The evening times., 1899-09-14
I'm NEED OF4M0RE FUNDS.
The Extension of sthe Free Rural
Mail Delivery Ceases.


Mail Delivery Ceases.
An announcement has been made by the
Postoffice Department that will greatly
disappoint many of the Republican mem
bers of Congress, who represent districts
in rural and agricultural parts of the coun-
try.
During the last session of Congress the
Postofice Department, supported by Sena-
tors and Representatives from rural ami
agricultural districts, succeeded in OBJ
tanning an appropriation of $500, 600 for the
maintenance and further establishment o.
the rural free mail delivery system. This
appropriation became available July i, O.,
the present year, and in less than three
months since then the Postoface Depart
ment has entered into contracts for the
rural free delivery system for all of the
amount appropriated, excepting the sum
of $4,000.
Now the department has Issued an order
to the effect that no more contracts for
rural free delivery service will be entered
into until Congress meets and makes
further appropriation. 1t was said today
at the Postoffice Department, that the un-
ly 100000 worth of contracts for the rural
free delivery service was due to the extra
ordinary pressure brought to bear on the
department by Senators and Representa-
tiyes, particularly the latter.
''The clamor these Congressman made
over this patronage was awful said an
official today, land it was impossible for
the postoffice officials to escape from It
except by complying with the demands.
Three hundred thousand dollars was not
half enough to meet the-demands for the
free delivery service that were filed with
the department within two weeks after the
appropriation had been made, and as
matter of fact, many applications were ON
file long before the appropriation was
made"
What will the people do now. who
failed to obtain their share of the spoils ?"
the official was asked.
Simply wait for another appropriation"
was the reply. THE postoffice Depart
ment will continue to send special agents
throughout the country to inspect loca-
tions where rural free delivery is wanted,
and they will, as hitherto, make their re-
ports These will be laid away until more
money is obtained and then more con-
tracts will be entered into.
This last act of sending agents around
the country is clever device by which
the Representatives in Congress, from these
districts hold out alluring hopes that very
soon the expected cash will follow the in
spections, and the good people are kept in
line for the Congressional election next
year, believing that their Representatives
are doing great things for them.
THE scheme is said to be working very
nicely in the Western districts, and it is
also stated that the promises made by the
Congressman respecting the establishment
of the free delivery service in these places
will be fulfilled"
The first appropriation made by Con-
gress for free rural delivery service was
$4,000. The next year this amount was
doubled and $4,000 was appropriated, and
last year when the third allowance was
made for the maintenance and establish
nent of the service, $4,000 was granted.
Each appropriation has doubled and as
was said today at the department, it seems
but reasonable to expect that Congress
will next time appropriate 5000, 600, or
twice the present provision for the serv-
ice.
No one knows when or where this doub-
ling process will end, but it is considered
highly probable that it will not cease until
after the election in 1900. Postoffice off,
cials freely express their belief that Con-
gress will next winter make an additional
appropriation to be Immediately available
and that the rural free delivery service
will receive full and affeetionate attention
when the annual postoffice budget is before
it.