Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-09-27
RURAL MAIL SERVICE
STARTED BY M'klNIEY.
History of the Daily Delivery
in the Country.
Democrats Said that the Plan Was In.
practicable, but the Republicans
Have Thoroughly Demonstrated
Its Value 10 Farmers.


of the Postoffice Department. Its de-
velopment from an Insignificant begin
ming Of ferty-four routes and an appro-
proation for the fiscal year which closed
In 1897 to its present magnificent pro-
portions with the rural routes numbered
by the thousands and an appropriation
Of 81, 7JO 600 voted for its further extern
sion during the present fiscal year. has
all been brought about by the Mckinley
administration.
A movement to broaden the free deliv-
cry of the mails was started by Post
master General Wanamaker under the
Republican administration Of Gen. Har-
rison. 1t took the form of village free
delivery. and was more an extension OF
city delivery to smaller communities than
a free delivery to farmers, but limited as
was its scope and successful though it
was in increasing postal receipts and
postal facilities, it encountered Demo
cratic opposition. When Mr.. Cleveland
came in, his Postmaster General fearing
Its effect In popularizing Republican prin-
ciples and disseminating Republican lit
erature. ordered 1t dropped.
1t was a Republican administration
that conceived and executed the idea of
Frightening the home Of the farmer, edu-
eating his children, increasing the value
of his land, compelling the improvement
of the reads. and bringing the news Of
the markets and the weather so as 10 Sc
cure him a better price for his crops by
delivering daily his mail to him on his
farm. Every Democratic House of Rep
resentatiyes since the idea was first
preached OF carrying the mails into the
rural districts, has declared against IL.
The Forty-third Congress, with Demo-
crat from North Carolina as chairman Of
the committee on postotfices and post
roads, proclaimed the plan impossible,
and turned 1t down. Postmaster Cen
eral Bissell, Postmaster General Wilson
and First Assistant Postmaster General
Jones in the Cleveland administration,
all took up the cry of extravaganza and
impossibility Of execution. Consequently
little or nothing was done to give the
farmers access to the mails until Cleye-
land went cut of office.
When First Assistant Postmaster
General Perry s. Heath took up the
rural service under the direction Of the
President and the Postmaster General in
March, 1897, il was languishing to the
point of extinguishment, and in a few
months more would have been starved to
death, like Mr.. Wanamaker's village de-
livery. The official reports OF the Post
Office Department record that it was with
surprise that President Mckinley and
those to whom he entrusted the admins
tration of postal affairs, learned that
there was such a thing as an expert
mental rural free delivery mail service
In progress.
They at once grasped its possibilities
and advocated its immediate development
and Republican Congress generously
seconded their efforts. Under this vivi-
flying touch. il has grown until there Is
not now State in the Union that has
not felt the civilizing and educational in
fuence Of rural free mail delivery, and
not one that does not desire a further
expansion Of the service. On the LIST of
June, 1900, there were 1000 rural SER
vices in actual operation and 1000 ap-
plications for an extension Of the system
in process Of establishment by special
agents appointed for the purpose.
The appropriations for the rural free
delivery service have been increased from
$4,000 in the fiscal year 1S97-9S to $780,
600 In 1S9S-99. and then to $3.50, 900 in
oAoVO' anu .asuy W Si,.oo'V"0 io1
the present nscai year iooo-ol.
Ihree years experience mas SHOWN that
IN weh-selected rural districts the mans
can De distributed 10 the domiciies OF the
auuressees OF IN boxes placed WITHIN rea-
sonable distance of the farmers homes
At some cross roads or other convenient
snot nj = cost ner niace NOT srcsad,ns
that M the FREQ delivery In manv !, tbe
cities az the limited states In The vast
maioritv Of communities where n has
been tested The rural free delivery ser.
vice has obtained 50 strong hold ina.
nnhlic sentiment would moi hermit ia dis.
continpance n has been : revolution
and revolutions 10 not move backwa
n costs yerv I;ttle mara than the ola
coloniaI stvle ~ nostaI service which n
snnersedes. and h inyariably brings a
large ana Communicative Increase IN The
amount ~ nostai receints turned into The
treasnrv Rut even II n does cost moro
than the ohso,ete ala nlan are no, tho
farmers entitled to some OF the benefits
of the government which they help so lib
orally to support by their taxes? The