Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-10-23
Delivery " Mail Matter to Country Resi-
dents,

l The Patrons OF HusDduuIy, FhIhicss
Alliance and other bodies Of representa-
tive organized farmers Throughout the
| United States are making an effort TO Sc
cure the free delivery Of postal matter
| 20 all the rural residents OF the Nation.
They assert that daily mall delivery at
their door would add percep,ibly to the
| money value Of their farms, and would
be worth still more because ir would keep
them In touch with markets and the out
side world, and rob farm life Of It's $50
lation and monotony. The farmers are
| writing TO the agricultural press that
this convenience would enable them
quite generally to take daily paper, as
we'll "a to subscribe for the local papers
more literally; and they are also writ
ing to Congressman, and already send
ing petitions TO Congress praying for
universal free delivery Of mail matter.
In an article in the American Agricult
urist for November, Postmaster General
wanamaker makes definite statement
over his own name and for the first time
since he has had this plan under advise
ment. that the experiment made by the
Post Office Department for free delivery
in farming districts shows that the In
crease of revenue more than pays all the
increased expense. He believes that
universal free delivery would, therefore,
be self sustaining In this article Mr.
Wanamaker presents some very interest
ing facts bearing upon this subject
which will be OF interest to ala por-
ton of which we copy. when town.
SAYS the Postmaster General grows
to ten thousand population and
puts down footwalks and puts up
numbers on the houses, the Post Office
Department is authorized by act OF Con
gress to establish carrier service to de-
liver mail matter at the doors of houses
and offices. As the town increases pos
tai stations are established.
Thus the postal service keeps pace
with the growth Of the town. While all
this postal work Is going on Mt the thickly
populated points, the farmers, quarry
men, blacksmiths, millers and artisans,
all paying the regulation rates of post
age, are left TO get their mail as best
they can from the post office in the vii
lage or at the railway station
in hamlet OF 100 houses perhaps
sixty persons from the village and
the vicinage make daily pilgrim
age of distance of from one
block to two miles from the home to
the post office, to find out whether there
is any mail or not; and hundred more
persons within the circle Of the office do
not find it convenient to go to the post
office oftener than once week, One
hundred or more persons each day, in all
weathers, are making trips to the post
office, often at great personal inconven-
fence and discomfort, when a single
carrier could once or twice a day make
the round Of the village and distribute
the mail. and save the hundred daily
unnecessary tramp, collecting at the
same time from the letter boxes, located
at the street corners, the mail to be for
warded A newspaper brought every
day to the door of the farmer or work
man who has no one TO 90 to the post
office for it would find a thankful sub
scriber and light new lamp In the
household
True enough, the village or cross
roads inhabitants, or the dweler on the
farm, chooses his home for his family
aud might live in the city, where gas
and water and malls are brought to his
door; but when people everywhere pay
the same rate of postage, why should
one portion of them have mail facilities
denied to other portions? Is 1t fair TO the
rural localities to refuse postal service
equal to that provided for the cities Is
1t not reflection on the intelligence
and aspirations OF the farmer ard the
artisan to ignore his need of the conven
fences of correspondence and of supplies
of newspapers and magazines? Does it
not retsrd the settlement OF country
districts to neglect to provide, in some
form or other, means for at least daily
intercourse with the rest Of the world?'