The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-13

Rural Free Mail Delivery.
One OF the most interesting features Of
tho annual report OF Postmaster General
Smith Is that which relates to rural free
delivery Of mail matter. There have been
striking advances in the postal service in
the past, but. in the opinion Of Mr. Smith,
the extension of rural free delivery dur
ing the past two years has been the most
salient, significant and far-reaching fea-
ture OF postal development in recent
times He thinks that to undertake the
personal and free delivery Of mail at the
try road marks what in this widely ex-
tended land amounts to a new departure
In the postal service. 1t means what Is
the upsetting OF the old theory that the
man should 20 for the mail instead OF
the mail going to the man.
Free delivery In rural communities was
at one time thought to be too costly and
burdensome to be practicable. On these
grounds the movement met with great OPP
position when first proposed, and even
when congress authorized the experiment
there was reluctance In trying It, 1t took
time and experience to develop the more
Just view; first. that the great body OF
people who live outside cities and towns
are entitled to share In advanced mail
facilities, even II the cost exceeds the re-
turns; and second. that the barrier OF I'M
balanced expense Is not as formidable as
was apprehended
The postmaster general says that rural
free delivery has now been sufficiently
tried to measure its effects. 1t has slim
uiated social and business correspondence
and In this way sweiled the postal re.
ceipts. Its introduction has Invariably
been followed by large increase In the
circulation OF the press and periodical lit
era'ure. The farm has thus been brought
Into direct daily contact with the move
ments OF the business world. A more ae-
curate knowledge OF ruling markets and
varying prices has been difruscd. and the
producer, with his,aueker Communication
and larger information. enjoys advantages
never before known. Good roads have
become Indispensable. and their improve
ment Is the essential condition of the
service. The material and measurable
benefits are signal and unmlstakabie.
Mr.. Smith thinks that rural free deity
cry Is here TO stay. u cannot be aban-
doned where Il has been established and
II cannot he maintained without being ex-
tended. Those who enjoy its advantages
will not consent TO surrender them. and
every new route creates a demand from
contiguous territory for similar privileges
The government Is therefore confronted
with the problem OF gradually extending
the system over The whole area of the
country where Il Is physically feasible or
where the population Is not so sparse as
20 make u unreasonable
The government Is now carrying the
pos,onice 10 the doors OF Sl.ooocoo OF peo-
pie mssssd In the towns and cities. The
work % the future Is the more compli-
Gated task az carrying the postonice 20
the doors ~ about 2i.@oooo people scat
tered ever lcs,cOo square mites Of terri
tory, England, France and Germany
make rural free delivery. their postmsn
goinS on foot sut England contains only
ahou, Seco square miles France shou,
aoco square mites. and Germany but a
little more The United States Is now COW
ering With rural delivery an area larger
than England. and Il has been accom-.
plished within the past two years. BY
the end Of the current fiscal year one-sixtt
Of these u 10000 country people win ID
enjoying delivery service In July. 1859
there were S9l rural delivery routes In
operation, Within the fscal year, under
an appropriation OF $4,000 this number
was Increased to L2i4 In July the sp,
propriation of N,.Se,coo became available