Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-25
HURTS COUNTRY TRADE
Country Merchants Protesting
Against Publication of Ru-
raj Route Patrons
BENEFITS MAIL ORDER CONCERNS
Department Holds Reason for Com
plant is Not Sufficient to Justify
Checking the information Objected
to-Arsue That Competition Will Be
of Advantage to Rural Communities.

Washington, April 25.-Country mer-
decreasing because former customers
are now %patronizing the mall order
houses in the cities, are flooding the
postmaster general with letters protest
ing against. the publication of names
OF persons who are served by rural de-
livery carriers. 1t is the purpose of the
department to extend the rural delivery
routes to every part of the country. The
letters now being received would in
dictate that the cross roads stores are
being driven out of business and that
even the general stores Of the smaller
towns are threatend.
Some time ago the first assistant post
master general issued orders instruct
ing postmasters turnout the ountr
to p lists of rural delivery routes
with the names Of the persons served
and post them in conspicuous places
in their offices. The object of the
order was to obviate as far as possible
the confusion resulting from a dis
continuation of star routes. The u
try merchants have discovered that the
big mail order houses of the cities have
had the names on these lists copied
and send circulars to all Of them. They
have everything to sell, from stickpins
to steam engines, and at prices with
which small tradesmen car not COM
pete.
The postmaster general has addressed
a letter to the firm of T.. M. Lake Il
Sons, OF Higginsville, Mo, making a
general answer to these protests, which
applies to every part of the country.
The letter explains the reasons for the
order as given above and adds:
Incident to the fact that thru this
posting OF names, merchants, manufac-
turers and others may be enabled to
obtain such lists by copying them is
not, / think, a sufficient reason for a
refusal on the part OF the department
to furnish information which will tend
to reduce the confusion and annoyance
and trouble incident to the change OF
address OF the many millions of patrons
OF th1 rural free delivery service thru
out the United States.
1T is probable that after the rural
delivery routes have been in operation
a sufficient length of time SO that the
patrons OF the postoffice department
are familiar with the change in address
it will be necessary to continue such
posting; but under present conditions,
and having in view the greatest good
and convenience to the greatest mum
Der, we believe the order of the first
assistant postmaster general to be JUS
tihable.
1t is argued in behalf of the mail or
der business that the competition intro
duced by the big mail order concerns
will result to the ultimate advantage OF
the rural communities, in that the gen.
eral stores will of necessity bring more
modern methods into their business,
keep in stock a better class of wares
and reduce their prices to the mini
mum in order to secure the local bust
ness. The country merchants can not,
however, see it that way. Even IL the
protests result in stopping the order,
the big mail order concerns will already
have beer placed in possession of al
most invaluable lists Of names Of good
o,,cforporc