Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-25
Free Delivery Everywhere.

The Alliance mon in Illinois demanded
IN their platform adopted day before yes
terday-the free delivery OF mail matter in
the country, as well as IN the cities. They
do not acknowledge that city people have
any more right TO enjoy postal faciiities
than the people Of the rural districts. All
over the land this demand Will be heard,
and in Washington city II will be hoedod.
Let US stop hore TO inquire whether there
Is any body who will deny that The Rich
NoSD DISPATCH was the first paper IN the
United States to advocate the free delivery
of mail matter in small towns! We have
oct up the claim repeatedly that TO US the
country was indebted for that proposition,
and up to this time nobody has denied the
Justice Of our claim. We have also come
out in favor of the free delivery OF mail
matter IN the rural districts, but we did
not call for the immediate adoption OF this
latter measure. However. the two re-
forms" are so closely allied that 1t IL not
necessary to separate them. We rejoice
that the farmers have walked mp to the I'M
poriance OF this subject, and we will do
all that We can to aid them III securing
free delivery everywhere.
We have repeatedly declared in favor Of
Q Government postal telegraph. II sur
prises US that the farmers have not through
their Alliances demanded this reform also
And we predict that it will not be long be-
fore the Alliances will demand Govern
nent telegraph which will deliver n mes
sac OF ten words anywhere III the United
States for ten cents.
Our attention was recalled to this sub
sect by the statement that the Farmers
Alliance. Patrons of iIusbandry. and other
orders are canvassing the matter ofsecur ns
free mail-delivery IN all the country towns.
Whenever this reform is reduced to prac-
tice it will be granted to tho country itself
u well as 10 the county towns.
We have powerful ally. In the Ameri-
c7n Aqric,.ilrisi for November Postmaster
General WASAMAKrR states definitely that
the experiment made by hun for FREQ de-
livery in small towns shows that the i'll
crease of revenue more than repays all the
sncreased expense. We arc not surprised.
We have repeatedly sad that irce-dellvcry
would prove TO be an educating measure.
Dir. WASAMAKEB believes that universal
free-delivery would be self-sustaining. Let
Us have it at once. There isno good reason
why the thickly-populated districts should
have free-delivery and tho farmers, plant
ers, miners. artisans, &C.. &C., not have 1t.
We quote Mr.. WASAvAKER:
"When people everywhere pay tho same rate
OF postage, why should ono portion Of Thorn have
mail facilities denied TO other portions? Il it
fair 10 tho rural localities TO refuse postal ser
vice equal 10 that provided for the cities? Il I,
not reflection upon the intelligence OF ths
former OF the artisan to ignore bis noed Of the
convenienccs Of correspondence and Of supplies
of newspapers and magazines? Does II not TO
Sard the settlement 81 country districts 10 neglect
q provide In some form or other, como means
for at least daily intercourse with the world?"
Undoubtedly. And why should sixty
persons or hundred persons, or even fifty
persons. DO forced t. 60 to the post-othco
every day when one letter-carrier can per
form for them the services which the sixty
or one hundred now perform for them
selves? We quote the Postmaster-Generai
sgain:
zone hundred or more persons each day, IN
oil weathors, are making trips to the post-ofice,
comfort, when n single carrier could. once or
twice each day, make the round OF the village
and distribute the mail, and save the huntroi
daily unnecessary tramp, collecting at the same
time, from the letter-Doxes located at the street
corners, the mail 10 be forwarded Anewspaper
brought every day 10 The door OF the farmer or
workman who has no one 10 81 70 The posl-oiilce
Tor 1t would find thankful subscriber aud light
4 new lamp IN the household
We might initiate the example Of the
New York Herald and claim that the Post
master General got all these arguments
from TIE RICHMOND DisrArcH, as indeed
we believe hc did. But. as we sand several
days ago, We ask nothing from the public
except aid in securing the adoption oil
these reforms. let the credit Tor them be
appropriated by whomsoeyer it may.