Evening journal., 1901-11-04
FOR
RURAL DELIVERY
System to be Established in
Kent Shortly
SELECTING CAPABLE CARRIERS
Politics Not to Enter Into Their Ap-
pOintment-IIOW The Service
Has Grown

The selection Of carriers for the rural
mail routes for Kent county is soon
to be made The postofflce depart
ment has asked Congressman Ball tol
recommend suitable men for the work.
and "A meeting was held in Dover on
Friday evening. last, at which the
names OF the applicants were consid-
cred. The department has not yet de-
cided whether a superintendent will be
named. although II is Thought that such
an official will be required, and, there
fore. there are several applicants for
the place.
The Dover meeting confined its
labors 10 the mRtter OF candidates
for carriers and DR. Ball explained
that the first requirement is personal
fitness. He informed the gentlemen
present that the President and the
Postmaster-Genera desired that the
people OF Kent SHOULD have an efficient
service and THAT the chief purpose
of the meeting was 20 make recommen-
dations looking TO that end.
Active young or middle-aged men
are preferred. and IL Is not proposed to
select those who by age or physical
incapacity are not competent to render
efficient service. DR. Ball made IL
plain that the qualifications OF an ap-
pllcant would count for more than a de-
sire To reward party followers.
The impression that the matter OF
the superintendent was considered al
the Dover meeting Is incorrect. since IL
was deemed wise to allow that matter
TO rest till it is ascertained whether
there will be such an official.
In establishing the system n number
Of the smaller postoffces will be abol-
/ ished. as there will be no further need
| for them; in such cases the postmasters
viii be considered favorably for the
route nearest their office II is even
said that in certain cases Democrats
may be appointed
Those most interested in the matter
declare that this is not to be regarded
as a political matter since It is too inn
portant to the people that a good SER
vice should be established They point
10 the fact that Senator Kenney did az
much as any other man for Kent rural
mail. and the desire is to carry out the
original intention OF subordinating
lpartisanship. IL is thought the system
will be in operation within a few
weeks
The routes laid out by Agent Smith
will be followed, although They may be
varied in minor particulars. Mr.
Smith will be consulted with reference
10 his plans. The length OF the routes
varies from twenty 20 twenty-five
miles. Carriers will receive a salary
OF $500 per annum and will furnish
their own horses and wagons. Each
carrier will have a substitute, duly
qualified who will act in case Of any
disability OF his superior.
It is thought that where there are
good roads. one horse will be sufficient
10 make the route. as this is the Gus
tom where the work is in progress.
There is nothing to prevent a carrier
from conducting any other business at
such times as he is not engaged in his
official work, and in most instances,
/ this will not require more than half his
time
IL is rumored that the rural mail may
! be placed under the classified service,
although it is not likely to be done
before this system is in operation: in
which case it would not affect those al
ready selected.
The difficulty comes with the rural
carriers. Each of these must have his
own horse and must be personally ac-
quainted with the people living along
his route. He must have their con-
fidence. for he has authority TO sell
money orders and postal notes and the
average citizen will not pay his money
10 the carrier unless he knows him,
particularly as the carrier is generally
expected. after making out the note OF
postal order. to mail It for the pur-
chaser. In such circumstances it will
not do to select carriers by competitive
examination.
The carrier. to be efficient, must 1--we
in the county wherein his route lies.
Some method must be devised TO insure
his selection regardless Of political
consideration and 10 get the best man
Obtainable for the work. The system
however. will make the carrier a per-
manent emplOye, removable only for
ineffciency. The President and his
advisers think the extension of the
merit system to this service will make
it even better than it now is.
Comparatively few people fully un-
derstand how the rural free delivery
service has grown since it was started
October IS. 1896. just a few days more
than five years ago. Then IT was only
an experiment, for which Congress APP
prOpriated 10000 Now Il has been
proved successful and is being extended
as rapidly as possible. and will. within a
comparatively short time. cover all the
rural parts Of the United States except
the sparsely populated portions of
the mountain regions Of the West.
PostmasterlGeneral Charles Emory
4 Smith is so convinced of the import
apce of this service that he has recon-
mended TO CONGRESS that the appropri-
lation for the fiscal year beginning July