The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-18
RURAL DELIVERY
DEPARTMENT CHANGES ARE CAUs-
ING NUMEROUS PROTESTS,
Which, 1t Is Stated, Are Due to Mis-
tended to BE Done.
NO ROUTES TO BE CUT OFF
UNLESS THEY HAVE BEEN EsTAB-
LIsHED CONTRARY TO LAW.
Petitions for Routes on Which More
Than 100 Families VIII BE Served
to Be Given Preference.
GEO. W. BEAVERS INDICTED
CHARGED WITH ACCEPTING BRIBE
WHILE IN OFFICE.
Chief of the Division of Salaries and
Allowances, POstofHce Department,
Who Was Removed.
Petitions for Routes on Which More
to Be Given Preference.
GEO. W. BEAVERS INDICTED
CHARGED WITH ACCEPTING BRIBE
WHILE IN OFFICE.
Chief of the Division of Salaries and
Allowances, POstomce Department.,
Who Was Removed.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, July II. - The protests
coming from various sections of the coun-
try, particularly the middle. West and the
Northwest. against the new policy with ref
erence to rural free delivery, brought out
to-day an official statement on the subject
made public at the office of Mr.. Brstow,
the fourth assistant postmaster general.
From all that can be learned at the de-
partment, the dissatisfaction expressed with
the present administration of rural free
delivery Is based upon Misrepresentation
as to the intentions of the fourth assist
ant. The report that routes that do not
handle 5000 pieces of mail per month and
supply one hundred families are to be dis
continued is emphatically denied. So far no
consideration has been given to the amount
of mail handled on rural routes. None now
in existence will be abolished, it is stated
unless they are manifestly unnecessary and
established without strict compliance with
the rules governing the service. In this
connection, ii is understood. the South and
portions of the Southwest will suffer more
than other sections of the country. At the
same time this is phase of the problem of
reorganization in the rural free delivery
Under August w. Machen,. former super
intendent of rural free delivery, routes
were not established for less than one hum
dred families. AT least that was the rule
The fourth assistant postmaster general
has continued the policy of requiring at
least one hundred families on a route be-
fore favorable consideration is given an
application. 1t will be some time before ad-
ditional routes supplying one hundred fam
lilies or less are established None will be
put into operation this year. The reason
for this is explained at the department
There are now on file more petitions for
routes that will supply over one hundred
families than can be established under
the present appropriation. Petitions call
ing for service on routes that have I25 or I5O
families living on them will at all times he
given precedence over routes which have
one hundred families less. The great
est good TO the greatest number being the
fundamental principle upon which rural
free delivery is being established
AS heretofore stated In these dispatches
rural free delivery, as far as possible. will
be divorced from politics. Routes will not.
be allotted TO congressional districts Neither
will it be the aim of the officials to divide
them proportionately among the States.
Rural free delivery. if placed permanently
in charge of Mr.. Bristow, the fourth es,
sistant, will be extended the same as other
branches of the postal service. Routes will
be established wherever they are needed
to the extent of the appropriations allowed
by Congress.
The rural service will not suffer under
the new policy. The officials realize that
the service has come to stay and even n
disposed to do so they would be stopped
by Congress from adopting any policy that
had for its purpose a dminution in the
Importance of mail deliveries TO the farm.
The rule giving precedence to routes hav-
ing more than 100 families Is certain to
provoke good deal of criticism as in many
parts of the country the routes are small
but stated, this probably will be felt
in the South more than elsewhere Rural
free delivery is peculiarly adapted to the
States of the middle and Northwest The
service was established there with great
care. This is particularly true of Indiana.
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and
Michigan
The department officials feel confident
that when members of Congress arrive in
Washington and have opportunity for full
conference, that they will approve the
changes that have been made or con-
templated in the administration of rural
free delivery.
The American National Bank of Indian
apolis and the Fifth National Bank of
Cincinnati have been approved as reserve
agents for the First National Bank of Dills-
boro, Ind. JOHN E. MONK