The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-04-29
FREE MAIL DELIVERY IN THE
COUNTY,,


1t will be an unfortunate omission if
Congress fails to pass the necessary
measures for the extension of the free
delivery system to the rural districts.
The experiments made by Postmaster
General Wanamaker prove conclusively
that the matter is something that
is urgently called for by the people.
They show also that as a financial under
taking the extension is not without its
profitable side. According to the Post
master Generals recent report the net in
crease in receipts at the fOrty-six ex-
detrimental free delivery offices amount
ed to more than $500. At only seven of
them was there any loss at ALL and in
those cases local business depression or
changes in population accounted for the
falling off. In only a single instance
was there any suggestion that the sys-
TEN was not favored or that strong APP
peals were not made for its retention.
But it is not primarily as money
making venture that the extension of
the free delivery system is to be con-
sidered. Even the question whether it
would be self-supporting is not the prin-
cipal one, were that matter of doubt.
The vital point is the need of it. AS an
act of common justice it cOmmends it.
self. The people of the country towns
pay the same rates of postage as the resi-
dents of the city, and where it is at all
desired and at the same time feasible
they should be accorded the same privil
eyes. How much that would mean to
the farmers and to the rural districts in
general can hardly be over-estimated.
As it is now many families are entirely
cut off from the outside world, except
for the occasional visits members of
them make to the Postoffice. Some
times even these afford them nothing in
the way of letter or paper, and the time
thus spent in going the mile, or two
miles, necessary is lost. Multiply that
waste by thousands, and one can begin
to realize the significance of such items
alone. The immediate effect of these
daily deliveries of mail would be to
bring important districts into the
world" 1t would enable the farmer to
keep in touch with the markets and his
family to keep abreast of the movements
of the day. In that way color and warmth
would be given to the rural social life,
and the mental stagnation into which
such communities sometimes settle
would be dispelled. Said a farmer in
certain New Hampshire town, remote
from the local postoffice: II should take
daily newspaper IL ulun nave W
walk so far every night for ii" This is
a potent reason with many in country
districts. The extension of the delivery
system, too, would bring about an
equ Ii .ation of land values, as the acces.
sibihUy of any place to mails is one of the
elements in determining that. Ready
communication also would encourage
local spirit and enterprise and would re-
suit in that new life which comes from
the feeling that one is in the world and
of the world.
This plan mas been embodied in bill
and is now before Congress, but in ap-
parent neglect. Mr., Wanamaker's sug-
gestion was for the extension of the sys-
tenn to towns having population be-
tween 5000 and 5000. The present law
limits it to places of 10,C0O population.
SO that there is nothing headlong about
the proposed extension. The measure
as such is not partisan one, neither is
it one that any financial economist can
reasonably object to. We sincerely hope
that Congress will see fit to give it an
early hearing, as there is no doubt ABOUT
| the demand for it,