Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-02
LOOKER-ON in IOWA.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
For theTimes- Republican.

| McCallsburg. Nov 1.--There has been
! much said in the papers concerning the
rural delivery system, but not all know
that the government is going to try the
county rural delivery system as an eX-
pertinent in Hardin county. the service
! to commence Nov. II. This means that
/, on that date fortyone men With teams
VIII start from the numerous towns in.
that county and deliver mail to every
family in that county, this assuming
that every family that wants free mail
have provided themselves with regu-
| lation box, placed where the carrier can
deposit mail without getting out of
their wagons. All this means that Uncle
Sam hires forty-one men with teams
for the sum of $500 a year to do this
work. In other words, Uncle Sam is
going to pay out $50, geo in Hardin coun-
ty during the next year for free deliv-
cry to the farmers 1t is called an ex-
pertinent. but the government feels sure
that say 125 families on each route. or.
In round numbers, 5000 families, will so
appreciate this service that their in
creased use of postage stamps will pay
the bill. -Four dollars for each family
will do it, this amounting to but little
q
will materially increase the postage
bills for the county expense of free de-
livery Will be the extra postage paid by
publishers OF papers, who will largely
increase their circulation by this free
delivery system. Again. Uncle Sam is
putting out in the country at certain
cross roads letter boxes of the same
style and pattern as used in the cities,
from which these rural delivery carriers
will collect mail every day as they go
over their routes. One hears from many
sources all sorts of stories concerning
this rural delivery system. Quite a
number of farmers claim the govern
ment should also furnish free boxes.
One dollar and fifty cents or 81 for a
box, and placed just where that inspec-
tor says to put 1t, is infringing ON ar
American citizens rights. More than
one farmer would buy box IL the gov
.ernment would allow him to put 1t up
BY his front door. but to walk clear
down to the road after his mail is too
much City folks have their mail
brought to the door. Why shouldn't the
farmers have equal privileges? Again,
some farmers refuse to have free de-
livery because they are sure a special
tax will be assessed on farms having
free delivery boxes on the premises, and
it is a fact that one farmer positively
refused to have his mail delivered, say
ing frankly he always went to town
Saturdays, and if his mail was deliv-
cred he would have no excuse for going
to town. And the feeling among mer
chants in many towns that this free
delivery system kills trade has by no
means died out. What perhaps eXeites
more ire is to have rural delivery
route start from the rural town and run
within mile or two OF our town
Somehow in an unexplained manner the
merchants in A feel that il Farmer
Jones gets his mail from rural route
No. from b, Jones will go to b to
do his trading. and sell his produce. A
A solicitor for a daily paper ap- |
preached farmer to get his order, and
used his arguments on the farmer by |
taking" the Daily Firefly he would get |
the markets every day. know what his
hogs and cattle We're worth, ETC., and /
the farmer remarked: II can beat that
all to pieces. This morning called up |
by telephone five different stock men in
five different towns and sold to the man I
who offered the best price"
This story is told here to show that
neither rural deliveries will help or
hurt a town in so far as trade is con-
cerned, for today few farmers in Iowa
are over seven miles from market.
Trade is going to the town where the
grain and stock men are paying the
best prices. Going to the town where
the lumber dealer sells the cheapest,
where the store-keepers carry the best
stocks pay the highest price for prod
ice and sell goods on the smallest mar
gins. Rural deliveries don't kill that
kind of town.
q % Wy1.1eA./ /.
Reiiabe and Gentie