The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-10
An ANSWER
FROM BRISTOW
Denies Hs Is Gripping tho
Free Delivery Service.
MORE ROUTES NOW THAN EVER
None Have Been Discontinued Though Some
Ordered BY Machen Have Not Been Estah-
lIshsd Because Of Lack Of Money.
MORE ROUTES NOW THAN EVER

Washington. Aug 1o-Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General Bristow has shown
q sensitive side. Up to this time all criti-
cisms in respect 20 his conduct OF the in
vestigation Entrusted TO him have ap-
peared 10 have on effect upon him. He
has simply smiled. That is his way in all
matters except those pertaining TO his
administration OF the rural free delivery
bureau.
1.-THE criticisms offered with respect 20
this bureau have drawn from him, in
directly, of course. an answer The chief
criticism has been that he is Gripping
the service so as TO nullify all that con-
gress has tried to do for IT, His answer
To that charge is that he Is simply en-
Forcing the rules prescribed long before
he assumed the management OF the SER
vice.
There has been no change in them.
They are the same as when Machen was in
charge. The only difference is that Gre
ated by their enforcement. While Machen
was head of the bureau, II was the rule
TO disregard the rules just as often as
q congressman asked that II be done II
the congressman was a friend OF Machen,
tt was a case OF What's the rules be-
tween friends?"
ENFORCING THE RULES.
Bristow is one OF those old-fashioned
human beings who believe rules were
made to be enforced and obeyed. The
yelling comes from the congressman who
have failed TO talk Bristow into giving
them what they are not entitled 20 re-
.ceive.
All applications for the establishment
OF routes are allowed in the order OF
their filling. provided the projected route
comes up to the standard requirements.
First come. first served, is the practice.
That is true even in cases in which the
congressman does not submit the petition.
Bristow has made Il a practice TO consider
petitions that have not received the IN
dorsement OF congressman on the theory
that the people living In given territory
are entitled TO have rural delivery even
II the congressman does not approve or
desires some other route established be-
fore the one not having his approval.
The Endorsement OF the congressman is
held to be desirable but not absolutely
necessary.
II is emphatically asserted by those
who speak for Bristow that no routes
have been discontinued by him. Some
that were ordered established by Machen
have not been created, for the good and
sufficient reasons that when they were
ordered there was no money TO pay for
the projected service, anO the routes ulu
not come up to the requirements. in that
they were too long or had not the neces-
sary 100 families living upon them.
RAPID DEVELOPMENT.
The nrst month OF the current fiscal
year saw the establishment of no less
than PASS routes. That is more than half
as many as were established during the
u months Of the preceding year. Each
OF the routes laid out and put into service
comes UP 10 all the rules made before
Bristow took over the management.
There remains unaloted money enough
TO esta blish over 1000 more routes. This
means that under the first year OF Bris-
tow more routes will be put into opera
tion than under the best year OF the rule
of Machen. who delights TO be known as
ithe father of the rural free delivery
service.
The anxiety of the farmers OF the
West. said to exist on account OF the
fact that II Is not often possible for them
to show 100 families living in a stretch
of 25 miles In declared to be wholly un-
founded. The rule for the states in the
Mississippi valley is that a route may be
80 miles long IL the roads are at all pass
able. This modification is made because
II is easier for a carrier TO travel over
route 30 miles long I'm states like Illinois,
Iowa and Kansas than to cover a route
Ave miles shorter in New York, Pennsyl,
vania or Ohio. The roads are drier and
more nearly level. ..
II is the desire and purpose OF Bristow
70 be impartial In his treatment OF all
sections. He does not desire to curry
favor with congressman who are mem
.bers OF the two committees on postoniees
and post roads. His only desire Is that
every section OF the country shall have
its Just dues In the matter of free deliv-
cry service in rural districts.