Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-29
THURSDAY. go. MARCH ~. 1879.
Postal Reforms-Again.

There IS always something new needed
In the post-ofiice Department The add
ton Of one valuable feature to the rules
regulations. requirements, or proVlSiohs
Of the postal service is almost sure 10 he
followed by suggestions as TO how otheF
new and valuable features may be ADDED
thereto.
II cannot reasonably be expected that
free delivery should at once be PROVIDED
for not only in small towns ana villages
but in the rural districts. Nevertheless
IL ought forthwith TO be extended 10 every
town in which the services OF even one
man would be required 10 deliver all mail
matter free. There can be no valid excuse
for recurring the inhabitants OF every
town 10 waste fifty hours a day in going
to. returning from. and waiting at Inc
post-ofice, when 1t would require but
half a dozen hours a day for one man TO
perform the same service. To denver Iet-
tiers free in the various villages OF the
country would be to double very soon
the number If letters passing through
Uncle Sans mails.
The following paragraph from the last
report OF the Postmaster-Genoral VIII
explain to the reader interested in postal
reform why the government at Nashlhs-
ton has not made better progress IN the
work of extending free delivery TO the
rural districts. That officer says;
"Althoush it was provided by Congress
I'm the APPROXIMATION bin for the fiscal
wear ending June 30, 1891, that 5000"
should be devoted. at the discretion OF the
Postmaster-Ge neral, to testing tho feasi-
biIity Of establishing system oil free
delivery in rural districts, II has been
found impossible. by reason OF the pres
sure Of more important questions, Tor
the officers having that subject IN charEe
to give the subject the study and conside-
ration that it demands. much less TO es-
tabIish such rural free delivery"
What are these more important ques-
tions"? The Postmaster-General cannot
be trusted to carry out this reform lie
has the law on his side, the language
which he relies upon TO justify his nom
action being the words Eat the discretion
of the Postmaster-G General" This officer.
IL is evident, cannot safely be entrusted
with any discretion in the matter. Mr..
Picker said last Saturday in the House
of Representatives that the extract above
quoted from the Postmaster-Generars re-
port was the most remarkable language
he had ever seen submitted to Congress
.uttle less" he added than an insult
10 Congress and the people living in the
rural districts"
Another desirable reform is the privi-
lege OF pasting items of news upon postal
cards 10 be sent through the mails. This
proposed reform we claim as our own.
but 1t seems to have more friends In
England than In this country. This, how
ever. is not a strange fact. England has
always kept ahead of us In postal re-
forms. from the day letters were first
authorized 10 be prepaid by stamps until
now. There Is no good reason why no.
tees of deaths, or of marriages, or OF
anything else, should not be pasted upon
that side OF postal card intended TO
be written upon, and thus sent by mail
from one friend to another. There are
thousands of things concerning which no
body would like to write a formal letter
which nevertheless might be commune
Gated by postal card to the infinite salts
faction of the recipient as well as the
sender. Let some congressman link his
name with this reform, and he will thus
secure a life estate in his seat.