The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-04-23
RURAL FREE DELIVERY AGAIN.

Sd1uIhS OHO SIOWT Ill VI L
livery, and comments upon the back
wardness of the South in asking Tor
the establishment of routes. we
quote from the telegram as follows
superintendent Machem, of the
free delivery bureau of the Postohce
Department, has completed a COM
pilation of the rural free delivery
routes up to April 1, 1901. 1t IS pro
posed to establish about 1000 routes
during the coming fiscal year, and
Mr.. Machem desired to know how
many routes there we're in operation
in each State and how many appl1ca-
tions we're pending. Some States
have taken kindly to the system,
while others show a strange reluct-
ance to engage in the enterprise.
"Part of this reluctance is no
doubt due to the fact that the fourth
class pOstmasters who might be re-
placed by rural free delivery want
to hold on to their places and are in
fuencing their members of Congress
against the installation of the ser
vice. The Central States east of the
Ohio river and the Eastern States
lead the others in the number Of
routes established and the number
applied for. Illinois stands at the
top, with 343 routes established, and
has applications pending for the
establishment of 628 ore
Indiana is second, having 32O
routes in operation, and it wants BAL
additional. Ohio has 312 routes and
$40 applications. New York has 229
routes and 26O applications.
"On the other hand, Kentucky has
but Is routes, and has so far asked
for only 25 more. West Virginia is
also low on the scale, with 35 estab-
lished routes and 40 applications.
"Virginia and the Southern St ates
in general are backward in APPROX
ing rural free delivery, and, although
the department has been willing to
extend it through the South, the ap-
plicatiOns are very few. The car
riers receive from 5000 to $500 per
annum, and, as Congress has in
creased the appropriation owe ST.
600, 900, the service can be greatly
extended during the coming year"
These facts are worthy of atten-
-. NIL - - . 20 10000
we have it from an authority that
only eleven routes have been estab-
lished in North Carolina, and South
Carolina has only 80 routes.
Yet we Southern people pay taxes,
just rs the HoOsiers do, and we too
have people who need better mail
facilities. We have only ourselves
to blame for the apparent disorimi
nation against the South. The peO-
pie of the North and West have for
warded petitions and asked for the
establishment of routes; the people
of the South have not asked for
their share. Here lies the difference,
and it is to our shame that it is true.
superintendent Machem has also
issued a circular of instructions to
those desiring to secure rural free
delivery, to which we invite atten-
ton, as it refers t. n or two fea
lures not before mentioned in The
Progressive Farmer. It directs that
petitions for rural free delivery SER
vice be heads of families, who shall
show the relative population along
the route, character of the roads,
principal vOcations of the people
and the distance each one now has
to travel to receive mail. A map
of the routes proposed is required.
The petition must be Endorsed by
either a Senator or Representative
in Congress. Each route must be
over twenty miles long, serving at
least 100 families, and those desiring
the delivery hereafter must BE- pre-
pared to put up suitable boxes. A
copy of this circular will be mailed
free upon application to "Postmas.
ter-General, Washington, D. c."
We believe that rural free delivery
will be of untold benefit to our
Southern farmers, and we hope that
in every section in which The Pro
gressive Farmer is read some one
will take up the matter and urge it's
Importance. We pay taxes just as
our Western brethren do; why
should not we also have some of the
benefits of this service?
Remember this is not a temporary