The National tribune., 1902-03-13
TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON

| tue ileIn was uOt III
the Departments estimates, Congress re-
peated the appropriation for each of the
three succeeding years. The postal ap-
preparation for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1897, carried the sum of $4,000
for IAN experiment of rural free deliv-
cry"
After the failure of the Department
to use the amounts appropriated for pre-
ceding years and In the absence of spe-
citic recommendation by the Postmaster
General, the quadrupling of the apprO-
priation was taken by the Department as
a determination on the part of the legis-
lative branch of the Government that an
experiment of rural delivery should be
made and the money spent for that pur-
pose.
Prior to that time the use of the ap-
preparation had been left to the discre-
ton of the Postmaster General. Post
maSter-G General Wilson finally considered
the appropriation for 1897 as mandatory,
and ordered that steps be taken to carry
out the wishes of Congress.
The first route was established at
Charlestown, w. Va, Oct ], 1896. AL
most all who were directly or indirectly
connected with the service expressed
strong misgivings as to the success of the
venture On July l, 1897, % routes were
in operation. For the fiscal year begin
ming with that date Congress provided an
| appropriation Oh NoUUUD.
| The new administration of affairs,
which began March 4, 1897, foreseeing
in measure at least the great possibil-
tiles of the new service and the benefits
I, its introduction would probably bring to
| the farmers of this country, was prompt
to order that every dollar of the $4,000
should be spent in extending the expert
mcnt and broadening its scope. The rec
ords show that on July /, 1893. the judi
4 aipuc and pnrafu1 distribution Of ha
preparation had resulted in establishing
and maintaining a satisfactory number Of
routes.
The experiment, though comparatively
meager, up to that time had, nevertheless,
proved so successful that Congress did
not hesitate to treble the appropriation
| for the following year, and on July /,
| 1872 we find 391 routes in operation, dis
tributed throughout practically all States
and Territories.
For the year ending June 80, 1900
Congress not only provided $1,000
double the amount for the preceding year,
but was induced to add in the urgent de-
hcIency bill for that year an additional
| S1oO0O0. This made it possible for the
| Department to so extend the service that
at the end of the fiscal year 1,263 rural
| letter carriers were serving as many
routes.
The demand for rural free delivery
| now began to assume proportions never
before equaled in the history of our pos
| tai service, when some new departure
was made or undertaken. The Depart
ment made no estimate for the fiscal year
| of 1901. 1t felt that figures based upon
the constantly-increasing demands of the
people and of Congress for the speedy es-
tablishment of routes might appall those
who had in charge the preparation of the
postal appropriation bill. The Postmas-
ter-General preferred to leave the matter
entirely in the hands of Congress. II was
left in generous hands for the apprOpria-
ton of the preceding year was almost
quadrupled, the appropriation for 1901
being fixed at 81, 10000.
During the last fiscal year the Depart
ment established about 3,100 routes, so
that on the first of last July 1901 routes
were in operation. For the current fiscal
year the Postmaster General requested an
appropriation of S3,o00,000, which was
promptly granted by Congress; in fact, if
it had not been for the prior position
taken by the Postmaster-G General Smith
against giving the Department money
that it could properly use to advantage,
the appropriation would have been So
100000.
Since July l orders have been issued
for the establishment of more than 5000
routes. This session the House of Rep
ticiency of nearly 100000 for the rural
free delivery service, although the De
partment asked for only $220000 with
which to provide by July !, 1902, total
of 5000 routes.
For the next year the Department has
requested an appropriation of S6,250,000.
If Congress decides to increase the car
riers' salary to 5000, as the House has
provided recently, this amount will prob
ably be raised to 81 800 600
Notwithstanding the phenomenal in
crease from year to year in the amounts
provided by Congress for the extension
and maintenance of rural free delivery,
it has been impossible to introduce the
service as promptly and as rapidly as the
people have demanded il. Up to date
over 10000 petitions have been received.
BY July l, 1902, probably 5000 will have
been disposed of, leaving 1000 untouched
for the work of next year. 1t will test
the Departments available force to es-
tablish 6,000 or $500 routes during the
coming year, and by July l, 1903, with
possibly 1900 routes i'll operation, the
POstmaster-General will still have on
hand 5000 or 1000 uneXamined petitions.
In discussing this very popular service,
Mr. Machen remarked one day last week:
Il will undertake to show what rural free
delivery does for the people. In the begin
ming of the experiment it was thought that
the system would be confined principally to
themere delivery and collection of ordinary
mail, and at first the duties of rural car
riers were limited TO that work; but as
the service progressed and its possibili-
ties became more apparent, the Depart
ment was quick to adopt any method or
extend any facility that would make the
service as complete convenience as pos
sible to the residents of rural districts.
The first addition was the delivery of
registered letters. This was soon fol-
lowed by an order authorizing rural car
riers to register letters on route, giving
receipts for the same, which insure pa
irons as much security as if the letters
had been registered in a postoffice The
introduction of the service also resulted
in the mailing of an increased number
Of special-delivery letters to the residents
of rural communities. To make this sys-
TEN as effective as possible, the Depart
mcnt requires rural carriers to deliver spe-
cial-delivery letters and pension letters to
the houses of the patrons, ordinary mail
being delivered in boxes which patrons
are required to erect on the route of the
carrier.
About two years ago provision was
made for the extension of the money-or-
der service to rural routes Carriers were
provided with a special form of receipt,
which they would give to patron for
money for the purchase of money orders.
When it is explained that the first wear
ll5,OOO money orders were issued to
about 1000 mail carriers for patrons on
their routes, one easily sees how quickly
the people take advantage of the facili-
ties given them.