The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1900-07-18

are yet behind n'0' s+h IN re-
gbtenea % p'U nail facilities afforded our
Pect TO 'n ,Iotion. Every country De-
oral po lo the Universal Postal Union :
!i;. 70 embraces plp all the nations OF
ID this u snI at least one delivery OF
EUROPE na 'rhere within its borders
a a.n day, and in many iD''"
bore 'nan :, O service in our large cities
The nl lm that could be asked ior
sa9T .. an five to nine daily deliver
WIN I'V nails afford the quickest the
'' '4S and best means of communlca-
lfS'' Cncb conveniences make no
ti'l' "r the people at large De-
l'a ALL + |f have invariably paid their
'la'S r sIS through increased receipts
~, r, ra' lived all my life in the coun;
|, I, thought I knew the nee hee - time ~
laws and I believed for a long Time
.In,. going to congress that ,t Oo''e of
aa abilities for the great masses OF
rn, country people would not 9 'it5 a hn1
~, wa comforts of country life out
gould rid 50 increase the business Inter inter,
y If rnral communities as to hnally
t'.,i.h a profit to the government Oy
lI''l ,ant increase of business done
Itsropgh the postofices.
rse first step taken by congress IN
,,;or Of free rural delivery was IN
lgg when. through the efforts OF
-. Thors on the floor of the house,
Il .ral,.t the recommendation OF the
D''+offce department and Of the house
sommi-re on postofices, an approprla-
tion If $4,000 was made for "eXperl-
ms,tino with free rural mail de-
livery,
The nostmater-general declined to
r.a the money SO appropriated, and 1t
woo turned back into the treasury.
In 1894 congress appropriated S20,-
mo for experiments in this service.
Acsip the postofice department de-
cined TO engage in such Wild expert
ments with the peoples money, but
Postmaster General Wilson agreed
hstHtbe next year congress should
still insist he would give the scheme
stea Congress again insisted and
appvpriated $4,000. While enter
an1g great doubt.as to its practibil-
s. iy Postmaster General Wilson estab-
s. khed in 1896 "A routes in "widely d.
Yagent territory" in % states.
One of these routes was located in
Brooks county, Georgia, beginning az
the postoffice at Quitman.
Only few of these routes then es-
ablshed were successes. The major
lily we're complete failures from a f.
financial standpoint, and every piece of
maj delivered cost the government
i from two to four cents.
In spite Of this, however. congress
appropriated $50, 900 in 1896, and the
q fund was Standing at tqat when I en-
q tered On my duties as member of
congress in December, 1897.
happened to the good fortune of
B being placed by Speaker Reed on the
committee of postoffices and postroads,
aAa, believing, as stated just now, that
We farmers were entitled to better
mail facilities, | went to work to ascer-
9ln and if possible to assist in re-
moving the obstacles in the way of
successful rural delivery. | was very
Sfe mat what had been accomplished
v oiners we could do, and | was not
wy In reaching the conclusion that
rFFlafy hands and liberal appropri-
~% ffee delivery to the man in the
"Ulay could be made complete sue
"% The pittance hitherto devoted
s. aEllments could succeed in accom-
sI'l'ng only one thing, the certainty
lsnomlnious failure. Accordingly
I On lar noo bill "appropriating ST.
orn sOo Aor the purpose of continuing
WIZ 'Dlen~ with free rural delivery"
at mo -OO0Oy exactly laughed openly
arr,,aa, ~ :, many were the'quisical and
wbon ~ looAS Of some of my confreres
snnna, syer l talked of my million dollar
,oot.I = -"'iol' Confident of the cor
m stuess OF my opinion, however. I
hnt - '-ie matter in the committee
mr,.' was finally forced to conten
al :. WIN an appropriation of $780,
ro,l di mat the postofice department
Il waa ~ mat time undertake to use.
H,.t ~! long before I found that
gas 'S assistant Postmaster General
B,an I was deeply interested in this
Il ~, Vi 'ne service, and it was dur.
lerson NJ administration, under the close
nd oa supervision of the efficient
iver, 's S head of the free de.
bet s y service, Hon. A. W. Macheu
Ind nd To 'le s'5, rural delivery began to grow
The 9a,e p1omise of permanency.
100 to COVE %; year congress gave $780,
" continue experiments in 49,. =.