The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-28

mnuenceS IN checklnS and changing the
hlthertO prevailing current from country
TO city. The national value Of these advan-
tages is incalculable. They are not theo-
%retical, but real. direct and immediate. In
dlffusing them the beneficent agency of the
government is brought into the daily pres
ence and thought Of the people. A service
which has within three years wrought such
rural life cannot be halted. 1t must go on
until it shall be fully completed.
WHAT CAN BE DONE.
"A closer consideration Of the material
interests involved enforces this conclusion.
On an average there are 125 families on a
route. Under the old system they travelled
from two to four miles in going to the post
office. II the cost in time and other factors
be reckoned at 10 cents a day for each fam
lily it is clearly a moderate estimate. That
made an aggregate Of $3.50 a day. The
government can deliver the mail at the
doors of all for g. Why shouldn't it do so
ana save them the larger burden? Extend
the calculation to the whole country. There
are about 100000 families dependent on the
rural service. The aggregate cost to them
OF going to the postoffice reaches an enor-
nous sum. The government can carry the
postoftice TO them for a fraction of the
amount. Under such circumstances the
claim to the service becomes irresistible.
1t Is the business of the government to de-
liver the mails as far as practicable. The
apprehended obstacles to rural delivery
have largely vanished with actual expert
ence, and the manifest advantages, now
Clearly shown, urge the full development of
the policy.
Even the fear that the ultimate cost of
this service would so far exceed the return
as to make it a heavy national burden is
sensibly dissipated by the results Of the
experimental trial. 1t is demonstrated that
the establishment of rural delivery is in
varfably followed by a large increase of
postal receipts; on the other hand, it per-
m1ts q material retrenchment through the
dlscontfnuance Of star routes and small
postofices, and the combined effect of the
augmented revenue and the considerable
saving brings the net cost of the delivery
system TO proportions which may be re-
garded without apprehension. The saw
ing during the last fiscal year on star
routes thus superseded was $l73, +4. IL, and
On postoffices discontinued it was $120, POI. 43.
The two together amount to one-siXth of
the entire appropriation for this service.
With its acceptance as a fixed and en-
during service the wisdom of placing it on
a permanent basis and of bringing it into
full harmony with the general principles
of the postal establishment enforces itself.
In authorizing rural delivery as an expert
ment Congress adopted no directing man.
date and simply made the requisite appro-
p%r1ation. 1t did not undertake to prescribe
the rules or methods or organization. 1t
gave the department full discretion TO de-
termine the means and select the agents for
its trial. AS the service was experimental
in its nature, as its development depended
upon the results Of actual experience, as its
pIOSTeSS mlRnI require CldDSeS IN form ana
method, Congress deemed it wise to leave
the plan flexible and capable of modiica-
ton as observation dictated 1t did not
desire to restrict the freedom of the de-
partment to avail itself of the best sugges-
lions and the ripest fruits of the practical
test. The controlling object was to de-
termine the feasibility and utility of rural
delivery, and the yearly enlargement of the
Appropriation in the same unlimited terms
indicated the purpose of Congress to allow
full latitude for the amplest trial and the
4 0pVQlOnmpn Of tho host QUpnpipC and moth
DDS of application.
THE MERIT PRINCIPLE.
with this discretionary authority the
existing system has been created. At the
beginning Of the fiscal year 1899 there was
less than 200 routes in operation. There are
now 5000. The organization necessary for
this large establishment has been made;
the agents to locate and the inspectors to
examine the operation of these routes have
been appointed; the carriers. who daily
traverse the routes and collect and deliver
the mail have been named; and these more
than 5000 selections have been made with
out friction, and, it is believed, with little
complaint. The merit principle of appoint
ment has substantially been applied, and
no removals have been made except for
cause. Both the clerical administrative
force and the force in the field have been
chosen with care, upon grounds of fitness
and qualification, and none have been
named VINO were not DelleNeu 10 come up
10 a high standard of integrity and capac-
ity. Out of this method has grown a body
of faithful and earnest employees, who. il
is confidently felt, will compare favorably
in intelligence and efficiency with any part
of the civil service.
"In my last annual report this subject
was thus referred to: The selection of
agents charged with the duty of organizing
and laying out the routes, and of carriers
charged with the handling of the mails,
has been made with great care. A high
/ Grade of inta11ihapnn anfffrr1a onI GlaI;.x,
is required, and it is believed that the re-
suits thus far justify the methods pursued.
The enlargement of the service will entail
greater organization ana expenditure, and
should be surrounded with every practical
BILE safeguard. If the extension of rural
delivery is to be entered upon as a settled
policy, the attention of Congress should
be directed to it's requirements with a view
TO the adoption of such principles of or
ganization as its wisdom may approve
THE condition thus indicated is now re-
allied. Rural delivery may be accepted as
a settled policy, and Ii may well be brought
within the principles of the permanent
service so far as they are applicable with
cut Obstructing its development or impair
ing it's efficiency. The civil service rules
may properly be extended to the special
agents, the route inspectors and the clerical
force, and their admission to the classified
service will not only give the sense of Sc
curity which their careful selection and
intelligent efficiency merit, but will, in their
high character, in nowise derogate from its
established standard. SO far as the ger.
eral administrative force is concerned.
there is no need for further discretion In
appointment or in tenure.
I'm considering the method Of selecting
the rural carriers, however, care must BE-
exercised not to retard the establishment
of the service which is so urgently de-
manded and not to embarrass its opera
ton. The function and relations of the
carrier are surrounded with special con-
ditions which cannot safely be disregarded.
they involve possession of the necessary
carrying equipment, long familiarity with
the route. knowledge of the people on the
part of the carrier and confidence in the
carrier on the part of the people, ready
availability of substitutes with the same
equipment, and other consideration which
do not enter into ordinary appointments.
Every reasonable safeguard for selections
on merit. with a view TO the character of
the service required, should be provided.
But when we consider that routes are be-
ing established at the rate of 400 a month.
that they are scattered over all the States
and that the special agents in organizing
the routes have the opportunity of per-
sonally examining the proposed carriers.
who are afterwards brought also under the
review of the inspectors. the wisdom OF not
surrounding the selection with difficulties
that may impede or thwart the very OBJ
ject sought will be apparent. The rules
needed are simple rules. which will make
secure tenure and protect the efficiency OF
the service"
LEGISLATION NEEDED.
The following recommendations for leg
i~slation. some of which have heretofore
been made, are submitted for the consid-