The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-17
RURAL FREE DELIVERY
GROSS POLITICAL, FAvokITIsM WAS SHOWN IN ALLoT-
 MENT OF ROUTES.
Republican Congressmen Got All They Demanded-Democratic Dis tricts Put Off With Meagre Showing-Doubtful States
 Taken Care Of.

Washington Special to New York World.
 General Bristow's investigation of the rural free delivery service is in such shape that the results can be whipped together quickly and announced. What his report is not likely to show is the po- litical phase-hoW the rural free delivery has been organized and used as a polit- teal machine. providing part of the pat ronage the Republican members of Con- sress have had.
 Superintendent Machen helped his friends whenever he could. All any in huential Representative had to do was to come to him and tell him he was having hard fight in his Congressional Dis trict.
 T think few rural free delivery routes would help out" Machen would be told.
 Machen would immediately order inspcc tors to t.s Congressional District, and the Cong. essman wishes would guide the inspector in making his report. In addition to pleasing the people In each case the new route provided place for some friend of the Representative at S6O0 a year. and gave the Congressman an oiJ- portunity to put in worker who could keep his eyes open and report any weak ness in the fences
 Official reports show that four States, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Ohio, had on October Is, last more than oEc-third nf all the rural free delivery routes in the United States These States represented in Congress by the strong1t men in the Republican party, were all ted 37g ru- ral routes out of a total of II ,199.
 Exclusive of Republican members Of Congress from cities, who would have n ) interest in the rural service, the great bulk of these routes were secured by thirty representatives in the Fifty-sev- enth and former Republican Congresses. The men who secured this enormous mum Der of routes served on the most import ant committees of the House.
 Illinois Representatives in Congre ss have the highest average for rural free delivery routes. Counting out the Rep resentatives from the cites leaves eight Republican members interested in the routes. Counting off 150 for the Demo- crats the eight Republican members re- ceived 6S0 routes. an individual average of eghty-five.
 Uncle Joe Cannon is Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations. and is from Illinois. His approval must be se- cured for any increased appropriation before it can go through When a p.op- osition was before Congress to increase the salaries of rural carriers from $500 to $500 a year Chairman Cannon advu- cated the measure, although it was bit terly opposed by Representative Loud, Chairman of the Committee on Postoffices and Post Roads. and his committee. which should have taken the initiative for any increase. After a bitter debate the pay was raised MT Machen was favorable to the increase, as it would strengthen his division and make the places more desirable as patronage.
 Indiana ranks next to Illinois, The most potent influence for Indiana was James A. Hemenway. Chairman of the sub-Committee on Appropriations deal ing directly with the Postoffice appropria- ton bill. It was largely through the rec oH nendation of MT. Hemenway that the salaries of Beavers and Machen were in creased Sj00 each at the late session of congress, although no such recommen- dauon had been made by the Postmaster General.