The evening times., 1901-05-03
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
NashviIIe's Postmaster Believes 1t
VIII AIIay Political DissensiOn.

Tenn writes TO the POstofice Department
that rural free delivery has proved
great benefit to the postal service in his
vicinity. Says he.
From a practical observation OF the
workings of rural free delivery Of mails
since it was established in this country
and compared with the service given the
public through fourth-cIass~ Offices at the
time of the beginning of the rural deliv-
cry l feel justified in saying that no eff
fort Of the department in the past, look
ius to the Improvement in the service.
/ has afforded such general satisfaction It
reaches a class of psoPle who have been
compelled TO go q distance Of three to
eight miles and more to receive and post
their mail. thus eutaiIing a loss Of time
OF suffering greatdelay in receiving and
answering correspondence This cOndi-
( ton prevails throughout most rural COM
muuities and has tended to paralyze the
mental and physical energies of the peo-
/ Pile hence the STANDARD of general edu-
| cation in such communities has not reach
/ ed that grade Warranted 10y the spirit Of
modern educational nativity and develop
! ment 50 common to our cities and larger
! towns.
/ This seeming neglect Of the needs and
wants of rural communities created the
! belief that among the people of our cities
/ were a more favored class in the eyes Of
( the Government. hence a feeling Of dis
| like toward city people prevails that no
| force can eliminate shcrt of some special
| recognition at the hands of the Govern
ment which VIII give them some of the
! advantages now enjoyed by the more fav-
/ Ored people Of the cities. This condition
! afforded fertile field for the propagation
Of wild and reckless political theories,
| that they might through Government aid
| combat the city speculator. and all those
| kindred schemes proposed for the relief
Of the agricultural classes at the hands
| Of the National Government, and the of
! spring of a distorted idea regarding the
functions of government. The difference
| between rural and suburban people in this
! country is not understood by either The
| lack OF more intimate social relations.
| only coming in contact IN commercial
| transactions. where cold. calculating busi-
ness methods obtain, they have but little
| opportunity to study and learn Of the
higher aims and purposes of each other,
| hence the Tepeliant sources of our nature
are left uncontrolled to widen the chasm
between Us. Rural people are ever. ready
TO dIstrust public men. Elevate a man to
public Official position and he at once be
comes the object Of their severe criticism
This is largely due to the need of better
! opportunities TO study public character
and the acts of public men
No plan. outside of rural free delivery
of mails, could have been adopted BY the
! Government that would have more effect
ually reyOlUuOnized this growing senti-
| neut among rural people 1t has demon
strated to rural communities that the
| Government has no special favors TO
grant others that they may not share an
der favorable conditions
| I have had occasion to visit nearly ev-
! cry section Of this county since the es-
tablishment of rural free delivery within
its limits and I have found complete sat
isfaction with the high purpose of the de-
partment in its efforts to give the country
people d hoUse-to-house deliver. Of mail,
and a general desire among those who
live outside the present boundaries to
have the service extended to them. find
a small number Of fourth-class postmas-
ters who object to the service, but their
motives are readily understood. They
| find cancellations growing less day by
day, but the beneficiaries of this improv-
ed service are loud in their praises OF the
] | department ana the Administration for
e | what has been accomplished for them
. and are not in the least interested in tht
, / emOIuments Of fousta-class PostmasteTS
| Our best daily papers and the leading
magazines OF the country now 20 to tht
= | farmers home and are fast diSpiaCIng the
K cheaper literature with which trading
/ concerns flood the country.
i / "COntentment with rural surrounding:
ID is more apparent, enIiYened mental activ
d | ity, stimulated energy, a kindlier feeling
r. / toward city people. greater willingness
to improve our public roads, and abOyl
- | all n stronger patriotic feeling toward on
; Government are among the beneficial re
! suits that have accrued to us in this COun
2 try It's continuance ana extension mean
Q an increased degree OF cOntertment, i'm
20 proved roads, better developed country
q higher standard of education amonj
u / the people, and an Improved order Of cit
70 | iZenship wherever rural free delivery ma
s be established and maintained 1t bring
= | the farm and city in daily contact, aDOi
| isheS imaginary geograp phical lines an
J. | establishes harmonious relations, maxim
} | MIN VINO fuTlSheS- the stan OF NE fet
d that he Is, indeed. a part Of his country
10 and that the organized and helpfU
agency OF his country comes TO his dOOl
with the effect that his conscious pride
n stirred and his loyalty and patriotism
I'd stimulated. Because of the rural servic.
h. country roads have already been betteret
= and the making OF better roads a Drert
uuisite to the establishment of routes Wi
s. result in incalculabIe benefit to the cit
IS Zeus Of both town and country Til
T. people are not only willing TO bull
p | bridges, but are now. in one instance
- this county. putting in a new ferry on tt
e ! Cumberland River. preliminary to the e
ne | tablISHmeut Of route Tor which the
is have petitioned- ! believe that no nea!
no Ure which has been before Congress f
| years, has been fraUght with such gOC
y, | and laden with such possibilities.
OF ! On the two routes in this county II
I mail has increased from about > 900 piece
OF ! monthly, in the beginning, a little ovt
rd ! eight months ago, to about J.. 900 pieces
q present and this tends to show the a
90 probation which is felt, that the peop
ne are pleased with what they have AZ
want more of II. and demonstrate beyof
st peradventure, that the service is endorse
as the Administration commended, and Co
a gress will be allowed to take no bdCkWal
r. step without incurring the ill-will of Il
-e, people
IL If the enlightened moral sentiment
We the people at large be considered by II
ey Government, the cost of maintaining Tn
y service becomes an Insignificant matte
IS since il is demonstrated that the increa
r ed earnings from increased mails, al
nd saving from cancellation by fourth-CIa
Offices almost equals the cost Of rural fr
delivery. no official OF RepreSentatT
A can oppose its extension under favorab
conditions without becoming the object
49, a bitter eXecratiOn at the hands of Il
- people. No step backward can be takt
without irreparable injury to every cor
as mUnity where the service has been {
"a tablished, and the Administration cam
" afford to incur the lasting displeaSUre
-e- so large an element of the people at seer
OF | ing economy.
of ALLOW this bright rage of our histO
to become more reSDlendent by furth
extension OF the system, and bring TO {
'tT / Administration the lasting enCOmiumS