Evening star., 1902-01-16
RURAL. DELIVERY
Expansion of the Carrier System in
Country Districts.
FARMERS GET THEIR5MAlL 1T home
Far-Reaching Benefits of Super
intendent Maehen's Work.
ROWTH IN EAST YEAR

ROWTH IN EAST YEAR
1.-THE people of this country, both in and
| out Of cities, little supposed ten years ago
that by July 1, 1902, 100000 persons hv-
ing in rural districts would be served by
direct delivery Of mail by carrier on their
own doorsteps as in cities.'' said postal
official to Star representative this morn
ing.
The ultimate possibilities Of the rural
free delivery system Of the United States
are actually bewildering when they are
explored to the utmost of their many and
far-reaching ramifications. l am sure that
! the people at large do not fully grasp what
is being done in this direction by the Post
Office Department. in Washington. under
the capable direction of Superintendent A
W. Machen. who has carried out the ex-
pansive and liberal policies Of former Post
master General Charles Emory Smith, in
whom the rural free delivery had an earn
est supporter and firm friend. l nave no
doubt that Postmaster General Payne VIII
to the decided advancement of the public
good, and the betterment and the efflclency
of the rural free delivery service.
Present Advanced Methods.
ut seems ages ago that the rural free
delivery was opposed by those then In au-
thority upon the ground that the people
OF the rural districts were not prepared for
free delivery, and that they preferred to
go to the post office for their mail, yet
such was the case but a few short years
ago. 1t seems quite incredible that the
Post Office Department has been able IN
| less than five years to successfully evolve
a policy which in that brief time has placed
| the mail in the hands of our rural popula-
| ton to the extent of one-siXth of the 3d.
100000 persons served in cities in which
| the free delivery service is established
1T is reasonable to suppose that II the
department can accomplish this splendid
result In brief time that In less than
five years hence the 21,Oo9,OO0 people living
| In rural communities whom it is desired to
| reach will at the end of that time be served
direct by rural free delivery carriers.
There will soon be nearly 5000 routes
| in active operation, while there are thou
sands of applications still to be acted
upon The department expects to exper-
ience no difficulty in reaching these many
millions of patrons, and to cover the mil
lion of square miles in which they reside
with facility, since it is now able to say
that out of this great territorial expanse
at least one-fourth has already been
routed
THE popularity of the system may be
gauged when it Is stated that nearly 5000
! applications for neW routes poured into
the department ldSl year III d STEADY,
never-ceasing stream. y
What 1t Means to Our Rural Cousins
'"The residents of cities do not fully re-
alize what rural free, delivery means to our
| country cousins SO used are they to the
advantages they themselves enjoy in this
| respect The routes average 125 families
each, and the delivery of mail is made
daily, except Sundays Instead of tramping
| or driving In all weathers to a post office
| from quarter of mile to four or five
miles from their homes, over hill and dale,
| the mail is now brought directly to farm
| ers on the routes at an estimated cost OF
| only 81 a day for each route or cent and
| a fraction for each family. .....s .,
THE government, saves, in other .diTec-
tons at the same tims. 1t extends its rural
free delivery service, as, for instance, last
year about 100000 was saved by the dis
continuance of fourth-class post offices and
star routes, or nearly one-sixth of the en-
tire appropriation of the entire rural free
delivery system for the year in question.
And each succeeding year as the system
expands, and the appropriations for it's
maintenance necessarily augment, will this
saving correspondingly and propertionately
keep apace. Many of the former star route
carriers and fourth-class postmasters are
engaged as mail carriers. and thus are the
benefits of the service distributed in all di-
rections
Another important element on the finan-
eial side of the question, and one which will
be noted by the members of both houses of
Congress, is the marked increase in the
revenues of the post offices in the commu-
mites where the system has been estab-
lished. 1t was popularity supposed that
these post office revenues would decrease,
but 1t affords me pleasure to say wherever
rural free delivery has been established the
annual increase in post office receipts has
been from to 10 per cent as against an
average of per cent. under former condi-
tions and the ratio of increase in this con-
nectfon on the rural routes practically
equals that of the free delivery cllies This
is truly remarkable, and upsets all past
views and opinions of the doubters of the
efficiency and the possible results Of the
rural free delivery system.
Demands of the People Must Be Met.
This gratifying augmented revenue
means that the people along free delivery
routes are stimulated to increased patron
age of the mails, and this increase of pa
tronage and revenue is bound to keep ever
on in an expanding ratio, to the material
reduction of the actual cost of the opera
ton of the system.
1T is the duty of the government to de-
| liver the mails to all of the people as
| equitably and expedHiousIy as possible, and
the present policy Of the department and
! Of Congress should be adhered to and ex-
tended until all of the available territory
in the United States is covered by we'll
regulated and managed free delivery
routes. Our rural population, while per-
haps not bitterly envious of the city popu-
| lation who have had their mail delivered
at their doors Tor so long, now feel that
the feasibility of the project has been es-
tablished as thoroughly as that of the city
delivery, and, therefore, that they are en-
titled to 1t as much as their city friends
This feeling is reflected in their letters,
petitions and personal communication with
senators and representatives in Congress
to an overwhelming and irresistible extent
Their requests have now amounted to a
demand which cannot be ignored, as In
fact, such is not the disposition either of
the department or of Congress.
Those who in the past fought for the
establishment of the system and against
the opposition are now vindicated, while
popular appreciation OF the service is such
as testifies most strongly! to It's great eff
! cheney. 1sJt
What the System Really AccompIishes
Good roads must precede and not follow
| the establishment .ofsroutes, and they must
| be maintained in al good state of repair.
! Why, In the maintenance of good roads
| alone more than a 'recoupense is given the