People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1896-11-20
Rural Free Delivery.

/ a
government which most intimately
concerns all the people is the general
post office. Comparatively few OF
the seventy million inhabitants OF the
United States ever have any practi-
csl acquaintance with the custom
house, the internal revenue collector,
or Federal court, bat all are brought
into frequent contact with the
postal system, and all RECOGNIZES in it
one Of the most beneGeeut products
OF civilization. Ii is a paternal de-
vice, but is justified by necessity. 1t
l ia an agency through which she PEG.
PIES government performs great
and indispensable work that couid
not possibly be performed by cor
porate or individual enterprise. The
eident Of Alaskz or the inhabitsnt
o. sparsely settled rural section
pays the same rates for transmission
of mail matter as are paid for carry
ing similar matter between Wash
ington and Baltimore, or between
New York and Brooklyn. D ubt-
less private enterprise could do the
work Of the postal service In the
densely populated parts OF the coun-
try at lover rates than those OF the
Pcs office Department, but the gov
eminent has always prohibited the
carrying OF mails by express com-
paniss, or any competitor with ITSELF
holdisg it TO bs necessary to use the
profit earned in thickly settled $50
aona to offset the loss incurred @ Sc
where. This is, as we have said,
paternalism, an arbitrary exercise OF
power to Limit private business, but
it las the hearty support of ths peo-
pie, for they know that it promotes
the general welfare.
"The postal service has been one
of tbs great factors in the settlement
and development Of the West. 1t
plays enc Of the most important parts
in the business of tbs country, and
is an ever-prssent and always active
force in educational and religious
work. Some Of our contemporar es
complain Of the extent to which the
frsnking privilege is used in political
campaigns, but SO long as its use is
limited TO statutory requirements 1t
will be found beneficial. We need
l. in all our great campaigns as an
educational aid. The privilege is
eqaally open to all parties and fac
tions, and if the law is violated the
remedy lies not in the repesl of it,
but in prosecution OF the gaijty.
| "The question of free delivery of
mails in raral districts has been dis
cussad for some years, and We are
glad to know that the experiment is
now on trial in "a number of States,
including Maine, New York, and
Wisconsin. In the last named state
1t is reported that the farmers who
live in the vicinity Of Sun Prairie,
Pierceyiilo and Madison are to rs
oeive their mail by mounted couriers,
who will cover a route Of twenty-five
miles each day Tao Chicago News
suggests, as probable result OF the
extension Of tbs plan, the discontinu.
ance Of very many small! post-ofiess
which are maintained at great expense
for the convenience of residents in the
suburban di strictg,so that there would
be some oompens ation for the extra
outlay for courieFs,
"Whatever adds to the pleasure Of
life on tho farm without increasing
its cost TO The farmer must inevitably
tend to allsy that spirit Of discomfort
which is prevalent in the agricultural
regions. When the farmer and his
family have their letters and news
papels brought to their door by
messenger Of the general govern
ment, instead Of being compelled to
90 long distance to the post office,
they will have tangible evidence that
this is their government. Every
decennial census shows an increasing
movement from country 10 city, and
its influence is not wholesome. A
well regulated rural free delivery
will not, at once, put stop to this
exodus, but it will tend to check it.
We hope these experiments will be
8 successful that Congress will be
induced to go on with the work"
NorR: We take tho above extracs
from tho Washington Post. Per-
hsps it is proper for US to state that
the author of the law under which
the Government is making free de-
livery of mail in country districts is
the said "T. E. w."
When in Congress, Mr.. Watson
secured the passage of an act appro.
priating $4,000 for the purpose.
That WAS the beginning. Congress
had never before endorsed the prin-
cipls.
Mr.. Watson, however, with his
usual orankiness) thought that if it
was all correct for the bankers and
merchants Of the big cities to go
their mail delivered to them without
cost every half hour during the bust
neas day, it would be equally proper