The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-06-08
RURAL MAIL DELIVERY
IS CRIPPLED.
Postmaster General Payne Decides
Not To Extend Rural Free De-
livery Service, Notwithstand-
ing Machen's Promise
To Do So.

Washington. June 1.-(SpeciaL IN. G.
Il Pavne has created a panic among those
congressmen who had orders under the
Machen regime for The extension OF 'he
rural delivery system in they Respective
districts which were to go into effect July
Il. The senators and representatives from
all parts of the country are daily arri'-
ing in Washington to ascertain what mas
become of the promises they MADE 10 the''
constituents, that the extension OF inc
rural free delivery system was 10 take
place at the beginning Of the next hscal
year.
Inst now there are moro than d dozen
southern representatives in Washington
who had secured from Mr.. Machen OH
ciaI orders that certain rural free de-
livery routes were to be established IN
their respective districts this year.
81 one of the most demonstrative COM
claimants against Postmaster General
Payne's stop order" is Representative
Charles Bartlett. of Georgia. Represen-
S tative Bartlett is an interchangeable work
e. to secure postal changes, public build
Sings and other facilities for his consut-
suents. AL the last session of congress he
secured an appropriation for public
& building at Macon, and also secured Of
tical orders authorizing the establish
+ ment of a number of additional rural free
delivery routes in his district. Mr. Bart
lett called al the postoffice department to-
day and had an animated conference first
with Postmaster General Payne, and at
forwards with Fourth Assistant Postmas
ter General BristOw, now in charge of the
rural free delivery system. Notwithstand-
81.
ed by MIR Bartlett, explaining the import
lance of the proposed extension of the rural
free delivery system in his district, he
failed To have a favorable impression on
either OF them. Both OF these officers
frankly told Judge Bartlett that in view
of the recent developments in connection
with the mismanaeem ent of the rural free
delivery system under Nh Machen. all
8nrdcrs previously issued to take effect
July l are held up, and there is no means
scf estimating when. if ever. some of
these orders will 80 into effect.
Did Not Like the Information.
This was not gratifying intelligence to
Z tho representative OF the Macon district,
& bul he was satisfied with the statement
OF POSTMASTER General Payne and Mr..
+ Bris,oW, that the pending investigation
#of the rural free delivery service has
developed the fact that the routes have
q been established at considerable expense
& To the government. which are neither
demanded nor justified by existing condi-
/ lions He was informed chat in some
instances immediate relatives of certain
y representatives had been appointed spe-
cial inspectors to locate and establish
rural free delivery routes in which Ger
f tain legislators were directly interested.
s Since the Investigation commenced re-
rorts arc being daily received at the
postof1ice department from newly as
& signed inspectors stating in some cases
stnat routes have been established in New
! England in the west. and in the south.
where there is pra Ctically no demand or