The Dolores star., 1901-07-12
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
R.r., rr,. D.l,v.ry.

Rural Free Delivery.
There Is q strong probability that
ring the coming fiscal year the mon
order system will be Incorporated in
rural free delivery service, and that
riers on rural routes will be permit.
j to issue money orders, the same rs
s.tmasters Mt duly authorized offices.
b attempt was made to have this ex-
hsion contaminated during the pres
Il year, but the pressure for the es-
blsshment of new routes was so
eat that little time was left for con-
Iteration of improvements In the SER
ce. There has been some fear lest
is new provision might. be little
o progressive ut this time, but the de-
lrtment is about convinced that the
bange can be made safely, and to the
enefit Of the people living along rural
utes. The change, IL adopted, will
BIT be made mt once. probably not be-
re next winter, but 1t is sure to come.
The Forthcoming report Of the post
aster general will show that the cost
maintaining rural free delivery has
aterially lessened d uring the current
seal year. This decrease is largely
ne to two causes; the discOntinuance
larger percentage OF fOurth-class
DSIUulCtb lIuh ucIetUlOlc, uuu tut COTs
ksponding discOntinuance Of star
butes which supplied the same. In
reviOus yenrs the fourth assistant
bstmaster general, acting under more
less pressure from the different
burth-class postmasters. has been re-
Giant about discontinuing fourth-class
iicese whose patrons were served by
hral carriers. Thus the department
= 30 ri nvr1y the. v.rrr unr
ce, but the postofilce as well. In like
hammer, in the interest of the carriers,
10 second assistant postmaster gener-
did not favor the discontlnunnce of
ar routes, even when supplanted by
|iral free delivery.
Since that time, however, the post
Iaster general has talked the whole
|Ibject over with his assistants, and
rom the beginning of the current fiscal
EAR the two reluctant officials have
kven in and have consented to
he prompt discOntinuance of fourth
lass offices and stnr routes. when ask
Ii for by the rural free delivery SER
lice. There will he large saving to
he department as result Of this
blange. 1t seems that the rural free
delivery Is the latest innovation in pos
hi circles. and the older lines of SER
ice are Jealous of the universal popu-
brity which has marked the spread
h the rural service.
Rural free delivery has come to stay.
Dn the 1st of July, 1880, there were
pme 200 routes in operation in the
Emitted States. That was an increase
{ 800 over the year previous. 1t is es-
|mated that on July 1st next, there
rill be In the neighborhood of 4,3OO
ural routes in operation in the Unit
Id States. In addition to tins 1t is said
hat this rural service is much faster
approaching the state OF self-suste-
lance than did the city free delivery
shen inaugurated back In the COS. 1t
/ not contended that It will ever be
ONE self-supportlng. for 1t Is not be-
teved that postal service will lever sus-
min itself. but 1t is fact pointed to
sith pride that there are now num-
Yer of rural free delivery routes In the
.hickly settled communities that are
low being operated Mt n marked profit.
The service Is now pretty thoroughly
Established in the East. 1t shows
reater propOrtlOnate gain In the West
han elsewhere, and its limitation in
hose states is only because of many
parsely settled sections which cannot
upport the service.