The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-18
HON. C. w.. THOMPSON
CONGRESSMAN DELIVERS GREAT
 SPEECH IN HOUSE.
Fights For Rural Free Mail Delivery in His District-Responsibility of Carrier-Star Route sys-
 tenn a Disgrace.

l free o.iivery service and fix the compen- sation to employees thereof. MT. Thomp- | son said:
 | Mir. Chairman--In attempting to discuss | the question. feel very much like the young man who was commissioned to write an essay on The Snakes in Ire land." and who began pis essay by say. Ing. There are no snakes in Ireland. | l am sorry. sir. to acknowledge that in the district l have the honor to repre- sent which is perhaps one of the most intelligent districts in my State. there are no rural-deliverv routes. None have been established. I have earnestly been endeavoring to get routes established in my district since the day I came to Con- gress. and have requested the Depart ment to sendd inspe ctors there. but an inspector has not visited my district. Ap- plications. however. for several routes are now pending.
 l do not say this Mir. Chairman, in jus tification of the bill now pending before
 am opposed to making any change in the
 experiment the Government Is now mak- ing of system which seems to be per fectly satisfactory to the people who are ileges. and blessings. because l believe. MT. Chairman. that this system will prove a great blessing to the whole coun- try. I am not in favor of injecting now into this project any scheme that will cripple 1t or that will in any way destroy its usefulness where 1t has been estab- lished or where 1t will be established Now. l am surprised at the proposition presented bv the distinguished gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Lacey), in asking busi- ness men upon the floor of this House to experiment with an experiment.. He says that the POstmaster-General should go out and make few experiments and report back to this House.
 MT. Chairman. that seems to me child's play, for a man with his experience to talk to bushes men about such prop osttion as that. I think that the Repre- sentatives upon the floor of this House are practical enough. have had business experience enough. to know that the sys- tenn which we are now enjoying Is con- ducted on reasonable basis; that we can not inaugurate any plan under which and let the people enjoy this benefit for less rate of compensation than $6OO per annum.
 MT. Lacey-How does the gentleman that the Department should try. it. This system of carrying free delivery has never been tried.
 MT. Thompson--I have seen the abomi- nation, curse, and disgrace of the star route system in my district, and it has been a menace and shame upon this great Government to have such carriers as are imposed upon our people under this star route system. I am opposed, MT. Char man, to this Government bartering its offices out in any such way as has been done under the star-route system. Spec ulators have gotten in charge of this sys- tenn. and they are imposing upon the people of my State I have now. Mir. who have been induced by undue influ- ence to take contracts on these star routes at such a price as they are unable to carry them for. and they are begging me by petition and letters to see the post office authorities and get their pay in- creased. MT. Chairman. we do not want any more systems of this kind imposed upon our people. Six hundred dollars for carrying the mail twelve months In the year and twenty-six days in the month is, in my opinion, a very small compensation for the work and, besides. the rural car rier has a great deal more responsibility has the responsibility of a postmaster; he Is carrying postoffice on wheels.
 Loud applause.)
 The mail carrier Is required to travel or shine cold or hot and take with him a supply of stamps and receive money for money orders. postal notes, etc, and for this responsibility and labor he is en- titled to reasonable remuneration, as well as for the use of his horse and wagon. which he Is required to furnish.
 I am as much in favor of retrench- ment and reform as any member of this House but why begin here to use the pruning knife? Let us see. The city car riers are paid from 5000 to $l,2O0 per an mum. and yet rot one word is said by these economical gentlemen about placing them under the contract system, or put ting that service up to the lowest pio- der.
 Mir Chairman, can not see how or why the bill is here at all. As a rule. when any such sweeping and important new project or change in existing laW IS popular demand behind it, or at least the semhlance of such a demand. That Is the case with the other large measures now before Congress-Chinese exclusion. the isthmian canal, the Cuban question. the Philippine question. the Pacific cable. ship subsidy. oleomargarine protection Of the President, war-revenue-tax repeai, reclamation of arid lands, Territorial Statehood, and so forth. But this bill ap- peacs to have no popular backing what ever. There Is no excuse or occasion for 1t at all
 If the advocates of the bill could prove that the contemplated change would be an improvement on the present system that would justify the bill. even If the country had not asked for it. But they have not proved it. They have not made out their case at all. l have listened to all their arguments in vain. They do not carry conviction. There Is nothing In them. All that the champions of the h... can say Is that they fear the salary sys- tenn may become too expensive, and that they hope the contract system may prove
 more economical. Their opinions, Mir. Chairman, are worth no more than the opinions of those who differ with them In fact, they are not worth as much, be- cause 1t can be proven that the present system is a great success. and the pre- sumption is always against a change.
 As 1t is conducted now the rural free mail delivery has the respect and the hearty approval of the whole community. The farmers and others living In and near the small villages and sparsely set tied towns arc delighted with 1t. It has ushered in great new era In the rural districts, and has relieved them, in great measure, of their worst disadvant- Age and drawback-isolation. For ages past and until the advent of this benef- cent system the great trouble with the they could not keep up with the times. They absolutely could not spare the time from their work to so every day to the postoffice, perhaps. two, three four or i've miles distant; and, even If there were time. there would be other obstacles-bad roads, storms. sickness, etc. Herein the city people always have had until now the advantage. No matter how busy they might be, or how sick. or how bad the weather, the city people have had their mall delivered regularly once or twice or oftener every day; and now, thanks to this new rural mail delivery, the farmers at last have begun to get theirs, too. with equal regularity.
 The farmers are entitled to just as much consideration and just as good ser vice as those who live in cities. They are the bone and sinew of this country. Put a wall around your cities and shut out the country. ard grass will soon grow in the middle of the streets. Tear down your cities and the country will soon build new ones. The country is the men and women. The men who wield the greatest influence upon this floor are the