The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1900-12-21
Rural Free Mail Delivery.


Palouse farmers are becoming much
interested in rural free mail delivery. 1t
will bring them in daily touch with the
great world, and they want it.
One OF the most interesting features of
the annual report OF Postmaster Gen
eral Smith is that which relates to rural
free delivery of mail matter. There
have been striking advances in the pos
tai service in the past, but, in the opin-
ion of Mr.. Smith, the extension of rural
free delivery during the past two years
has been the most salient, significant
and far-reaching feature of postal de-
veIopment in recent times, says the Post
Intelligencer. He thinks that to under
take the personal and free delivery OF
mail at the isolated farm houses on the
remote country roads marks what in this
widely extended land amounts to a new
departure in the postal service 1t
means what is the upsetting of the old
theory that the man should go for the
mail instead OF the mail going to the
man.
Free delivery in rural communities
was at one time thought to be too cost
~ and burdensOme to be practicable. On
| these grounds the movement met with
great opposition when first proposed,
| and even when congress authorized the
experiment there was reluctance in try
ing it. 1t took time and experience to
develop the more just view: first, that
the great body of people who live out
side cities and towns are entitled to
share in advanced mail facilities, even if
| the cost exceeds the returns; and second.
| that the barrier of unbalanced expense
is not as formidable as was unprecedented.
The postmaster general says that ru-
raj free delivery has now been sufficiently
| tried to measure its effects. 1t has slim
ulated social and business correspOn-
| dence and in this way swelled the postal
receipts. It's introduction has invari-
ably been followed by large increase in
circulation of the press and periodical
| literature. The farm has thus been
brought into direct daily contact with
the movements of the business world
A more accurate knowledge OF ruling
markets and varying prices has been
diffused, and the producer, with his
quicker communication and larger in
formation, enjoys advantages never be
fore known. Good roads have become
Indispensable, and their Improvement is
the essential condition OF the service.
The material and measurable benefits
are signal and unmistakabIe.
Mr.. Smith thinks that rural free de-
livery is here to stay. 1t cannot be
abandoned where it has been established
and it cannot be maintained without be-
ing extended. Those who enjoy it's ad-
vantages will not cOneent to surrender
them, and every new route creates de
mand from contiguous territory for sim
liar privileges The government is
therefore confronted with the problem OF
gradually extending the system over the
whole area of the country where it is
physically feasible or where the popuIa-
ton Is not so sparse az to make it IN
| reasonable
The government is now carrying the
postOffice to the doors OF 81 900 900 of
people massed in the towns and cities.
| The work of the future is the more com
plicated task of carrying the postoffice
to the doors of about q 100000
OfpeOple scattered over 600, 900 square
miles of territory, England, France and
Germany make rural free delivery, their
pOstmen going on foot. But England
contains only about $4,000 square
miles, France about 100000 square
miles, and Germany but little more.
| The United States is now covering with
rural delivery an area larger than Eng
aud it has been accomplished within the
past two years. By the end of the cur
rent fiscal year One-sixth of these 21,-
100000 country people will be ENJOYING
delivery service. In July, 1899. there