The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-13
ITS EDUCATIONAL VALUE
How People May Secure These Free
Delivery Routes.
THE FORM or THE PETITION FOR THEM
How the Service is Established and the Method
Ct Delivery by Carriers. Senator SIM
mons Much Interested in
These Routes,

Senator Simmons sees great possibili-
ties for North Carolina in the establish
ment of rural free delivery routes.
"They mean a more general interest
in education, for they will bring about
a more general circulation of newspapers
and periodicals in the country districts;
and that in turn means schools said
the Senator yesterday. ALSO the estab-
lishment of these routes means better
roads, closer touch between neighbors,
and greater familiarity with current
events in the outside world; in short a
betterment in the intellectual, social and
material welfare of the people. Their
establishment ought to be encouraged by
everybody especially by the newspapers,
for nobody will be benefited more by
them than the editors. For this reason,
every daily and weekly newspaper in
the State would do the people and itself
a service by publishing in a conspicuous
place the department rules and regula-
tions, and, where convenient. keep them
standing for a reasonable time"
Senator Simmons went on to say he
was sure the Senators and members of
Congress from this State were as anxious
and Jealous in this matter as those from
other States, but, to secure the desired
results the movement for these routes
would have to come from the people, and,
in order that the people may move, it
is necessary that they shall understand
what conditions entitle them to a route
and what they will have to do to get it,
He attributes the failure of North Caro-
lima to get her proportionate share of
these routes, up to the present time,
largely to the fact that the people gen.
orally have not known these prerequites,
and not to any Indifference on the part
of our Senator's and congressman or the
people themselves.
There has been much complaint" he
added, "that the Department would not
send special agents to make the ex
aminations. This is largely, perhaps,
because there are SO few applications.
Let the applications go in by the hun
dreds and the agents will come. The de-
partment will get in earnest when it sees
the people are in earnest
1.-THE press of the State has done it's
duty in arousing interest among the
people on this important subject but,
these instructions, which are specific.
plain and full if generally copied by the
papers will greatly aid in promoting this
movement
Speaking about the appointment OF
carriers Mr. Simmons said he thought
that was a matter that should be held
in allegiance until after the route is es-
tablished, because this raises a question
which sometimes creates friction, and
these routes are of too much import
ance to allow the mater of who shall
carry the mail to interfere with unity
and harmony of action in securing the
route. After the route is established, II
majority of the original petitioners
agree in recommending suitable per-
son for carrier, their wishes will no
doubt have great weight with all con-
cerned. Certainly it would seem no one
who is wiling to leave to the people the
decision of a matter in which they are
chiefly interested ought to object to an
applicant so endorsed.
1t is stated in the instructions sent out
that the price for boxes, such as the De-
partment requires, ranges from one to
three dollars 1t is presumed that this
means that some of the houses named
in the circular charge more and some
less for these boxes. In order that the
people may know where they can get
the cheapest boxes, Senator Simmons
has addressed letter to each one of the
fourteen box manufacturing houses men,
toned in the instructions, and will later
publish the rates quoted him in reply
to these letters.
The following instructions recently is
sued by the Postoffice Department in
regard to rural free delivery has been
Inv m o.
companied with the suggestion that they
be published for the information of the
people: