The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-06
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
NEARLY 100000 COUNTRY HOMES
SEE THE PosTMAN.
Assistant Postmaster General Says
the New system Has Been Success
fully Tried and That II
1t Not InordfnateIy Expensive.

Special Dispatch to the Post-1ntelligencer.
WASHINGTON. May 1.-THE credit OF
rural free delivery belongs almost exelu-
sively to the Mckinley administration"
said Hon. Perry s Heath. first assistant
postmaster general. recently. "A move
ment to broaden the free delivery of the
mails was begun by Postmaster General
wanamaker under the administration OF
Gen. Harrison. 1t took the form of viii
lage free delivery. and extended as an
experiment the plan OF delivering mails
by carriers as existing in cities OF la.no0
population or $1,000 gross postal receipts
to forty or fifty selected villages of less
population and smaller postal receipts. The
experiment was a success as far as 81
went but the succeeding Democratic al.
ninistration, fearing its effect in poru-
larizing Republican principles and disse-n-
mating Republican literature. ordered II
dropped
1T was Republican administration that
conceived and executed the idea OF bright
ening the home OF the farmer, educating
his children. increasing the value OF his
land, compelling the Improvement OF his
roads. and giving him ready access to q
market for his crops by carrying the Unit
ed States mails to him on his farm
Since the 4th OF March. 1897. nearly
10000 rural homes in all parts of the
United States have been brought into close
touch with the rest of the world by a
daily visit of the rural postman
The initiation OF some form OF free
delivery which should reach the here
tofore isolated rural communities, was
forced upon the last administration in
its closing year by congress. responsive
to the wishes OF the people, Fortv-four
rural experiments were reluctantly start
ed; some OF them in communities which
neither asked nor appreciated the ser
vice. 1t was difficult to find such To-
calities, but some were found. and the
service was started there, apparently
with the purpose of bringing rural free
delivery into dfsreputs and demonstrating
Its impracticablity.
1T is possible this result might have
S Sssp sshsysa u y TINE but under h
policy. rural free delivery at once sprang
into vigorous life. The appropriations
WEI increased BY ], 6 congress from $4,000
and $4,000 the third year. On the I'd
of April. 1890. close upon i.0oo rural
routes had been established. some of
people daily, the average being 80 per-
sons to a route. Not one state which
has asked for the service has been left
going on. Nothing short OF revoiu-
ton can now check IL.
Three years experience has shown
that the rural free delivery service is not
Unfortunately expensive. II costs very lit
tie more than the old colonial style of
postal service. which IL superseded. and
II Invariably brings a large and COM
pensating increase in the amount of the
mail matter handled and consequently
in the amount OF postal receipts turned
into the treasury. But even IL II does cost
more than the obsolete old plan. are not
the farmers entitled 10 some Of the ben
efits of the government which they help
so literally to support by their taxa
ton?
The country can we'll afford to con-
tnue and extend system which makes
better citizens. happier homes. and con-
tributes so largely TO the mental. moral
and material advancement of the plain
people"