The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-10
MH'L- CHRT hi CRHkrORO sWLLs, IN0IRNE.

er will realize that 1t is a good thing to
have some one bring him his mail every
day and save him a trip to the postofflce
on the morrow to mail his letters.
spread of Good Literature.
Again there is the bigger and the
broader aspect of a thorough system of
rural free delivery-the effect upon the
people who dwell in rural districts and
upon the nation at large of the increased
dissemination of good literature and the
opportunity for receiving and reading the
daily newspaper. In the long days and
evenings of winter the residents of our
rural districts have time and opportunity
for wholesome reading and study that the
people who dwell in cities are either too
busy or are unwilling 20 take. The thou
sand amusements, pleasures, duties and
Obligations which fell to the lot of the
city man do not distract his attention.
With the facts presented to him on the
great public questions, which are COM
ing up in increasing numbers as the years
90 by, through the medium Of his daily
paper and through the magazines and
other publications he has a chance TO
think and 10 develop me solid citizenship
and the hardy civic virtues which are nee
essary to keep America at the forefront
of the nations Of the world in all thoss
things which go to make a nation truly
great"
The idea of rural free delivery is by no
means new in this country 1t was pro-
posed and condemned in the Fifty-third
Congress as scheme impossible of execu-
( ton. Later, in 1894, Postmaster General
Bissell failed to make use of an appropri-
alton of Sl0,co0 made to test tne f.-isi-
biijty OF the scheme on the ground that
1.-The proposed plan of rural free delivery,
If adopted, would result in an additions.
cost TO the people Of S2OOO0,oOO the first
year"
1t was MT until 1896 tsat Postmaster
CeaeIal William L. wills n rlac On its
feel an n ant rural fres delivery system
pio,i ed for by a $4,000 appropriat on
from Congiess He established some forty
four widely divergent routes in twenty
n me different states. This was the leg H.
ming from which. The p esent extensive sys-
/. tem Of experiments has grown.
The Idea Grows.
AS might have been anticipated from
/ any experiment Of this nature many of he
routes proved usli IS to tteir pat ons as
Wei as duan ial .ai ures. o hers low
I ever, succeed ed from the very starr. ana
/ by The beginning OF the p esant admins
I uralcn IL Tad been rretty clearly deNnon-
straied to sud $ o. the subject hat a
/ system of rural free delivery judicious Nv
/ inaugurated could be made less expensive
] and more nearly self-sus DIN ng than sur
J Tan free delivery in the smaller cities. Mir.
I Heath found aVat Bile an app opriat on of
$4,000 for the continuation of these exrer-
inner s.. Results were almost Immediately
! of uch satisfactory nature that Con-
gress app opriaied for he fiscal year 1851
81 $3.50 O00 Tor rural free delivery For the
current fiscal year The appropriation was
| double d.
OF flie ire popularity Of free q vefy
system has increased ears nj gu a .
by OCT. J. our mcnihs after the last nam.
I I'D approp Ia ion became ay liable. The pop
ular demand for the establishment or new
routes was such that il had beon.,ntirely
appropriated. by Nov. ], $50 separate SER