The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-22
VAIL FROM COUNTRY STORES.
THE POST OFFICE rs RUJNING
THEIR BUSINESS, THEY SAY.

ny tho Posting Of Rural Delivery Route
and Addresses of Patrons % the IAncs
They Complain. City stores Hsvs
Got Trade Away From Them
WASHINGTON. April 2i,--Acoording te
statements contained In numerous letters
complaints and protests received at the
Post 0ffioe Department Of late, the day.
Of the crossroads general store are
numbered.
During Postmaster General Payne's alb
sence from Washington Acting Postmaster
General Wynne issued an order instructina
postmasters throughout the country to
prepare lists Of rural delivery routes and
post them in conspicuous places In their
offices.
Since the issuance Of that order the COM
plants regarding the service as an enemy
to local industry have been more numerous
than ever and petitions addressed to the
Postmaster-Cenerd have been received al
the Department by the score.
Mr.. Wynne's order was intended pri-
marily to obviate some OF the confusion
resultant upon the discontinuance OF star
routes and the establishment OF rural
delivery with the consequent changes In
the names Of post Offices and the addresses
OF patrons. But the complaints which
have been coming In say that this posting
OF rural delivery routes and the addresses
OF patrons along their lines has worked
very serious harm to the trade OF rural
communities.
IL is said that number Of the large mail
order firms which sell and ship everything
from a package OF pins to a bedstead, in
GLIDING live stock and steam engines, made
a practice OF sending representatives TO
post offices throughout the country TO
copy the lists Of routes and patrons. which
were later used In sending out catalogues
and circulars descriptive OF their wares.
II is admitted by officials Of the Post Office
Department that as result Of the general
establishment OF rural free delivery routes
the mail-order business Of the country
has grown enormously. This Is true, as
well OF the subscription lists OF newspapers,
which were wonderfully affected as to
growth by the extension Of the rural free
delivery service.
The complaints received at the Depart
ment contain a general admission that the
country general stores cannot compete In
prices with the big mail-order concerns
and the statement that a great deal OF this
moro modern and enterprising competitors
in the big cities.
As the interest of the rural communities
In the whole country Is centred In this
question. Mr.: Payne's decision Is Of inn
portance. His letter to T. NJ. Lake 4 Sons
OF Higginsville. Mo-, from whom protest
was received, Is as follows:
, This order was issued by the First Assistant
Pos tmaster General for the reason that the
introduction OF the rural free delivery service
has caused the greatest confusion In the
matter OF the proper addressing and delivery
OF the mali TO parties residing upop the rural
IL was believed TO be for the public Interest
that the Department should cause public ty
OIL the names OF parties residing upon routes
whose post Office address had In consequence
IL seems to me that you will readily see the
proprety Of this action. That incident
iscturers and Others may be enabled to OBJ
tam sISh lists oy copying them is not think
Of the Department TO furnish informa ion
which will tend to reduce the confusion.
annoyance and trouble incident to the change
OF address Of the many millions OF patrons
q the rural Tree delivery service throughout
II Is probable that after the rural delivery
routes have been 10 operation a suf1cient
length Of time so that the patrons OF the
change in 10 1 e 1
to continue such posting: but under present
conditions. and having In view the ereatest
good and convenience to the greatest num-
ant Postmaster General TO Be jsstias6le. ''''
Post Office Department officials believe
that the competition introduced by the big
mail order concerns will result to the ulti-
mate advantage Of the rural communities,
In that the general stores will Of necessity
bring more modern methods into their
business, keep In stock q better class Of
wares and reduce their prices to the mini.
mum In order TO secure the local business.