The National tribune., 1903-02-12

WASHINGTON, d. u, THUR
project-the Posnnsters whose Offices
are abolished, and khe farmers who do
not live directly on 1the routes. A repre-
sentative of the fsrner class tells of his
cause for hostilitydthus: ''The routes are
generally proposed and put through by
the Postmaster off some Office of import
ance, who knows that a majority of the
citizens affected by the change oppose
the establishment of rural free-delivery.
These routes are established along the
roads that will reach the most offices Of
less importance, without regard to the ac-
commodation of citizens living off these
routes. The evident purpose is to dis
continue the smaller offices on the routes
in favor of the Postmaster at the dis
tributing Offices"
The same authority thus voices the op-
position of the other class mentioned: 81
know from remonstrance secured in the
form of petition against the establishment
of rural delivery that the farmers who live
off the proposed routes are almost to a
man opposed to the system. They know
they are not benefited. but feel they are
injured by lessening their opportunity to
sell their realty to advantage. They reason
that the buyer comes along ON the route
and buys a neighbours farm at an ad-
A man thus sighted hears his neighbor
say he advocates free delivery because the
| route comes by my place and increases
the value of my farm, and affords me better
| opportunities to SELL Then the man that
| lives che and one-half or two miles back
from the route reasons: IF this be true in
his case, the reverse is true in mine
Thus, and with many even more lurid
| outbursts of phraseology, the opposition is
voiced. But in spite Of all objections and
DIRECTORS, the demand for new routes is
practically limitless-far transcending
the ability of the Department to inaugu-
rate them. No necessary post-office is
| abolished; many of them are made much
more remunerative. Everybody wants
the system; no people who have once en-
jOyed its benefits are ever willing to fore
go them.
CARRIERS TENURE OF POSITION.
Until Feb 1, 1902. rural-delivery car
riers were appointed on the recommended
ton of Congressman. The Department,
however, concluded it was for the best
interest of the service to divorce it as
much as possible from politics, and to that
end promulgated new regulations govern
ing the selection. These regulations, in
brief, require simple Civil Service ex-
animation of the applicants for carrier on
a given route, and the appointment is
made in accordance with the results
shown by the examination. 1t is provided
that, all things being equal, one of the
persons nominated by the petitioners for
an initial service will be given preference
by the appointing power. This puts the
matter of selecting carriers as nearly in
the hands of the people whom they are
to serve as it is possible at this time to
get it, and removes the system as far
away from politics as it is possible to take
it without completely denying to the car
riers their inalienable political rights.
WILL THE CARRIERS COMBINE?
The problem of handling a prospective
combination of carriers in the new rural
free-delivery service is already becoming
serious. During recent debate in Con-
gress one Representative said: II shall in
sst that the rural free-delivery carrier
is entitled to just ms good n salary as the
carrier who delivers mail in cities; the
people who are the beneficiaries of this
service will be satisfied with nothing
less" AS the rural carriers now receive
5000 per annum. while mounted city car
riers receive 81 800 and are organized to
agitate for $500 additional, we may pre-
dict the result.
Another Congressman in the same de-
bate attempts to formulate such a predic
ton: st is the problem of serving in
the near future 30,000.OO0 people by co.
GOO rural carriers. at an annual cost of
more than S1O0OOOOOO. You will have
salaries equivalent to city carriers, plus
the Government horse and wagon, plus
the hours of service by law, plus
the annual leave and sick leave: plus the
substitute scheme-matters that will
make my estimate of S1OOOOO,OOO year
grossly inadequate. In that estimate
alone have l belittled the system"
ARGUMENTS OF OPPONENTS.
Points urged against the establishment
of rural-mail delivery were that it would
be a ,letriment to the evening and weekly
newspapers of the United States: that it
would act against village stores, many Of
which are fourth-class pOst-0fiices, and
that it would create a Capitalization or
trust by striking down the smaller and
weaker business interests in the country
districts. None of these objections have
sufficed to delay its rapid extension or re-
duce its universal popularity-in fact, all
of them have been Overruled by the cold
logic of experience.
An earnest objector thus states his ar
guments against rural free-delivery from
the point of view of the vanishing Post
master:
First. At present we have two mails
each way each day. If we had rural free
delivery we should have but one
Second. The Postmaster takes special
pains to send mail to parties who live on
cross roads. This can almost always be
done from post-oflice but could not from
a delivery team.
Third. Patrons have convenient office
to transact their business; it is warm and
comfortable, and they have the assist
ance of the Postmaster.
Fourth. A stock of groceries, the city
and local newspapers and many drugs are
kept in stock for the convenience of the
patrons. 1t would not pay to keep store
without the post-office.
Fifth. Special delivery letters would not
be delivered any sooner than others. Pa
irons practically lose the use of this
branch of the service.
Sixth. There is no railroad in this
town. The mail carrier takes passengers.
which is great convenience. This would
be discontinued if rural free-delivery were
established.
Seventh The post-offce is a convenient
meeting place; in fact, is kind of free
club.
With all advances of civilization there
is an memorable elimination of the super
fluous. When railways superseded mail
coaches many worthy stage drivers were
displaced and many jolly wayside innkeep-
ers were ruined-but the community at
large reaped enormous benefits. As 90
600 Postmasters now receive less than $50
per annum compensation, it would seem
that the individual loss would not be
serious if the offices were abolished, and
their emOluments added to others near by, |
which are found necessary.