The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-17

brought into direct contact with the
currents and movements of the bust
ness world A more accurate knowl-
edge of ruling markets and varying
prices is dfffused. and the producer, with
his quicker communication and larger
infOrma ton, is placed on a surer foot
ing. The value Of farms, as has been
shown in many cases. is enhanced. Good
roads become Indispensable, and their
improvement is the essential condition
of the service. The material and meas
urable BENEFITS are signal and unmis-
taxa Bile.
But the movement exercises a wider
and deeper influence It becomes a fac
tor in the social and economic tenden-
cies Of American life. The disposition
to leave the farm for the town is a ia
miliar effect of our past condition. But
this tendency is checked and may be
materially changed by an advance
which conveys many of the advantages
of the town to the farm. Rural free
delivery brings the farm within the
daily range of the intellectual and COM
mercial activities of the world, and the
isolation and monotony which have
been the bane or agricultural life are
sensibly nitigated. It proves to be one
of the most effective and powerful of
educational agencies. Wherever it is
extended the schools improve and the
civic spirit of the community feels a
new pulsatiOn; the standard OF intel
ligence is raised, enlightened interest
IN PUBIC aTEa1rS IS QuIckSneQ, and bet
ter citizenship follows
with all these results clearly indf-
Gated by the experiment as thus far
tried, rural free delivery is plainly here
to stay. It can not be abandoned where
it has been established, and 1T cannot
be maintained without being extend
ed,
The practical test of rural free deliv--
cry gave rise to many problems, and
some OF. these are even now only in
was the question what could be done
for the mining camps and similar GUS
toners Of the postofHce. When the
service was started only the farming
population was considered, but it was
soon evident that in several of the
western states settlers on mineral
lands ought not to be left out of the
account What has been actually done
is to establish routes for such COM
munities the same as in agricultural
sections. This service is maintained
under a ruling of the department that
the term rural means communities
not included in cities or Incorporated
villages, and does not necessarily in
ply that persons so situated should be
engaged in farming in order to obtain
the benefits of rural free delivery
Another difficulty lay in the danger
OF loss of mail from boxes not direct
" owned by the government and there
fore completely under the protection of
the statutes 1t is not easy even I'M
der the most favorable conditions to
secure convictions of offenders against
the government; the lawyers for the
defense in such prosecutions are prone
to make use OF any techn1caIty and as
a result guilty persons often go clear.
1t was decided by the department that
boxes set up for farm delivery and ac-
cepted by the postal authorities as
secure and appropriate" should be re-
gaVded as within the application of the
law fOrbidding any tampering with
mails. There has been several cases of
r1rarTr
and one man has been held for trial
in the United States courts. Further
legislation has been asked of congress
so as to supply more convenient boxes
to be owned by the government and
thus protected more certainly.
In comparing rural free delivery
with the old system as regards safety
of the N ais, it must not be forgotten
that abuses and carelessness are not
infreQuent at fourth-class pOStoffices
At some places the mail sacks are
simply emptied on a table and each
person hunts through it for his own
mail.
It has been found in numerous in
sta noes by the special agents in charge
OF the establishment of new routes
that considerable sentiment against
the change of method was manifested
in communities where it was about to
be made In many cases petitions have
been sent to congress making protest,
but upon investigation invariably it
was found that this adverse feeling had
been worked up in the interest OF
fourth-class poStmasters or star-route
contractors who We're likely to be dis
placed by the new routes In some
cases the fear of the postmasters was
supplemented by apprehension an ong
their village neighbors that trade would
go elsewhere. In many instances
signers of petitions, when called upon,
repudiated the views they had been in
duced to indOrse. They had signed out
of good viii to their neighbors with
fr,er r7Ff
petition When the question of free de-
livery was brought before them on its
merits they had little to say in OppO-
sition, and when it was presented as a
direct benefit to themselves they were
active in preventing the choice of some
other section than their own for the To-
cation of the next new route
Another contention that gives rise to
a great deal of trouble for the depart
ment is that fierce fights are constantly
arising in localities where additional
routes are applied for. In many cases
petitions come in asking for establish
ment of routes that overlap one that IS
in operation. Here great contention Is
made in point of fringement on terri
tory and material effect on business
along the line of the old and applied-for
system These cases result OftentiInes
in fractional fights and cause no end of
trouble for the congressman and de-
partment.
Several months ago an important adj
vance took place in this service. Rural
carriers We're authorized to receive and
deliver registered mail, sell money or
ders, stamped envelopes. stamps, and
postal cards. This feature is meeting
with splendid success, being much
appreciated convenience for the rural
population, and primarily resulting in
increasing the postal receipts. 1t not
only saves them many trips to the near
est postoffce, but valuable time, espe-
cially in their busy seasons
A full route is considered 25 miles, but
according to the country trayersed may
vary from II to S5 miles. 1t does not
take the carrier over the same ground
twice in the same day. Carriers were
paid at first only $3.50 a year. They
now receive $500 for an ordinary route
and for special short routes 800 a year