The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-10

urban free delivssy IL made male he average cost
per Sespi,a "a estimated AZ 81 3d. ~,
which n one phase Of our ,h service
largely increased postal receipts which follow tho
Introduction Of tho rural FREQ delivery system.
slm,ost every case where the service has been es-
most ,ns postal receipts have nersasd in
growth IRON month 70 month, thus indicating
a lcaay Lcsponso on the part Of the rural popula-
ment for the mailing and receipt Of letters In
isc' There are cascs already where the increase In
ne postal business is paying. the entire expense
ASIDE from the fact that the difficulties in q
,sGjnoa way which prevented In times gone by
overcome In great pnrt there are several very good
TOYS Tor the Introduction Of rural free delivery
tho VA hS Sss has ss
u, % an EDUCATION undo, the best public school
Gently the Spanish American war has given the
interes, Of tho country people in nation and in,
ternauonsl affairs has been broadened and quick
lated hame. wants 70 be nformed daily through o
o. Which he has but fco a learned
while, Of course urban FREQ delivery is ono
OF tho Indispensable factors In modern city life il
might be urged on good grounds that the farmer
the delivery Of his mail 10 his home than IL Tho
average dweller In the city A trip to the post
once In tho city Is little hardship II IL accom-
plishod generally by a few minutes walk over
good payemcnts In tho country such trip
Is matter OF the loas Of halfday's time in many
cases Often II IL necessary to hitch up a horse
and trave! many miles over bad roads II is little
wonder then, that people In rural districts carry
on no more correspondence under such conditions
than H. absolutely necessary.
In times past the farmer has felt somehow that
ne was being sighted by the Government An
occasional trip to fourth-elass post Office Is un.
mat the farmer has with tho Government with
An emissary OF the Post Once Department calling
on him daily for the purpose Of bringing him tho
latest news Of the world, OF the markets and from
bis friends this feeling will Inevitably die ont
The farmer will realize that IL is good thing to
nave somo one bring him his mail every day and
save nun q trip to tho post ofiico on the morrow
Again, there Is the bigger and the broader
aspect Of thorough system OF rural free delivery
the effect upon the people who dwell in rural
districts and upon tho nation at large Of the in
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 aro
either too busy or arc unwilling 70 take The
thousand amusements, pleAsurea duties and OH
legations which fall 10 the lot % the city man do
sentcd TO him on the great public questions which
are coming up In increasing numbers as tho years
70 by. through tho medium OF hs daily paper and
through tho magazines and other publications
citizenship and tho hardy civic virtues which
are necessary TO keep America at the forefront
OF the nations OF the world in all those things which
60 70 make q nation truly great