The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1902-12-06
RURAL MAIL SERVICE.
one of the most inter
- esting features of the annual re-
Il port of the Postmaster-General,

Il port of the PoStmaSter-General,
is that portion which relates to
the rural mail delivery service. Aside
from the extension of the advantages Of
the mail service to those who live out
side of towns and citieS--a privilege to
which they are cntitled-the effect is f"
increase the value Of isolated farms.
Not only this. but the farmers are put in
closer touch with the outside world. The
daily newspaper is delivered on the day
OF publication and thus the farmers have
an opportunity to keep II close watch on
the market quotations. In Il social sense
the rural delivery serves its purpose. and
the ncghboring farmers are kept III con-
slant and regular touch with their
friends.
The daily visit of the mail carrier-ri-
pecialy in the Western States, where
distances to be travelled are greater than
in the more thckly-settled statcs-is an
event only to he appreciated by those
who have known what it is to be isolated
from their nearest town. and for whom
trip of from five to fifteen miles. in
order to secure their mail, was a serious
matter. Instead of driving into town
once Il day. or once IL week. many farm
crs are now enabled to save much time,
and Il trip ito town once Il fortnight is
sufficient in the busy season
In many ways the establishment Of
the free rural delivery has proved To be
of incaculablc advantage. In II com
mcrcial sense it means dollars to the pro-
ducerS. The markets are prevented from
being glutted, and the farmer can govern
his shipments by the state of the daily
quotations. In most of the rural dis
tricts the mail carrier delivers his daily
budget of letters and papers in time for
the farmers to discover what the gov
erning prices are, and it is an easy thing
to start for town ut once or to prepare
for an early start tn" next morning.
Then it is saving of money to many,
sipated.
The United States Government never
did a wiser nor Il better thing in cOnnec-
ton with the mail Servic" than the open
ing of the free delivery routes. The men
who deliver this rural mail are among
the hardest worked men in the service.
In bad weather and in good weather. in
the cold and III the heat. they are cX-
pcctcd to make their daily rounds with
mail wagons ar" equipped with oil
stoves. To be used for heating purposes
and for the warming of food carried
No matter how stormy the day. and no
matter how bad the roads the rural mail
carrier must start out. He is Il man
whose duties are of the most cXactng
character, and his pay is altogether out
of proportion to his services. In refer
ring to the commercial advantages Of
the free rural mail service the Postmas~
ter General adds
The claim was made that all these
material advantages would be cqualed
if not surpassed by the social and educa-
tional benefits conferred in relieving the
monotony of rural life, by bringing city
and country into close connection, and
giving the farmer an opportunity OF
Keeping abreast with the rest of the
world through the daily receipt of his
newspapers and correspondence. as had
hitherto been enjoyed exclusively by the
city man. How thoroughly these feat
ureS of the service have justified the
claims made in their behalf is known to
all who are familiar with the operations
Of the rural free delivery system.
If the several states should realize the
Importance Of making better roads the
efficiency of the rural mail delivery would
be increased considerably. 1t could be
made possible. in many instances, to re-
duce the time consumed by the rural
mail carriers in making their daily trips.
1t would make possible saving Of
horses and time, and thus bring about