The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-12-11
PROGRESS In the Postal Service.

LOUISVILLE COur16r-JOu
The COurier-JOurmal publishes this
morning liberal synopsis of the report
of the Postmaster General, one of the
most interesting documents which, at
this season of The year, we expect from
Washington.
On two subjects the Courier-Journal
finds itself in entire agreement with the
Postmaster General. Mr.. Wanamaker,
with few statistics, shows that one
cent postage would create such a deficit
in the revenues as seriously to cripple
the department.. An examination of
the exhibit which he makes should
convince any one that the demand in
the Repu blican platform for One-cent
postage is one of the follles of the hour.
The people generally will read with
interest what Mr.. Wanamaker has to
say concerning the extension of the free
delivery system to the agricultural sec
tons of the country.
free delivery of the mails in cities
has been such convenience and finan-
cially such success that IL is SurpriS-
ing it has not been extended more rap
idly to the suburbs and to the rural
districts.
The farmers are now asking why a
merchant living within fiveSminutes'
walk of the post-office should have his
mail delivered at his door five times a
day, while the farmer, himself five
hours away, must leave his work to go
to the post-Office, or else do without his
mail.
Every tendency of modern life is, I'M
fortunately, more and more to isolate
the farmer. Free delivery of the mails
to the farmer would to marked extent
counterfeit this.
Not only could the farmer get his
mail from the distance more regularly
and more promptly, but he could COM
municate much more readily with his
neighbor a mile beyond the pOst-office.
This would be the chief benefit of the
change in the delivery, just as in the
city the increase of local matter in free
delivery offices goes far toward paying
the additional expense.
To some men, anything difficult seems
impossible, and so they say free deliv-
cry in the rural districts is impossible.
1t is not impossible. Remembering the
number of post-oft1ce now existing, and
taking each of these as center for a
free delivery system, we see how easily
every portion of the country may be
served.
But it is said the expense would be
enormous. Not necessarily, for expert
ence has shown that business responds
very promptly and literally to ever
advance in service that it needs, the
additional income soon equaling the
additional expense.
But 1t is said il will increase the num-
Der of office holders. That is true, but
every Improvement of the pOst-Office
does this. 1t is a business in which the
Government admits no competition,
and it assumes, therefore,, TO give the
best possible service. If the fear of an
increase of employees is to be regarded,
the argument calls for the surrender of
the whole business, and the dismissal
of all officers now employed. If the
Government intends to this work at all,
then 1t must do 1t well.
But it is said it postpones one cent
postage. 1t does and should. One cent
postage would benefit chiefly or entire
1y the large commercial and manufact-
uring establishments; the newspapers
and other institutions whose mails are
large; but to the mass of the people, to
those who would be taxed to make up
the post-office deficit, one cent postage
would be of no benefit at all.
These facts sustain the justice of the
demand of the farmers for the free de-
livery of the mails. Its utility is de-
monstrated by the experience of cities.
Its practicability is proven by the re-
cent experiments of the Post-Office De-
pa~tment.
It is a reform far more important than
cheap kilograms, postal savings banks
or one cent postage. The Postmaster
General should be able to count with
confidence on both houses of Congress
for any recommendation he makes
which leads to the extension of the free
delivery system to suburban and rural
districts. 1t can not be accomplished
in full at once, but it should begin
Immediately on some comprehensive
plan.