The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-03-01
MAY LOSE FREE DELIVERY.
Shiawassee County May Lose Free
Delivery in Some Sections If Roads
are not improved.

are not improved.
The present time is good one for the
farmers of the county to do a little
thinking along the line of improving
some of their roads. The discussion
held In the Methodist church in Corun.
ma last week during the meeting of the
county association of farmers clubs
showed conclusively enough what the
opinion of the farmers themselves is as
to the condition OF many of the roads of
the county at the present time and also
as to the effectiveness with which the
road taxes are applied to the better
ment of the existing conditions. The
matter should not be allowed to drop
with that discussion. There are other
things of great interest to the farmer
besides what he himself loses in horses,
harness, wagon, and time from poor
roads. At the present time the far
mers of this county are just coming IN
to new and great heritage in the form
of free rural delivery of mail at their
very doors, and while the system is
yet but in its infancy, albeit very
healthy infancy it must be confessed,
surely the farmer is the last man in the
world who can afford to put any stumb-
ling blocks in the way of the full ex-
tension and ultimate success of the new
system. There is one thing however
which the farmers themselves must be
responsible for. 1t is to them that the
government must look for the mainte-
nance ofthe roads through their districts
in such condition that the delivery of
mail over them shall be feasible.
Various plans for the further extern
sion and perfection of the service in
Shiawassee couny have been under con-
sideration for many weeks and there
are now several routes pending estab-
lishment on which service will probably
soon be begun. Others will follow as
fast as the appropriations shall become
availible and the inspectors can get
around to drive over routes petitoned
for. All good things come slowly, but
the indications are that before many
more months go by there will be rural
routes running into every township and
in such way as to serve practically
the entire population. But this aas not
come to pass yet. The new routes
have still to pass the inspection of the
officers, who are receiving instructions
to proceed with more care in the mat.
ter of establishing routes where the
roads are not what they should be and
the farmers residing along them do not
care enough for the delivery to put and
keep them in proper shape for the SER
vice. This applies not only to the
routes now pending establishment but
it applies quite as we'll to those which
have been served during the year or
more just passed Those who have
been enjoying the benefits of free de-
livery should not think that because
they have enjoyed such benefits
for some time, that they are secure in
such enjoyment for all future time.
They have duty to perform as much
as any others and one of the chief parts
of that duty is to see that the condition
of the highways over which their SER
vice is given in such that it cannot be
improved upon.
Up to the present time there has been
so much work in the extension of the
service and the laying out of new
routes that the same amount of atten-
ton has not been paid to the enforce
ment of the requirements of the depart
ment in the matter of good roads as
there will be in the future. 1t will not
be welcome news to those who wish to
get free delivery service without paying
any attention whatever to the condition
of the roads, to learn that there is now
an agent OF the department with head
quarters at Detroit, whose duties cover
just such cases and that recommends
ton from him for the discontinuance of
service over route because of poor
roads would leave the patrons of such
a route in the condition they were in be-
fore the establishment of the same, but
such is fact.
1t should not require the efforts of a
Philadelphia lawyer to show the far
mers of the county that the thoughts
which they brought out at their meet
ing in COrunna last week should be
carefully considered by them and plans
for making the road work in their
towns something different from what it
has been before should be actively en-.
tered upon. The time for such action is
ripe. Within very short time the
spring township elections will be held
and 1t should be understood by the far.
mers in general that they intend to
stand resolutely behind the men whom
they select for highway commissioners
aud pathmasters for the full and thor
ough carrying out of the road tax laws.
There need not be in most cases any
extra expense involved, for if the state.
nents of tAe representative farmers of
he county amount to anything at all,
here can be great improvement made
In the roads of the county during the
coming season by selecting men for
highway officers who will use energy
and wisdom In the matter of improving
L.