The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-03-18

contract system? The special agent,
under that system, will pass upon or
examine the bids and recommend
which bid shall be accepted, and the
department will have the right of
selection. Both plans, [ believe, are
equally capable of being used for
political purposes, if SO desired.
The recent order requiring all appli-
cants for carriers position to stand
an examination removes the service
as far from political influence as is
possible under any system.
Then the question is narrowed
down to this one proposition-the
best service at the lowest price, every
thing being considered I am, there
fore, against this bill, and in my
Judgment we will accomplish the
best results by passing the appro-
priation for the rural delivery SER
vice just as we do for the city delivery
service, in a lump sum and without
restriction, leaving to the depart
ment the task of working out the de-
tails along lines suggested by ex-
perience and a wide knowledge of
postal affairs. The department has
developed the service to it's present
high state of usefulness to the general
satisfaction of the country and a large
majority of this house, and I have
heard no sound reason for change
except upon the ground of economy
and freedom from political influence,
both of which arguments have been
fully answered and left without force
in this discussion.
Let me, in conclusion, appeal to the
friends of rural free delivery to stand
in solid phalanx against this bill,
and every other proposition brought
in here by the enemies of the SER
vice. This appeal is made on behalf
of millions of our people who live on
farms or follow other avocations
away from the mail advantages of
towns and cities. Before the estab-
lishment of rural delivery these peo
pie rarely received mail more than
once or twice week, and were, con-
sequently, practically cut off from
knowledge of and interest in the
affairs of the world Only those who
have led the life of a farmer IN the
thlnly settled communities of this
country can properly appreciate the
great blessing that this service is to
the country people.
beg you not to cripple it by any
false notions of economy. The farmer
who was wont to labor in the fields
day in and day out and go home at
night to his frugal meal and lonely
freside, with nothing to relieve the
monotony of existence save, perhaps,
the occasional visit of a friend from
the neighboring farm, is now taking
a daily paper, which is delivered at
his door, and after his work is over
he reads it and keeps abreast of the
times. He has thrown off the lethar-
gy of isolation and taken on the spirit
of progress and improvement. He
receives daily reports from the mar
kets, and knows when and where to
send his produce for sale; he introdu-
ces new methods in his work, which
reduces labor and expense; he diver
sites his crops according to the de-
mands of the market, and ne takes
lively interest in the public CUES
tions of the day. He is, in short, an
up-to- date American citizen, broad
ening and expanding in productive
power and intellectual force, and it
is but just to say that the system of
bringing to him his mail daily has
been great step in the accomplish
ment of this wonderful change. Let
us not take from the country people
the one boon that the government
has given them directly; but let us
foster it and improve it; so that it
will meet the growing needs OF the
hour, and in building up the country
people build up every other occupa-
tion and branch of industry.
| LETTER FROM SENATOR TILLMAN.
| He rxn,ains His Remarks Made in His