Middletown transcript., 1900-12-01
nHRAr FREE DELIVERY

mails This prejudice, we believe
arises from a lack of knowledge
OF the system. The objections
urged are two in number, its cost,
and the closing up of fourth class
offices and consequent loss of
place and emoluments, by the.
postmasters affected. The esti-
mates Of the superintendent of
Rural Free Delivery are that to
place the whole country under
the provisions of this service
would cost approximately twenty
million dollars, and the savings
by discontinuance of small Of
fees and star routes would be
more than five millions making
the total net cost of the service
about fifteen million dollars.
This does not take into account
the increased income that would
come from more frequent and
better service. And it is a well
established fact that every move
made in the way of reducing the
cost Of postage or increasing the
more facilities has always shown
an immediate and perceptible
increase in the revenues. An
answer to the second objection
is given in the report of the
Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General under the head of dis
continuances. In the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1900, there were
discontinued 195 fourth class
Offices on account of the estab-
lishment of rural free delivery
routes covering the territory tri-
butary to those offices. The
combined salaries. of these 1875
postmasters was $12, ,259, an
average of S62.87 per year.
Consequently the loss of reve-
nue. to the postmasters is not a
serious consideration.
The advantages of this system
are many and varied. The farm
ing community is the one most
to be benefited and what bene-
fits the farmer returns many
fold to other classes. By sim
ply placing a box at his front
gate, farmer along the route of
a delivery wagon has his mail
brought almost to his door in
stead of having to drive in many
instances five, six, or even ten
miles to secure it, he can post
his letters, or buy his stamps,
from the agent; he can send a
money order, or have one cashed;
he can send a registered letter or
receive one; and better than all
he may have the daily paper de-
ivered to him not more than two
hours later than the resident of
the town. And farmer needs
the daily paper as much as any
other citizen. Instances are on
record where, in case of a sud-
den rise in some particular farm
product, as wheat, corn, cotton,
ETC., the farmer has not realized
all that he should have done.
But if he gets his newspapers
about as quickly as the dealer,
he is or can be as well posted in
the markets of the world.
tits 11ottheplan of the Postofice
Department to install this sys-
tenn in the whole country at one
time, The progress SO far made
has been largely experimental
and the officials have been ''mak-
ing haste slowly" The first ap-
Precipitation made by Congress
for this service was $50,
This was increased to S150,OO0
/ and then to 81, 900, 900, while the
ARppr&priation for the current
- lis two and one half millions
The estimate for the year be-
ing July 1, 1901, is three
one half millions. And the
ests to be placed under this
ch of the Department are al
y in excess of the possibil-
of being acted upon.
be plan of the administration
as outlined in the reports of the
Post Master General to be sub
mitted to Congress next Monday,
is to combine, in a measure the
present Star Routes, and Rural
Free Delivery by permitting
residents along the Star Routes
toplace the letter boxes and have
their mail taken from them and
on the return trip it to be de-
posted therein. This will be a
great eatimprovement, butof course
win not belas satisfactory as the
Rural Free Delivery would be.
TO illustrate, there are from
MiddletownB two Star Routes, to
Odessa and to Earleville. If the
Earleville route, for instance,
we're to be placed under the pro-
posed combination, the farmers