T.
appointed u place II the dismissed lUstlud .f".r. J.
Il circuit VI i've ullrs Iu, ,lG4'g the fIa-' BOO "N'4
now I've thcre are four or I've small ''i"i'r ."'
four. Let tho moot central once rm'.n. -lulI' '
a mail depot. The three carriers WHO may lAh' li'
| pa, - tlc three other po-tmu' i"rs could '.iH
deliver the mail twice tat e. every htlit "4i''
! the whole district. IL is bF economies s"eH iA.
! that England Aas universal free delivery. let o.,
postmaster in every large postal district be- allowed
I" employ the po~tncn or carriers a' D" dos III J. >
| land .tnd or oWH pO>tud-t"i' no" "lAploN ut4I
own clerks at -uch wages rule iu bis yicihabc Lr
Tie present high pay Or lYstm'u couN"u' lu tht
cities If uccd be- IN order 10 secure t" service, Cd
couuttcuf men. hut do not compel the rll.Ou. pf u
tho Govr nlct able 10 pay for h" service az least
/ twice a- much a- u needs tu .cIsf.
WOrd more II D. not me country prUPl' hI'n'
! who ~iu De- helped by thc Introduction OF the Hrf
delivery stem. The hu,hc,. 1'd social corr p'"'
cuc- bet uc~ men the cite, and IA the Counr.
now halts half way and forbid active business inter
course because Of the uncertainty Ui Oh" country ad
Of tlc cOrrc- oud"uCe. Make 10 hr tlat the hu lur-
letter VIII 20 straight 10 u, mark and The cNchtntc
! between town ana country Will be dOuiird kho"
| many q farmer Who Vouid take daily paper 10 er
| #. market reports and 10 keep up with the time
If hc could have II brought by tho po,tman 10 his door
| II may take twenty year, - iutroduc" and MY
organize A universal free delivery p tl" malls through
| out our country. hut II viii surely come, simply
| because Il Is the only perfect postal sy,t"in DO
country will honor forever The name o the Postmaster
General who shall have the power and courage TO In
| auGuTa'c II. JpIlN VI. Ol'IfOh1.
IIyatt,viilc, Md. july T. 1880.
|