The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-06
Rural Free Delivery
and the Farmer.
A. w. MAcHEN.
n. w. MAIhEN.
General Superintendent, Free Dciivcry
Department, United States Pcs.
tol Service.l


OF all the institutions that promote the |
progress OF the United states, there Is no |
other, to my mind, that compares in Inn
portanee with free rural mail delivery. |
Although It Is scarcely FIVE years since the
assten was adopted, 1t has already revolu-
sjonized social business. and economic con |
Salons 10 territory covering more than
10000 square miles. It's po clarity is In |
creasing at rate exceeding that attending |
my Improvement heretofore attempted In |
the postofncc service, and It means more
In the way of personal happiness aud pub
lie advancement than anything else of
which know. This may seem an extrava.
CANT statement TO dwellers in cities, who
are not In touch with these things; but by
men In the postal service who know, add
by the people affected in rural comanuni
ties the statement will be accepted as
very moderate. We have farmer popula
ton Of 2oooo,oo0 people. To all these, rural
free delivery is one of the greatest boons
ever youchsafed, 1t places them In touch
with the outside world, Keeps them In
formed ON current even p, causes Improve
ments IN roads, enhances the value Of
farms and farm products, and takes Fl III
farm life the qnonotony and isolation which
are so largely responsible for the desertion
Of the farm hy young men who sock the
excitement OF large cities.
For the FIRST time In history, many farm
ers arc now In position to get their daily
papers This means that they are I'm close
touch with the market reports, so that they
are enabled 10 dispose OF the products of
their farms under the most favorable con-
ulttons. a member of congress recently
told me that free delivery was worth a
thousand dollars a day to every county in
his district. When l questioned this, he
said:
"Iou can accept that statement aud write
II down as moderate, My people are among
the largest cattle raisers ir the country.
Now that they get the market reports,
they can act with discrimination Instead
OF shipping their animals hapha2ard re-
gardless Of ruling prices, they learn from
their daily papers when the prices go
right. Th4s insures a steady and regular
market. After careful talk with the
farmers In the district we figured Il out
that rural free delivery means easily $1,000
day to every county"
The Importance Of this new branch Of
the postal service Is bost indicated BY The
rate at which Il has grown. We began
In 1915 With an appropriation or $4,000.
FOR three years previous TO that, congress
had made an appropriation; bat. with de-
Ginning revenues and increasing dchcits,
the postonice department had been loatn TO
take any step that might involve add
tional burdens. AS the matter Of estab-
llshlnE rural routes had been left to the
discretion OF the postmaster general the
appropriations were unus ID. In 1896, con
gress, in making the appropriation, eAbal.
ml5givtnR. Postmaster General William H..
Wilson, In October 1896, established the
nrst route, which was out or Charles.
ton w. va. On the 'rrst OF July, 1901, only
forty-three routes were IN operation. To-
day there are more tuau uO,U routes, sery.
ing 100000 farmhouses, IN which 1--we more
than 100000 people. II requires some OK
perience in life In the country. under old
conditions. to realize what It means to
these people TO be suddenly brought from
an Isolated position into daily touch With
fa4
which had only slftad to them at haphaz-
ard. The territory covered by the rural
niles eSualing in area the New England
States. New York and New Jersey. Event
ually they will cover 100000 square miles
or more The appropriation for the main
tenance OF the service advanced from $4O,-
600 in 1857, to $4,000, IN 1898; $4,000.
In 1850; S45o.000, IN 1900; Si,75OOGO, IN
llsod For, the fiscal year ending June,
100000. OF this sum, S300l0O1 VIII lie re-
ouired to maintain rhc more than uO00
routes. the cost Of caea being $500. Nearly
S,NOGD will he used In TIE expense ~
administration. For the year 1903, the de-
pertinent has requested an apr 9pri ton 81
$6250CQo and there is not tho slightest
doubt that 1t will get it. for mculaea ut
congress arc agreed that no other single
tom IN our annual cNpcnd 'turc hHugs any
thing Ike pgoporrionate r'turn TO tlc pco-
At present. the service Is not self sustain
ing hut It IL official le.leC t1gt Within q
comparatively few years It viii return q
handsome p.ont to the d pIrtmont, proving
IN its financial result, slniinr 10 that or
t"l~cl h. free CITY olives. NNhA.t TINT
was established, In 1863, there was a tre
cn!pcS out'ry heeuusc or p DC expense
hnt it required cniy q few years cNps rcnc,
IN ccnoustrgtc that frHc q itlav sn t'iNu
latd the use Of the meils that the cos
81 The eivice was soon exceeded by Il lnrg
si}it every year. Thr cuiUrtuuS nom rurn
fehNrr routes mean sod deaf moro {,
tie poeto1ice department. yclati ely speak
tFUfr lAan naitl tfftttH Ia Ia. ,N4t
Formers send practice ally nothing bat first
cinss matter letter. ami postal card Is; the,
fend no Grn aus. nor do they mail ncws
rnpers at the rate ~ c:tt pound
81 that nearlr MI tire mail collected OF
ral outos hears two cent stamps ana Il
rroportienntc'y pYoft7Ne ~ tic DEPART
ticn of first class matter irem farmers t..
cioascS p per cent uler ths system
INN edistolr Gfter tie estabi shment Of
rCral free delivery route. Just how
works was made clear to me not long az
nv tho statement OF weil,to-do farme
OF Carroll county, Maryland,
lshed here" be said, 1T cost me about s
or 81 year for postage stamps Now
every time the mail WAGON comes over I'll
Hill. my hovs aud @irls think they ought I
nm paying 50 or 81 month for postap
ttaTps instead Of that amount yearly, a
Rural routes are established In respous
20 petitions signed by the heads OF farml
families. All, or a majority, Of the pc
cons living on the proposed route must sig
the petition, which must be forwardc
directly to the postonlce department O
preferably to a representative or a senatt
from the State, The system does not pr
vide for village and suburban free deli
My. though this fact IS difficult 10 impre,
npon the public. Rural free delivery we
established by congress 20 give postal faclI
Ties to those who have none and to carr
the mails daily 70 remote communities ~
residents Of which would otherwise have
travel from two TO twelve miles to reject,
letters and newspapers. Unless clrcnr
stances are exceptional, no route IA esta
lished by the department that Is less ths
twenty to twenty-five miles long. or
wfich fewer than 100 families live
Petitions are received and filed In regnli
order. Last year there were about 1900
and they are disposed of at the rate OF Coy
per annum. Each route Is carefully gol
over by special agent, who. II he IN
everything satisfactory, recommends for a
pointment with the aid and cooperation
the postmaster, carrier. The carrier up
Furnishing proper bonds, Is appointed
the postmaster general. The job is no sir
cure. and II Il generally a difficult matt
to md the right kind OF man for II,
pays only $500 year, ana for this sum Il
man must provide himself with hor
and wagon. He must get over his rou
every day. Sundays excepted ard ms
his deliveries as promptly as possible. d