The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-01
SMITH MAY Be CANDIDATE
POstmasterGeneral Publicly Cheered
for Vice Presidency.
Enthusiasm at Banquet Given to Celebrate
Success of Rural Free Delivery sys.
tem-New Postal Method as
an Educator.

Westminster, Md, April 9O-A banquet
was given al the Westminster Hotel this
| evening by citizens of this city 20 Post
master General Charles Emory Smith.
| First Assistant Postmaster General Perry
/ s. Heath. and other officials of the Post
! Office Department and members of Con-
| syress to celebrate the success of the free
rural delivery system, which a few months
ago was inaIgurated in Carroll County.
Postma ster General Smith responded TO
| the toast The President Of the United
States" He said, in part.
1T is characteristic of the American
people that they reverence the emblems
of authority They honor the President,
whoever he may be. and in the present in
stance, as ! stand in the presence of those
of both parties, / am sure | speak the
sentiments Of every gentleman here tnat
they recognize in the present incumbent
OF that high office true patriot and an
honest man
Il am also sure that in this rural deliV-
cry system you recognize the success of
an experiment which will in history be
always associated with the name of Car
roll County. 1t is a matter of triumph to
Carroll that this county is the first in all
America TO successfully establish rural
free delivery. This marks the most i'm
portant step in postal development that
this country has seen for many years.
Rural free delivery has already made
itself self-sustaining, and ii has carried
the registry system farther than we an
ticlpated. This experiment has been
watched all over the country. 1t marks
the establishment of a system which, In
my opinion, is to play a great part in
the development of our rural regions.
This occasion has a significance reach
Ing far beyond the borders of Carroll.
bound to be heard at Washington and
bound TO bring its response from all quar-
ters OF the country"
Hon. George VI. Allen. Acting Assistant
Postmaster GeneraIy congratulated the
people of Westminster upon the success
full establishment of the new postal sys-
TEN. He thought its Inauguration should
be and was of great commercial value TO
the people of Carroll County and the city
of Westminster.
Mr.. William E. Curtis. OF the Chicago
Record. responded to the toast, "The
Press" His speech was practical HIS
suggestion of Postmaster General Smith
as a Vice Presidential candidate was re-
Ceiyed with vOciferous applause. He pre-
dicted that Carroll County. as the scene
OF the inauguration of the free delivery
system, would become known the world
over
Congressman W. 3. Baker was the next
speaker. He told of the opposition which
had greeted the inauguration OF the free
delivery system and of his grat:fcation
at its success.
The Postal Service; Its Past and Pres
ent, was the theme of A. W Ma1hen.
superintendent Of free delivery. After re-
viewing the progress and Improvement
in the postal service since I7Ss. when there
were bat seven post-offices in the United
States, Mr.. Machen stated that TODAY the
postal service stands unequaled by thai
of any other country either in revenues
cost, or efficiency. Uncle Sam" he sai1 /
spares no expense TO meet the require !
ments Of an exacting public Every prac-
ticdl Improvement is adopted: distances (
are overcome. and geographical obstacle /
are surmOunted, while the cost 10 the ueo- /
pie remains the same-2 cents per letter" !.
He closed. eulOgizing the adminisrrs ton 4
OF Postmaster Genera. Smith. .'wto is Of /
ten at his desk long after his GO clerks
have finished their days work"
Mr.. Mschen was followed by Congress
man Sperry, Of Connecticut: Judge II. NJ. /
Clabaush, Of Maryland; B. F. Grouse. and /
DR.. Wesley r. Davis. Judge CIabaugh 1
aroused great enthusiasm by greeting
Postmaster General Smith as the next Re
publican Vice Presidential candidate.
The Washington party with a number
Of guests. arrived here at O'Clock mis-
evening by special train over the Western
Maryland Railroad, and were met at tsa
station by band OF music and a large
cOncourse of enthusiasIic cIffznrc