The St. Louis Republic., 1900-12-10

tXtT.IOTUT0.tTy
delivery during the past two years has
proved to he the most salient. significant
and far-reaching feature of postal develop
ment in recent times. We have had other
striking advances, but they have been along
lines already well settled. The fast-naii
service. carried to the highest attainabie
point, is only the logical outgr"vth OF the
constant struggle for the quichest dispatch
The admirable railway post office L. only
the elimination OF the inccSsahi e1ort 70
save time. obtain the s;raiSnt"s: line ana
secure the least handling. 4 II" frequent anu
rapid distribution in great cities. now often
outs:ripping the telegraph in local u.s.. l.
but the perfection of concentrated or2anIza-
tion. All these and the many "tner mn
provements of method which keep pace with
general modern progress are the natural
developments of an esta taDlishsd system.
But. to undertake the personal ana daiiy
delivery of the mail at the individual ana
isolated farmhouse on the remote country
road marks what in this widely eNt"niet
land amounts to new departure IN E'stii
service. 1t is essentially new conception
We have long been familiar with th,- .ti'.ll-
cation of the constantly improving ma"nin-
ery Of distribution to the c.nterS III iu.'uI i
tjnn The volume of business ana 81 mall
has rendered IL practicable and profitable
But the vast extent and the more limited
requirements of the agricultural regions
have seemed to forbid their INC IL ION under
the same principle. There it taken tor
granted that the man should go for the mali
instead OF the mail going to the man. lhe
plan OF embracing the country road ana the
rural home as Well the city street ana
the solid block within the Government
agencies of communication. grows only out
of a recent realization of what Is feasible.
Free delivery in rural communities had
been regarded as too costly and burdensome
TO be admissible. ON these grounds me
movement encountered great opposition
when first proposed, and even when Con-
greas authorized the experiment there was
reluctance in trying H. II took time ana
experience to develop and enforce the more
just view, first, that the great BODY OF peo-
pie who live outside cities and towns are
entitled 10 share In advanced mail facilities.
10 exceeds
second, that the barrier of unbalanced eN-
pense Is not as formidable as was appre-
hended
BRINGS FARM ~ DAILY
CONTACT WITH WORLD.
Rural free delivery has now been suf-
ficienily tried to measure its effects Inc
immediate and direct resul's are cleary
apparent. II stimulates social ana business
correspondence and 50 sWeilS the poStal re
ceipts. Its introduction is invariably foi-
lowed by a large Increase in the Circulation
of the press and of periodical literature. The
farm Is thus brought into direct daily con.
tact with the currents ana movements 4i
the business world. a more accurate knowI-
edge Of ruling mar kets and varying prices
is diffused and the producer. with his
quicker communication and larger informa-
ton. lis placed On "A surer footing
The value of farms. as has been shown
in many cases is enhanced Good roads be-
come Indispensable. and their Improvement
is the essential condition Of the service The
material and measurable benefits are signal
and unmistakable.
deeper influence II becomes a factor In the
social and economic tendencies of American
life The disposition to leave the farm for
the town is a familiar effect OF our past
conditions. But this tendency Is checked,
and may he materially changed. by an ad-
vance which conveys many Of the advan-
tages of the town TO the farm. Rural free
delivery brings the farm within the daily
raEge of thu intellectual and commercial
activities Of the world. and the Isolation and
pcnotony which have been the bane Of a6-
r.rr,lturaI life are sensihly mitiGated
1T proves TO be one of the most effective
and powerful of educational agencies Wher-
ever IL is extended. the schools improve
and the civic spirit of the community feels
n new pulsation. The standard of inielli-
gcnce is raised enlightened interest In pub
lie affairs is quickened and better citizen
ship follows.
THE benign influences Of our free insti-
tItions diffuse themselves widely and i'm
palpably but the arm of the Government
Is directly felt AT few points. The mails at
test the visible presence and service of the
Government. and not least among the mer-
its of the rural free delivery is its creation
OF the satisfying conviction in the farmer
that he shares with the townsmen the mani
fest advantages of which the Government
is the direct minister. He feels that the
organized and helpful agency of his country
GENES to his door. and the effect is to stir
his conscious pride and stimulate his loyalty
and patriotism.