The Lamar register., 1901-07-10
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Rural Free Dsliyerx.

There is strong probability that
during the coming fiscal year the mon-
ey order system will be Incorporated in
the rural free delivery service, and thnt
carriers on rural routes Will De perihit-
ted to issue money orders, the same as
pOstmasters ut duly authorized oHces.
An attempt was made to have this ex-
tension consummated during the pres
ent year. but the pressure for the es-
tabltshment of new routes was so
great that little time was left for con-
sideration of improvements in the SER
vice. There has been some fear lest
this new provision might be Il nttie
too progressive at this time. but the ue-
partment IL about convinced that the
change can be made safely, and to tine
benefit of the people living along r'ira!
routes. The change. II adopted, VIII
not be made at once, probably not De-
fore next winter. but 1t is sure to come.
The Forthcoming report of the post
master general will show that the cost
of maintaining rural free delivery has
materially lessened d uring the current
fiscal year This decrease Is largely
due to two causes; the discontinuance
OF larger percentage of fourth-class
postofiices than heretofore. and the cor
responding discOntlnuance of star
| routes which supplied the same. In
| previous years the fourth assistant
postmaster general. acting under more
or less pressure from the different
| rourth-class postmasters has been re-
| uctant about disseminating fourth-class
offices whose patrons We're served by
rural carriers. Thus the department
had to support not only the rural ser
vice. but the postotiice as well. In like
manner, in the interest of the carriers,
he SECOND assistant postmaster gener-
II did not favor the discontinuance OF
star routes. even when supplanted by
rural free delivery.
Since that time, however. the post
| master general has talked the whole
subject over with his assistants. and
from the beginning Of the current fiscal
rear the two reluctant officials have
given in and have consented TO
he prompt discontinuance of fourth
.lass offices and star routes, when ask
! ad for by the rural free delivery SER
vice. There will be large saving to
| the department as a result OF TINS
change. 1t seems that the rural free
| delivery is the latest innovation in pos
tnl circles. and the older lines of SER
vice are Jealous of the universal popu-
: larity which has marked the spread
| Of the rural service.
| Rural free delivery has come to stay.
, On the LIST of July, 1890. there We're
some 200 routes in operation In the
United States. That was an Increase
Of 900 over the year previous. 1t Is es-
timated that on July list next. there
will be in the neighborhood of 400
rural routes in operation In the Unit
ed States. In addition to this 1t Is said
that this rural service Is much raster
approaching the state of self susie
nance than did the city free delivery
when inaugurated back in the Cos. 1t
is not contended that 1t will ever be
come self-supporting, for 1t is not be-
Iieved that postal service will lever s'Is-
tain itself. but it is fact pointed to
with pride that there are now nlm-
Der of rural free delivery routes in the
thickly settled communities that are
now being operated at n marked proht'
The service is now pretty thoroughly
established in the East. 1t shows
greater proportionate gain in the West
than elsewhere, and Its limitation in
those states is only because of many
spnrsely settled sections which cannot
support the service.