Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-21

i 10y - ASAASA AASi6Cl dbu W Tic ulSHOSItlOU
OF the public to be. slseptical as to the
feasibility of rural free delivery for the
moderation and cautiousness with
which thru this resolution committed
the national convention to an indorse-
ment OF rural free delivery. In my
Judgment it will be necessary to adjust
rural free delivery to certain essential
conditions, foremost among which is a
rigid insistence upon first class high
ways, and column of patronage APP
proNimately making the service self
sustaining.
The mistake in the assumption of
many people, before the experiment
had been made, that rural free deliv-
cry would not pay, was based upon
conditions then existing. They did not
take into account the increased bust
ness. that would naturally follow the
improved service. The experiment of
the past few years has demonstrated,
as is fully and most lucidly set forth
j by the Hon. Perry S. Heath, first assis-
| tant postmaster general, in his last an
nual report, that not only is the far
mer and his family delighted with the
service, but he utilizes it much more
than he ever used the mails before.
! He takes the daily paper instead of the
weekly; he takes more papers and mag
azlnes, writes more letters and ayails
himself of the money order and regis
tered letter service to greater extent
than previously. In other words, he is
learning the utility and possibilities of
Uncle Sans mail service, and he finds
! it to his advantage, not only CONNER
cially, but socially, to increase his pat
ronage of the mails. This growth Of
the country service is bound to contin-
lie. The young people on the farm are
materially helping it. They want peri
odicals and reading matter adapted to
their age and tastes, with which previ-
,,ously they were not favored. The spir-
at of mental and social development
leads to an increased correspondence
with friends; and thus in all its details
the service is growing.
Furthermore, residents in the city
find rural free delivery of advantage to
! them as well as to the farmer. 1t puts
, them in closer touch with business and
social interests in the rural districts.
L am satisfied that many letters and
postal cards now pass between city
and country residents which would ne
yer have been sent We're the farmer to
get his mail only at intervals of sever
al days. or week or more; and as the
service in the city has increased where
there is free delivery, in like manner
the service in the country is sure to
develop, and is developing.
The interest of Iowa people in rural
free delivery has grown Wonderfully
during the past year. At last ac-
counts there We're lightweight rural
free delivery districts in Iowa, embrace
ing how many routes do not know,
but it must be a large number, as ma
ny districts have several routes and nu.
merous others are petitioned for. APP
plications are flooding the department.
from all parts of the state. This is
not surprising because all Iowa
is Inhabited by an intelligent,
progressive people. A post
| Office inspector could drop out of n
/, balloon almost anywhere within the
state boundaries and find good local
ity for the rural free delivery service.
There is SO little :lliteracy in Iowa and
we are so largely a reading people, that
the United States mail service is re-
garded as one of the necessities of
I life, and one which our people desire
in its fullest development. Therefore.
if the general government maintains
its present policy of promoting rural
free delivery, as l am confident it will,
anticipate that the new century will
not be five years old before nearly
the whole state of Iowa will be thread
led and interlaced with rural routes
along which Uncle SANS country
agents will speed their way every day,
Sundays and holidays excepted) dis
tributing and collecting large amounts
, of mail and bringing to our country
homes I, new charm tina, breaks up in
some degree the isolation and lone
someness of life on farm
No state in the union has taken !,
deeper interest in rural free delivery
than Iowa. The popular sentiment
was manifest in the late session of our
general assembly which adopted res
oiutions urging upon the postoitice
department. the extension Of rural free
delivery over the state. AZ little later
at the same session the following
resolution was adopte6:
"Resolved: That our senator's and
representatives in congress be request
ed to advocate such legislation as may
be necessary to provide for the deliN
cry and collection of mail along pub
lie highways on all star routes where
, residents provide suitable boxes sim
| liar to the rural free delivery service.
That the secretary of state forward
a properly certified copy of this resolu-
ton to the delegation in congress from
this state.'
Subsequently certified copies were
sent to the postmaster general and
first and second assistant postmas-
ter general. i had correspondence with
the latter in reference to utilizing the
star route out of Burlington in Des
, Aloines county to Denmark, in Lee
county, a distance OF fifteen and one
I; half miles and passing thru the small
town of Augusta. Here was a mail
service passing the doors of the farm
ers daily. excepting Sundays, which
could render valuable service to all
!, residents on that road who would put
up boxes for the delivery and collec-
ton of mail. The second assistant
postmaster general kindly consented
to q change of schedule and advertised
for bids for the new service, including