The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-09-28
RURAL MAIL SERVICE
STARTED BY M'KINLEY.
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.

velopment from an insignificant begin
ming of forty-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, 100000 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
free delivery to farmers, but limited as
was it's 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 it 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 roads, and bringing the news OF
the markets and the weather SO as to Sc
cure him a better price for his crops by
delivering daily his mail to him on his
farm. Every Democratic House Of Rep
resentatives since the idea was first
preached Of carrying the mails into the
rural districts, has declared against it.
The Forty-third Congress, with a Demo
crat from North Carolina as chairman Of
the committee on postoffices and post
roads, proclaimed the plan impossible,
and turned it down. Postmaster Cen
eral Bisseil, 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 out 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. it 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 it's possibilities
and advocated it's immediate development
and Republican Congress generously
seconded their efforts. Under this vivi-
flying touch. it 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 1,2O0 rural SER
vices in actual operation and 1000 APP
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
1899-190O, and lastly to $1.75O,0OO for
the present fiscal year 10000.
Three years experience has shown that
in well-selected rural districts the mails
can be distributed to the domiciles Of the
addresses or in boxes placed within rea
sonable distance of the farmers homes
at some cross roads or other convenient
spot at a cost per piece not exceeding
that Of the free delivery in many of the
cities Of the United States. In the vast
majority Of communities where it has
been tested, the rural free delivery SER
vice has obtained so strong a hold that
public sentiment would not permit its dis
continuance. 1t has been a revolution,
and revolutions do not move backward.
1t costs very little more than the old
colonial style of postal service which it
supersedes, and it invariably brings a
large and compensating increase in the
amount of postal receipts turned into the
treasury. But even il it does cost more
than the obsolete old plan, are not the
farmers entitled to some of the benefits
Of the government which they help so lib
orally to support by their taxes? The
country can well afford to continue and
extend a system which makes better citi-
zens and happier homes and contributes
largely to the mental, moral and material
advancement of all the people.
Rural free delivery of mail has come
to stay, and the Republican administra-
ton which brought it into being will stay
with it.
Trade Expansion in South America.
According to the Manufacturer, the
present disturbances in China have en-
phasized the necessity Of American man
ufacturers developing an outlet for their
goods in Central and South America
above what they now control. Produc-
ton has reached point of development
that manufacturers are seeking every
outlet for the production of their mills
and works Quite a number Of the lead
ing exporters are looking south for new
fields of enterprise. This is as it should
be, for the more goods that are manufac-
tured and exported the greater the pros
perity and chance for wage workers at
home.
Growth OF Foreign Commerce.
Our foreign commerce under Republi-
can administration in 1900 was worth
50 244 103 543. under n Democratic free