Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-25
THOSE RURAL MAIL LISTS.

An order from the postal department
10 postmasters in charge OF rural free
mail delivery provided some time ago
for the printing and posting In a con
! sptcuous place in the postofice the
names of all patrons served with mail
on the country routes This has been
done and from these lists catalog houses
have secured the names OF the farmers
and country people generally and are
flooding the mails with catalogs and
their advertising matter generally. 1t
il asserted that this has induced a
strong trade from those SO addressed
much to the detriment of resident mer-
chants. This condition Of affairs has
resulted in mnumerable complaints and
protests from the country merchants
to the postmaster general. asking that
the posting be discontinued at once.
That official, however, supports the or
der and in reply to merchants says that
Under present conditions and having I'm
view the greatest good and convenience
to the greatest lumber he considers the
order justiiabie.
The order originated from two
causes. One, the insist1nt demand for
the names made upon ~postmasters by
attorneys, real estate dealers, bankers
and others who have much correspond
ence with farmers. Requests from post
masters asking that they might be all
lowed to furnish such lists multiplied
In the first assistant postmaster gener-
ais office. The innumerable changes Of
address coincident with the establish
ment of rural mail delivery created a
popular demand for a list of such
changes at the home postoff1ces. This
pressure had its effect and the lists
were ordered posted.
Another cause lies in the desire Of
those officials infcharge Of the rural de-
livery system to make q good showing
Tor that department. The order vas
sertain to greatly increase the number
IT pieces of mail handled by the rural
carriers and add an air of sufficiency
10 their reports. Many routes were
Earrying a light amount of mail. The
order sent their reports t a mark
high enough to justify their continuance
and shot thesroute report already strong
in number of pieces of mail carried up
to q point denoting better and more eff
1icient service. These are the most
manifest reasons for the publication of
The name Of rural route patrons.
to the local correspondents mentioned it
has been of service. In the light of its
use by the thousands of good, bad and
indifferent advertisers its wisdom is
doubtful. 1t will fill the mails with a
class Of matter of little value except to
the private firm or individual that finds
profit in widespread distribution of adj
vertlsing matter. The same practical
$ given for the publication of the
rural lists would seem to indicate the
publication OF urban lists as well. And,
IN all oand0r, there seems no good rea-
son why either OF both should not be
published. excepting the possibility of
overburdsning the mails by advertising
matter. II the patrons on rural routes
want price lists from catalog houses
they have legally and morally the right
to receive them thru The mail. Attempts
to forcibly prevent traffic between the
country resident and the great depart
ment houses are certain to react upon
the local mechants. The country trade
with the catalog house has not de-
creased despite the strenuous opposi-
tion 1t has encountered by local mer-
chants aided by local newspapers. The
reunsfw retailer must accept the situa-
r6A as Il n aud meet II pgopsglA II