Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-06-12
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
ats Future Development Depends On
the Equitable Solution of the
Road Problem.

The remarkable growth of the ru-
raj free mail delivery system, and the
Willingness of congress to appro-
pirate money for extensions faster
THAN the extensions can be made,
have been surprising even to the
most enthusiastic friends of the sys-
tenn. ''Why, the thing is spreading
like wildfire," remarked a gentleman
who had been reading up on the SUBJ
just. "At this rate rural free mail
delivery will be universal in a few
years." At first glance this view ap-
pears to be correct, but in fact such
view is merely superficial. 1t takes
no great amount of investigation to
convince one that the system must
meet and overcome very great obsta-
cles before it can even become gen.
eral, to say nothing of being univer-
| sal. So far the system has sailed on
smooth and open seas with favorable
winds. But now it is rapidly ap-
preaching a region of rocks and
snags and storms.
Dropping the maritime. figure and
coming back to terra frma, the great
obstacle to the general spread of the
rural free delivery system is the mis-
cradle roads of the country. So far
the system has only been extended
to communities blessed with good
roads. Among the many communi-
ties demanding the introduction of
the system the post office department
has been able to select those which
have good roads, either as a result
of favorable natural condition or
superior wealth. The less favored
communities, which have been passed
by, have consoled themselves with
the thought that their turn would
come soon. But when these disap-
pointed communities-and their num-
ber is increasing very rapidly-fnd
out that they are permanently
barred from enjoying the benefits of
free delivery on account of the con-
dition of their roads, cry of indig-
nant opposition will be raised, and it
will grow into an angry roar above
which it is doubtful if the friends of
1ICC dClINCIy CdA OO dCoIo.
this storm breaks the benefciaries of
the system will be found to be a
small minority and the disappointed
large majority of the rural pop
ulation. Suppose the minority stands
on its dignity and says: What are
you going to do about it?" What's
to prevent the disappointed majority
from wiping out the whole system
and thus restoring equality before
the law?" Or suppose the minority
says: "Why don't you improve your
roads, and thus secure the blessingS
of free mail delivery?" The majority
can answer: "In improving our roads
we have to overcome greater obsta-
cles, and our means are less. Why
not help us improve our roads
through general taxation?" Such
demand as this is almost certain to
result from the agitation for rural
free delivery of the mails. And what
is there unreasonable or unjust
about such a demand? The general
Improvement of the roads of the
country is a work too stupendous to
be left entirely to the small munich
palities. Besides, it is not more
deserving of national aid than the
building of railroads and canals and
the improvement of rivers and har-
bors?
A proper distribution of the ex-
penses of general road improvement
among the nation, the states and the
local communities appears to be the
only practical solution of the road
problem, and the road problem must
be solved if rural free mail delivery
is to be made general.